• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Nourished Planner

Nourished Planner

Daily Planner for a Well-Nourished Life

  • Inside the Planner
  • Blog
  • Try it Free

The One Productivity Tip That Can Change Your Day

July 28, 2017 By Alexa Schirm 3 Comments

It often seems there aren’t enough hours in the day, and sometimes it can be a challenge staying focused and get everything done, but here is the one tip that can bolster your productivity and change your day.

The One Productivity Tip That Can Change Your Day | nourishedplanner.com #productivity #planning #tip

“Focus on being productive rather than busy.”

Tim Ferris

There are a lot of tips, tricks and hacks on how to increase productivity. Some even believing that a well thought out plan, or at least an intentional one is the trick. While all the tips are beneficial, there is one that takes the cake and is the best productivity tip you use.

Are you ready for it? The one productivity tip you need is actually pretty straightforward. It’s simply this: Do the most important thing first each day.

Better said, do creative work first and reactive work second.

The most important work, not the most urgent, but the most important should be the first thing you fill your day with. Take for instances many great best-selling authors ‘key to success’ is that they write first thing in the morning. They wake up and write before they check their phone, before they check in at work, before they do anything else. Well maybe they drink some Matcha Latte first, but that is beside the point.

The point is we have a limited amount of brain power each day to get things done. We can exhaust our brain, create fatigue and diminish creativity. So maybe the best definition of productivity is less about getting the maximum amount of ‘things’ accomplished and instead is getting the few importantly things done really well.

why is this works

Imagine your brain is a computer. At the beginning of the day, your brain powers up and you have 100% of your computer memory available to use on your life. The problem is that every time you add a task to your to-do list, a little bit of your memory goes toward the task.

Add checking e-mail, social media, scheduling appointments, attending meetings and everything else that can start piling on your day and you can see how you can significantly diminish your brain power. This leaves little motivation, drive and willpower to work on the things that are important.

create your own agenda

People spend so much of their time responding to someone else’s agenda. We open our inbox, check social media and look for someone to tell us how to direct our day before the day even begins. The idea of increasing procrastination does not just mean having a better plan for your day but stating your day with the most important. It means of managing your energy rather than your time.

To put your best and first focus on the creative, the meaningful work. Work that aligns with your values. After that allow your time to be spent on the reactive, secondary work.

Remember, divided attention is like a drag in your productivity. First thing in the morning is not only when willpower is the highest, it is also when energy and creativity are at the max. Can we also mention, there is much less risk of unexpected tasks coming up in the morning.

three tips take control of productivity

Here are four tips to work creatively rather than reactively and be the most productive you can be!

1. Never check e-mail before noon.

Don’t get us wrong, e-mail is important, but it is rarely the most important. Whenever we check e-mail we have become subject to someone else’s agenda rather than our own. Try skipping your desire to check e-mail until later in the day, even making it one of your last tasks. Then, when you do check it, don’t just skim it but commit to taking care of what is in your inbox.

2. Turn off all notifications.

Do you ever feel like your phone is constantly buzzing and beeping? Psychologist believe those phone buzz’s and beeps are training us like Pavlov’s dog. As soon as we hear something our attention is automatically driven from whatever we are doing to our phone. We live amongst context switching making it difficult to focus on any task. To prevent this reaction, turn off all notifications on your phone on your laptop, anywhere and everywhere. You may realize just how much space this creates.

3. Work in full screen mode.

We may be ones to have a few too many tabs pulled up on the internet along with the three projects we are working on at any given time, but here’s the deal, humans by nature are distracted beings. We see shiny objects and run to them. Instead of constantly fighting the urge to refrain from distractions eliminate them. Shut down tabs, close other projects, turn off your notifications, put your phone in the other room and opt for full screen mode {yes it really is a function on your computer}. Make it impossible {or as impossible as life has it} to become distracted.

plan of action

What is your most important work? What do you wish you had more time to do? What is it that you value? Write it down {e-mail us because we’d love to know} and then schedule it first thing in the morning. Let creativity be the defining point and secondary obligations fill in the rest of time.

Get rid of distractions and see how your view of productivity transforms from just another stress to the thing that eliminates stress!

Photo Cred = @FauxFoodieGirl

Make Meal Planning Easier with the 2018 Nourished Planner

The 2018 Nourished Planner planner pre-launch sale is officially on. Last year’s planner sold out so quickly we’re giving our fave followers a head start to claim theirs before they ship.

To see a quick run-down of what you can expect in this year’s version of the 2018 planner, click here.

And check out our Batch Cooking Basics, where you’ll learn the REAL secrets to successful meal prep, and it starts with just a few simple recipes.

Thank you for following Nourished Planner, and see more on Instagram and Facebook. Sign up for our FREE Weekly Meal Plans and Shopping Lists emailed to your inbox here, and sign up for the Nourished Life Challenge here.

SaveSave

SaveSave

Filed Under: Blog, How-To

About Alexa Schirm

A mother of three girls, and nutritionist from Iowa who loves to create new recipes using real ingredients and showing you how they can change your health. I love what I do and I’m glad you stopped by.

Are You Ready Transform Your Meal Times and Your Life?

Get Your Free One Week Planner To Start Today

Get it Now

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joanne Voth says

    July 29, 2017 at 10:27 am

    Very good, because I tend to log onto my computer with a cup of decaf in hand. I am saving
    this article for my 12 year old grandson. Like most kids, he loves his electronics!

    Reply
    • Alexa Schirm says

      July 30, 2017 at 11:47 pm

      Thank you so much! We are glad you enjoyed it and hope it helps in this busy world we live in!

      Reply
  2. Candess says

    August 6, 2017 at 4:59 am

    Love these tips and going to try them out this week!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Get a free weekly planner

It is time to regain control of your life, declare yourself master of the kitchen and take back your health.

ARE YOU READY TO LIVE A WELL NOURISHED LIFE?

Get weekly e-mails with recipes, tips, hacks and to help you take back your kitchen, your help and say yes to more things you love. Welcome to your new life.

Categories

  • Blog
  • How-To
  • Organization
  • Recipes

The Latest

10 Life Lessons to Help You Plan for the New Decade nourishedplanner.com

10 Life Lessons to Help You Plan for the New Decade

5 Ways to Stay Sane Through the Holidays | nourishedplanner.com

5 Ways to Stay Sane Through The Holidays

Become more aware of what's really worth your energy. Habits nourishedplanner.com

5 Small Daily Things That Can Change Your Habits for Good

Footer

  • Our Story
  • Influencer Program
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
© 2019, Nourished Planner payment method icons payment method icons
Copyright © 2021 · Nourished Planner · Terms & Conditions · Privacy Policy