How to increase your productivity。

Use the 4 Steps Strategy to stop wasting time.

Today, I've got a quick strategy that'll help you drive your productivity to new
heights.

How many times these questions surface frequently:

 How can I stop wasting time?

 How can I get other people to stop wasting my time?
 How can I get more done in less time?
 At the end of the day, how can I feel good about what I
accomplished?

Do any of these questions sound familiar? If so, you know that increasing
productivity means more than just working faster. In fact, it's about discipline
and purpose. Two traits people often struggle with.

Let's talk about discipline first.

If you find yourself struggling to accomplish
what's on your to-do list, or sticking to your
schedule, these tactics often do the trick:
1. Take Advantage of a Powerful Part of Your Brain.

Identify tomorrow's most important outcomes before you go to bed. You don't
necessarily need to know exactly how you will spend the day when you hit the
sack. But, being sure of the results you want gives your subconscious mind a
chance to figure out the best ways to get it all done while you're sleeping. The
next morning, when you plan your schedule for the day, you'll be surprised by
what you come up with.

2. Include Anchor Activities in Your Schedule.

When planning your schedule for the day, make sure you include anchor activities
to keep yourself on track. An anchor activity is a task that will force you to be
disciplined.

For example, left to my own devices when I am talking to a friend/peer, the

conversation might go on for hours. But if I have an important call to make 30
minutes later, I know I won't spend longer than 30 minutes on the first call. So
the second call is an anchor activity.

Anchor activities ensure that though you might lack discipline right now, it won't
interfere with what you must get done.
3. Do the Uncomfortable First. Or whichever that give
you the START momentum and confidence.

Attack your most important, most intense, and highest leverage activities first.
Doing so generates momentum and confidence you can ride the rest of the day.

4. Look at Yourself and Learn to evaluate your

performance.

At the end of the day, evaluate your performance.

If you did a good job, what, specifically, helped you get it done?

If you got off track, what happened? And how can you prevent that from
happening in the future?

Pick a problem…it could be personal or professional… any type will do.  Instead of
seeking a solution outside (books, blogs, friends, mentors, etc…) you spend an hour
or two thinking things through like for example,

How could you be the cause of it?

What would you do if your life depended on solving it today and you couldn’t
ask anyone for advice?

More often than not – you’ll find your answer.

This step is frequently neglected and that's a shame, because it's the fastest path
to higher productivity.

Now, let's talk about being purposeful...

Far too many people don't keep their eyes on the prize.
They go into meetings, make phone calls, talk to staff
and contractors... without being clear about the specific
outcome they want from each of these activities.

The solution? It's simple. Get into the habit of asking

yourself "What's my outcome?" every time you
transition into a new activity. To make asking this
question a habit, put visual reminders where you can't
miss seeing them... until it becomes your default way of
operating.

Write "What's my outcome?" in your daily schedule, on a Post-It on your desk, on

an index card that you carry in your briefcase, and on a label on the bottom of
your computer monitor. Having so many reminders makes it easy to be
consistent when you're trying to develop a new way of thinking. And anything you
do consistently develops into a habit quickly.

So there you have it. You now have a four-part strategy to

become more disciplined, more purposeful, and,
ultimately, much more productive.