Time is precious, here are seven tips for being productive and not just busy
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29.04.2021

Time is precious, here are seven tips for being productive and not just busy

Words by Nicole Garrison

There is one huge difference between being busy and being productive, and that is the achievement of an end goal.

Many people believe that the only way to become successful is to be constantly busy. While having a lot of things to work on can be great, being busy does not mean you are always productive. Hard work doesn’t always come hand in hand with a smart way of working. Focusing on a combination of both is much more necessary than putting all your time into a project. 

Finding the balance between the two can be stressful and hard. The truth is that there is a fine line between them, and figuring out how to make it work for you can be challenging. To help you out, here are some tips on how you can be more productive without necessarily having to be busier. 

 

Learn how to say no

Many people have a hard time refusing to take up new tasks even when their schedule is already very packed. This might be a significant reason why you are having a hard time concentrating on anything you are working on at the moment.

Learning how to say no can help you focus on just a few tasks at a time and do them to completion. As much as you want to help out and look more responsible, you need to remember that you will never stop being busy. Working on a few things at a time will help you stay productive without burning out.

 

You don’t always have to follow the trends

While following the trends in your niche is a great idea that can help you attract customers, not every trend is worth following. Sometimes, you need to prioritize what you work on and think about whether something will be more work than profit. 

Thinking about the pros and cons in advance will help you decide if you already have too much on your plate. Not every trend you come across will be worth your time and effort. Therefore, it might be better to focus all of your attention on what you are currently working on.

 

Plan out your schedule correctly

Something that many people struggle with is timing their everyday tasks correctly. If you frequently underestimate the time you will need to complete a task, you might need to change directions. There is nothing wrong with asking for more time to complete something you are working on. Requiring more time will mean that you paid more attention to detail.

The best way to follow this tactic is to start with estimating how much time you think you will need to finish a task. Then, you should add some more time to that. For example:

  • You have a new project to work on, and you believe you will need about 5 days to complete it
  • Since your estimated time is about 5 days, make sure you add another day or two to the deadline

Thinking about possible mishaps in advance and giving yourself time to think and process the project and your ideas is essential. This will leave even less space for mistakes, and it will allow you to work more worry-free.

 

Find ways to simplify your work

Using the right tools and services is essential if you want to be more productive and save as much your time as possible. There is no shame in using a tool or service that can help you get your work done faster. In the same way, a college student would use the help of the best website for writing papers when they are in a hurry. There is nothing wrong with employing available devices to simplify something that troubles you.

Tools such as Grammarly, Supreme Dissertations, and Hemmingway Editor can help you notice and correct grammar and spelling errors as you go. This will help you save a lot of time when it comes to correcting details and small mistakes later. Fixing these issues as you go will make sure you save up a lot of time and effort.

 

Ask for help when you need it

Learning how to ask for help when you need it is not a problem. This goes hand in hand with using the right helpful tools for your work. Whether you ask for help from a colleague or your boss, you should never feel bad about it. 

Struggling to finish a task without aid will not help you stay productive. Instead, it will make you feel tired and less happy with the work that you’re doing. In addition to that, getting assistance from someone else can teach you an easier way to do what is troubling you. 

 

Evaluate your progress and be flexible

Last but not least, you should make sure to always give yourself feedback as you go. If you see that you are spending too much time on something that is not that hard to do, ask yourself why. Is it because it is difficult, or is it because you don’t truly understand how to do it. 

Your work needs to be enjoyable for you to be more productive. Therefore, you should try and take on more tasks you love. If you are flexible like that, the less enjoyable tasks will seem easier, and you will find work less of a hustle. This will help you stay busy without pouring all of your time into one tiring project. 

 

Increase your productivity without becoming overwhelmed

Everyone wants to be able to work less while being more productive. Spending too much time on a task will keep you busy but will also make you feel exhausted. This is exactly why finding the right balance and completing tasks on time is essential.

Paying attention to detail as you go will help you require less time for edits. As a result, you will be able to be more efficient in your work and keep everything under control. Learning how to reject a project when you have time and asking for aid will help you be happier and enjoy your work more. 

Which of these tips do you believe will be the most useful for you? 

 

Nicole Garrison is a content strategist, writer, and contributor at TrustMyPaper and a number of platforms for marketing specialists. She is a dedicated and experienced author who pays particular attention to quality research.