10 ways you can save time and be more productive

Cristian Level X³

January 5, 2018, 12:34 pm

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10 ways you can save time and be more productive

Everyone is busy. Right? Well, not really but most people consider they're busy enough to have an excuse for not doing certain tasks or not achieving their goals as they should.

Personally, I'm a very busy guy. I always have something to do. Work, freelancing, being a father and house chores. My schedule is basically packed week after week.
But, what if I can actually do more? How can I manage my time in such a way that it releases a few windows of extra time?

Here are 10 ways you can save time and be more productive in your endeavors:

1. Have a daily schedule and check it every morning

I use Google calendar synced in with Google Keep to have a regular record of all my responsibilities and tasks, both work-related and personal stuff.
Every morning when having my morning tea I usually check my daily schedule and make adjustments if need be.
This is the time when I also include smaller task and to-dos that weren't too important to be added the first time I made a list.

2. Optimize your tasks

A good way to optimize your tasks will be to write them down at the end of the day, everything you did, write it down.
It takes time, I know, but this is the only way to figure out where you had spent a lot of time and on what tasks you can improve your productivity.

You can discover a lot of small-time savers, like having synced in bookmarks for your browser.

3. Include the buffer periods in your schedule

Figure out how much time it takes you to implement a certain task and add 10-20% as a buffer period. We all know we don't work 100% of the time we plan. You will get interceptions of all kind, plan for them and include them in your schedule.

Otherwise, you'll discover that you are unable to complete everything you planned for.

4. Focus on results

Try seeing the big picture and focus on results for every daily activity you have. You need to learn to get something out of every little thing you do. If you don't have a clear result, maybe you should eliminate that specific activity from your daily schedule.

5. Eliminate distractions

Have any distractions you can eliminate? Do it! Close your phone, close the door, shut down the TV, put the radio on mute, anything that may distract your should be eliminated.

This way you are making the best out of your time and at the end of everything you'll have more time left because of this.
All of this requires a high level of discipline. Learn to reach that level!

6. Optimize your to-do list

Name your folder and files and arrange them based on the date. Have bullet points and use software that helps you keep track of your to-dos. Time tracking apps and task management apps can also help, a lot! In fact, I highly recommend using them.
You need to have full control over your workflow, and you need to learn you need help, you can't and won't keep track of everything in your head.

7. Figure out what is important

You need to prioritize and figure out what isn't very important. Delegate tasks that aren't a priority or can be done later.

One of the biggest and most important things you need to learn on this subject is the word "no". Learn to say no once in a while and drop activities that aren't important to you.
The word "no" can be used as an answer when someone asks you to do stuff. If it isn't your responsibility or you simply can't handle it, say no! It will save you a lot of trouble.

8. Combine tasks

Learn to combine or put related task closer together.
Need to check your email and respond to your emails? Do it once a day if you can. Do you have multiple calls you need to implement? Get them out of your way by doing them one after the other.

9. Don't wait for the deadline

Took me a while to learn this one but it might be the most important point on this list! Learn to finish your work before a deadline. This way you'll have extra time for eventual adjustments and you won't be pressured by the stress of finishing it.

10. Stay motivated and positive

Learn what keeps you motivated. I've learned that completing any kind of small tasks keeps me motivated and get me to move to the next one and so on.
So my advice will be to break your project into multiple smaller task and do them one by one. Once you start completing a few, you'll feel better about yourself; this usually gives you positivity and more motivation to finish more tasks.

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Martinsx1

Making schedule on daily basis is the best way to start with dealing with time saving and meeting up with programs. This would allow you the opportunity to monitor your task and see how it goes.

And also trying as much as possible to eliminate distraction from your daily routine activities would go a long way in helping you with not wasting lots of your precious time over something useless.

6 years ago

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Pixie06

I prepare a 'To-Do' list on a daily basis. When I write my list I start with the most important tasks and then I list down the less important tasks. I also write down the deadline for the tasks. I also decide whether it is important for me to complete the less important tasks. If not I allocate more time to the important tasks. I try my best to complete my tasks before the deadlines.

6 years ago

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edencaga

Yeah me too, I prepare also To-Do lists and minimize the less important things but this article really helps me a lot. Sometimes I can't complete the lists but I am trying to do it all. I hope I can apply these things and be more productive .

6 years ago

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RhealaineS

I also do that. I have a notebook where I write all my to-do tasks everyday. It helps me manage my time and it serves as a reminder of all the things I need to do on a daily basis. Seeing that I accomplished my tasks for a day makes me feel really productive. It's like I was able to spend my time wisely.

6 years ago

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mark8625

To do list is a good practice to save time. Time is precious and we need to value it. I do my task with a list of certain things need to be done for that day. Time management is very important.

6 years ago

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fishbate

I agree, scheduling your activities really helps specially if you have multiple activities in a day. It also a good tool for managing your time. Managing your time is very important in terms of productivity and efficiency.
I myself has one of these schedule on a weekly basis, and it is a working tool for me.

6 years ago

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Corzhens

A planned daily schedule is one tool of time management. You cannot manage your time if you have no list of your daily schedule for you need to prioritize the concerns. When you have priorities to meet that means you have to give it the best time and the longest to achieve quality in the result. Doing the daily work in a scramble basis can make you forget one task that it can ruin your day even if you have completed so many tasks.

5 years ago

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cmoneyspinner

Some people overlook their “extra push button”. That's what I call it.

It's when your work day is almost over and you have accomplished the things you set out to do but there are still some things that you keep intending to do. At the end of the day, you say: “Forget it! I'll do it tomorrow. I'm tired!” Then tomorrow comes, all your priority tasks get tackled first, and before you know it, it's the end of the day. … AGAIN! And guess what? That small inconsequential low priority task which really should be done still didn't get done. Why? Same excuse! You're tired.

I found that at the end of the day even though I feel really tired, I think to myself: “Is there something that I can do in say … 30 to 40 minutes, which will be very profitable in the long-term?” If the answer is Yes. I give myself that “extra push” and DO IT!

That's one task I can scratch off as DONE!

6 years ago

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augusta

Yea,you're right, everyone should always use their push button.it always in front of us, all we need is to click on it and get things done quickly, it never easy we might conclude but with a little push, it will soon be over especially if we are tired as stated.I believe we can do better with the extra effort put in to win at all time.No waste of time is needed, just get working.

6 years ago

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Corzhens

Take note of #7 – figuring out what is important and #9 – don’t wait for deadlines. It is my habit to finish the work ahead time because that way I can relieve myself of the pressure and the stress is lesser. It is an agony when you are rushing to meet the deadline. One way of accomplishing work ahead is to check the concerns and to the most important tasks first and then the most difficult. The smaller tasks which are easy will not give you any pressure so the quality of work would even be better.

6 years ago

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augusta

Great tips , that is quite timely for the period of the year,I always multitask when I have so much work to complete and I have the deadline.I love to finish it before time because it will give time to re-examine the work to be sure it up to standard, We need to kill the spirit of distractions and laziness, so that life will be progressive for us.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

@augusta multitasking is a very good way to getting several jobs done with a little time afforded to you. I do this sometimes but there is a downside to multitasking and it's lack of perfection with the work. This is because are you are combining doing several task at a time, there is always a tendency of overlooking some things along the way.

6 years ago

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vinaya

Time management is one of the hardest things for me. I work from home, and when you are working from home you will meet many distractions, These distractions will make you harder to complete your jobs and thus you are always rushing to wrap up things. I cannot create a working schedule because I work according to my client's time zone, sometimes I will be working until 4 in the morning and sometimes I will wake up at 1 am and begin to work

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

@vinaya This is really a worrying situation when one gets so tied up with work without having control over the time your are supposed to carry out a task for some clients.

But I do believe that almost everything in this life there is a solution to it. It's only death that have eluded solutions so far but when it comes to dealing with your clients, I believe that can create a work schedule and give to most of them in order for them to have a time frame on when to get jobs for you to handle for them.

6 years ago

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iamawriter

This happens when there are house guests Nothing ever works when they are around. I literally close down my pc 'shop' so to say nor do I switch on the tv. The entire time is taken to looking after them and their needs. Fortunately these days this does not happen often.

6 years ago

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iamawriter

I am fully with you on this but one also needs to stay healthy and take a break. Our Managing Director, a Swiss insisted we take our annual leave and get back freshened up to handle our responsibilities with added vigour. Not just at work even while doing household duties it is necessary that we follow all those points that you have outlined.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

@iamawriter This is so true, as much as we are trying to work our ass off and make both ends meet, it's important to take a break once in a while because health is wealth.

6 years ago

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mildredtabitha

I also believe people are different and not everyone can handle all tasks in a day. I always experience days where I am drained and can't be productive. For me to avoid feeling like this, I have to avoid overworking myself and I also have to sleep enough to avoid headaches.

6 years ago

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vhinz

Distractions are my major problem for being unproductive no matter how long I sit in front of my computer. I'm trying to be productive but Facebook, youtube, emails consume a lot of my time every day. I can't help it. That's why at the end of the day, I felt like my day is just wasted. I'm not good at managing my time.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

If you aren't careful, so many things on social media can be very capable in distracting you from achieving your goals on daily basis. Personally, I hate it when I'm working and there will be continuous pop up of notifications from my Facebook, whatsapp, Twitter, etc. I just mange to handle this by putting my background data restriction on, this prevents any automatic pop up of any kind of notification from all my social media pages.

6 years ago

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overcast

I agree that these days social media is major distraction. And it's really hard to put it off. And you can see that it can really reduce your productivity. And on that note I'd say it's better to consider the switch off time for the social media. That way many among us can have much better productive approach.

6 years ago

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vhinz

Every day I login to my facebook account to just check my fb page and the groups that are related to my blog to see if there's something new that I could learn. But hours passed by without noticing that I just spent my time browsing unimportant post on my timeline. I'm trying to minimize the time I spent on fb because, at the end of the day, I'm so disappointed that I wasted lots of my time and only little for an important matter like growing my blog.

6 years ago

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overcast

Yes often small activity such as that can take a lot of time. I remember spending entire day on facebook while working. And it was major distraction. Now a days I spend less time. So it's fun that way. I'd say its reasonable to say it can be less productive.

6 years ago

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overcast

I think after some time you can decide to delegate. You have to understand that some of the time, you'd be spending a too much time on your own work. And that in itself requires a lot of efforts in that process. I'd say you should start outsourcing. And that can earn you good enough money in due time. And this sets up a process for your next strong financial career.

6 years ago

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Martinsx1

I think this is a very good idea @overcast, to outsource can easily help you save lots of time and make money as well without much stress.

6 years ago

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overcast

Yes indeed. Most of the people don't pay attention to the outsourcing. And that's one skill that needs to be paid attention to. And that can tell you how good or bad it can be for the health. That's what I have learned over a period of time.

6 years ago

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vhinz

Delegating is a really good strategy to be more productive. You can accomplish tasks more compared to just doing it all by yourself. You could have lots of time when there are other people working for you.

6 years ago

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overcast

Yes.That is one more reason why the outsourcing is taking more priority. I guess we learn as we make mistakes. There are time when being productive is kind of hard though. Outsourcing is also tiresome. But yes it is something we have to learn.

6 years ago

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vhinz

Yes and let us not forget those big companies are able to produce high-quality products or services because there are many people working for them. Doing it all by yourself could be difficult and consumes lots of time. John D. Rockefeller said I would rather earn 1% off a 100 people's efforts than 100% of my own efforts.

6 years ago

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overcast

True big companies are producing more content only because they are delegating. So completely agree with you on that point. It's really useful to scale the actions by using outsourcing or automation. And it can help manage to be more productive in that sense. I'd say for those who do it can be really good.

6 years ago

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mildredtabitha

Thanks for sharing this educative post. It is really good to be able to save on time and be more productive. I always schedule my tasks. I don't write to do list because I can't keep up with it and I might end up feeling overwhelmed. I know I can be more productive and I can achieve it by having enough sleep and being stress free.

6 years ago

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overcast

Indeed anything that saves time and money needs to be thought about properly. I have seen that people should be spending more time on useful things. And for that they have to automate the stuff around. And that is what makes things a better.

6 years ago

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peachpurple

very useful tips you got there. The problem is to stick to the schedule because my time is always interrupted by my kids or hubby, to get their tasks done first, because I am a housewife.

6 years ago

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overcast

I think it's not easy to be a housewife and also be productive on the online work. It just makes it a bit difficult as you spend time. You can see that some of the time being productive requires you to ignore some other things. And that in turn develops slowly into a problem. I hope to learn from experience in that case.

6 years ago

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Chinet23

Preparing schedule for the day and sticking to it are 2 different tasks. And I understand how hard it is for moms like us. Our children's schedules or activities also need to fit in ours and sometimes they are spontaneous or unplanned. It's really hard to be organized and be able to manage time on a daily basis but it does really help a lot if we are able to stick with our schedule.

6 years ago

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Barida

I'm elated to learn new things from the tips that you just gave out. The thing with managing time is one got to be able to plan things every morning in order to maximize things at the end.

6 years ago

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LorenzoMurray

Use the right tools. Using the right tools will help you do your work faster and easier. For example, if you're writing an essay, use a word processor like Microsoft Word or Google Docs instead of writing everything by hand on paper.

1 year ago

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Seocheckout

10 ways you can save time and be more productive

10 ways you can save time and be more productive

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