In a world where we get more notifications than ever before, it’s common to be constantly distracted. That is why we often require a structure and a systematic approach to help us ensure that best practices become habits. With the correct productivity technique, you can significantly improve your productivity and develop long-lasting habits. In this article I will try to cover some of them:
Getting Things Done (GTD):
GTD is a time-management technique created by David Allen. It combines ideas from Zen Buddhism with the organizational methods he used while working as an adviser.
He found that when using the GTD technique, your productivity is correlated to your ability to relax, and the best way to avoid feeling overloaded is by having a clear overview of your tasks.
The simplified version of the GTD is first listing all your ideas or tasks, then prioritizing them, and noting down the time required to accomplish each task. If there will be tasks that you feel that you cannot finish fast enough, you should split them into smaller tasks and get them done one by one.
Generally, it’s a great practical technique to start with when you struggle to meet your deadlines and be productive.
Eat the frog:
An effective management technique created by Brian Tracy, author of
“Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time”
Even though times have significantly changed, the statement still holds.
In his book, Tracy advocates that we should be focusing on the most significant task first, so-called the “ugliest frog”, and that it’s the best way to gain success, status, respect, and happiness in life — hence the name of his time management technique.
The way to use the “Eat the frog” time management technique is to identify your “frog”, work on your “frog” the first thing in the morning, and when done, shift your focus to less critical tasks in your schedule.
There’s a sense of relief in tackling the things you’ve been dreading. Your checklist will seem easier to tackle.
Kanban Method:
A method of creating a to-do list that helps us focus on what we have to do right now, do next, and what we’ve just completed, all structured in different columns of a table, which you can edit anytime.
The first Kanban system was invented by an industrial engineer and businessman of Toyota automotive in Japan. This businessman, Taiichi Ohno, developed Kanban as a planning system. It is a beneficial tool that helps you organize and prioritize your day-to-day job responsibilities. The tasks should be arranged and prioritized under columns named “To-do”, “In Progress”, and “Done”.
Kanban systems help prevent overstocking and supply disruption of goods throughout the manufacturing process. Mainly because it controls the entire value chain, from the supplier to the end consumer.
But you can use the same technique to achieve more in your personal life, work, and business
The 80/20 rule (Pareto Principle):
The principle was created by an Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in 1896. Pareto observed that 80% of the land in Italy is owned by only 20% of the population and it’s best mathematically described as a power-law distribution between the two quantities.
Meaning that that 20% off anything like tasks leads to 80% of the results the success. You don’t need to go through the whole to-do list every time. Just focus on the 20% of the things that matter.
But most importantly, make sure you find the best technique that will fit your needs and help turn your actions into habits. Be realistic about the amount of workload you can take and prioritize to be effective and productive.
