Are you looking to improve productivity levels at the office and home, today, and everyday?

Does it feel as if your work levels are in a bit of a slump?

Sometimes, the quest for improved productivity can seem like a treacherous hike up a steep mountain.

You want to be in a better position than you were just a few moments ago, but you constantly find yourself overcomplicating things and making the whole trip more difficult than it needs to be.

The solution?

Why, it’s to simply get back to basics!

In this post, I offer five almost effortless ways you can improve your productivity levels.

These are basic productivity tips, but boy, do they pack a serious punch!

Try any one of these easy-peasy pointers the next time you want to quickly, and effortlessly get things done.

Clearly describe your goals.

Okay, so you want to be more productive.

That’s a good start, but it’s worth taking things a little bit further.

How, exactly, do you want to be productive?

The more descriptive you can be in your goals, the better. You want to be able to quantify your improvements.

Plus, being descriptive in your goals gives you that much more information to work with on a daily basis.

If you’ve been in a productivity rut, describe your productivity goals in detail, making sure to note: 1) What it is you want to accomplish, 2) How much you want to accomplish, and 3) when you’ll accomplish it by.

So, what do you want to accomplish in your life? Here’s a couple of examples to get you thinking:

Poorly-worded goal: I want to get more done at work.

Clear goal: I will complete three items from my to-do list, everyday, for the next two weeks.

Poorly-worded goal: I want to be more productive at home after work.

Clear goal: Every night after dinner for the next month, I will spend 15 minutes decluttering clothes from my closet, and will spend 30 minutes writing in my journal.

Create a template.

Templates are a great way to get more done in less time. No longer will you waste precious minutes trying to locate information, or think about the type of information you should collect.

If you’ve never created a template for home, work, or school, you really should! You can use templates for almost anything: emails, forms, projects, chores, housework, and so on.

How can you create your own template? It’s simple.

First, begin by thinking about a task or other type of work you perform on a regular basis.

Next, consider what type of information you need to collect or distribute.

Lastly, compile the information into a single reference document, written down on a piece of paper, or typed up in word processing document.

Don’t forget to save your template in a safe place for future reference.

Take an active approach to your day.

Do you start your day reacting to things? That is, do you check and respond to emails, answer phone calls, open postal mail, address queries, or deal with other people’s “stuff” before you tackle your own items?

While it’s important to tend to these items, you don’t have to have to do so first thing in the morning.

Try starting your day by tackling more in-depth or personal work first. This may seem a bit selfish (and it is) but it ensures you’ll have both the time and energy to complete that which is important to you and your goals.

Maybe you’ve been meaning to workout at the gym, finalize an important proposal, assemble a study schedule, email a good friend, or meditate. Why not take care of it first thing, tomorrow morning?

The task will be completed, you’ll have a great sense of satisfaction, and you’ll be able to complete all those other tasks without worry, stress, or distraction.

Trim your to-do list.

To-do lists tend to get a bad rap in the world of productivity. But who says a daily to-do list has to have 97 (or more) items on it?

There’s no point in creating a to-do list if you’re unable to complete the items on the list. The only thing left to do is to simply give your list a much-needed trim.

Be brave and cut down your daily to-do list to 3 – 5 must complete tasks. There’s no room for negotiation, here.

Yes, you’ll only complete a handful of items, but the point is that those 3 – 5 items will finally be complete!

They won’t be sitting on your to-do list, haunting you, and staring back at you day after day.

Let others know you’re unavailable.

You’ve finally settled down to work on a project.

All of a sudden, the phone rings. As soon as you hang up, you hear a knock at the door. Then, someone pages you on the office intercom.

Let’s face it: distractions can be real mood killer when it comes to doing your work.

The next time you need to finish up an urgent and important project or bit of work, let others know you’ll be unavailable. 

Tell them you’ll be unreachable for a short period of time, and be sure to let them know at what time you’ll get back to them. This is an easy way for you to allay their concerns, set some boundaries for yourself, and get your work done.

There’s a few ways you can alert people to your brief unavailability: you can call, text, or email them, or walk over to their work area and tell them in person.

You can set up a temporary away message on your voicemail and/or email account and set your landline phone to immediately go to voicemail.

Finally, you can go the old-fashioned route and place a sign on your door saying that you’re currently unavailable. 

Learn how to improve productivity

Productivity skills are important if you want to see projects and assignments completed in your business.

My to do list online course will teach you how to prioritize to dos, manage tasks, and get things done.

How about you? Which of these productivity tips are you going to try out? What are some other ways you can effortlessly improve your productivity levels on a daily basis? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!