I don’t know about you, but I am ALL about finding ways to be more productive and work more efficiently. Being productive when you work from home and also have an almost 6 month old baby is not an easy task haha. So for today’s wellness wednesday post, I want to share 3 simple tips to increase your productivity! Before I do though…I’ll be honest with y’all. I am kind of preaching to myself here as well haha I have not mastered these things. But, I have read lots of articles and listened to podcasts about productivity which is how I gathered these 3 simple steps! All 3 of these steps are things that I’ve seen make a tremendous difference in my productivity when I implement them!
Tip #1: Get a planner that works for you
I know, I know. This is the day and age where no one writes things down anymore. Everything is on our phones. Believe me I am ALL about the productivity apps and mobile lists (I could probably do a whole blog posts on the ones I use daily and love). BUT, there is something very significant about writing things down. I use tons of apps on my phone for work or productivity purposes, but find myself getting distracted when a text pops up or I see a notification.
I started using the “passion planner” about 3 months ago and it might actually be my #1 favorite planner I have EVER used (and believe me, I’ve tried them all lol). AND it’s only $20 and on amazon prime! A simple way to increase your productivity is first thing in the morning (as a part of your morning routine), write out everything you need to get done that day. I like to separate my to-do list out into “work” and “personal” categories. After you’ve made your list…star or circle the things that have to get done that day. Maybe it’s just ONE thing, but make sure you know your absolute MUST do’s for the day.
One of the (many) reasons I believe in writing things down is because at the end of the day you can see what you got done…and anything that didn’t get checked off, you can move onto your list for the next day! It’s so tempting to wake up and just get going with your day, start putting out fires, responding to e-mails and run around like a chicken with your head cut off. Before you do that…stop. Think. What is actually important that needs to get done THIS day. And then write it down.
Tip #2: Make your bed
Okay if you follow me on IG stories you know this is not something I have previously done lol. But I feel like EVERY thing I read about productivity encourages to make your bed everyday. In my passion planner, the tip for this week was “make your bed every morning this week. this simple task only takes a minute and is correlated with increased productivity. doing this will kickstart your day with positive momentum.” SO it’s v hard for me to make my bed because I get up before Michael does, and then I feed Shiloh, start my day…and then Michael wakes up lol. So I need to prioritize making the bed like..2 hours after I wake up. BUT STILL, I can definitely see how it would increase productivity. When your bed is made I think you just feel lighter and ready to take on the day! If you don’t believe me…try it for a week and let me know how you feel after that! This is something I really want to work on!
Tip #3: Time blocking
This is something I’ve gotten pretty good at since having Shiloh, and I will explain exactly what it means because it’s made me SO much more productive. So, you have your to-do list for the day, and you get started. 5 minutes into your first task you get distracted because you’re thinking of task #4 on the list that needs to get done, so then you start that one. (Just me? ok).
With Shiloh, my entire day is planned around when I feed her and when she naps. So, for example, after her 10:30am feeding (done around 11)…I tell myself I have from 11am until 1:30 to do XYZ. I typically make my blocks even smaller so I can really focus. So I’ll say I have from 11am until 1:30pm to write tomorrow’s blog post, shoot 3 IG posts, and edit photos for ___ collaboration. How does that help? It means during that time block i’m not also trying to do laundry or call to make a doctor’s appointment, because those tasks did not belong in that time block. Does that make sense?
Even if you’re not nursing a baby, I highly encourage time blocking your day. Do it in 30 minute increments! Tell yourself “I have from 10:30am until 11am to work on my email inbox”, and don’t let any other task come into that block! It doesn’t belong there!
I honestly could go on forever talking about productivity because I think it’s SO important and SO interesting to learn what can be really helpful. But, I’ll limit myself to 3 tips for today!
You might have noticed these stunning earrings I’ve been wearing in most of my instagram posts lately *insert heart eye emoji* from the new Kendra Scott summer collection! Y’all I am SWOONING over all of the pieces in this collection! They are SO unique and just stunning. Also, Mother’s Day is around the corner and these would make beautiful gifts for your momma!
I honestly can’t get enough of this collection so I wanted to share a few of my favorites with y’all below:
Have you looked at her new pieces yet?! Which ones are your fave or on your wishlist?!
Outfit details: Midi dress | Studded sandals | Leather tote | Earrings | Cocktail Ring | Black Sunnies
Alright, now who’s ready to have the most productive wednesday ever?! If you have other tips that have helped you be productive, I would LOVE to hear about them in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren
