How often do you get to the end of your day and question whether you really accomplished anything? Too often?

We are faced with many distractions throughout the day (emails, phone calls, social media alerts, children, dogs, shiny objects, just to name a few) and sometimes it can feel like we were sucked into an alternate reality. We had the best of intentions but nothing got crossed off the list by the end of the day. We were BUSY all day! How is it possible that nothing important was accomplished?

Time is slippery! Here are a few tips to avoid getting sucked into the time warp…

Schedule a call or an appointment at specific times of the day. I like to do this at 9am. I’ve dropped my daughter off at school and had plenty of time for my morning routine. By this time of the morning, I’m more than ready to start working but likely to get sucked into social media. If I schedule an appointment, I am more likely to stay focused on my work and get started earlier. I don’t fall into the trap of thinking I have plenty of time.

Write down your priorities for the day. Choose three or less tasks that are most important for you to complete and write them down in a very obvious place that you will notice throughout the day. I like to use sticky notes but dry erase boards and calendars work well too. The key is to keep the list where you will notice it throughout the day. Crossing off all three items will feel great at the end of the day! Have time for more? Even better!

Set a reminder/timer to review your priorities midday. Feeling sluggish after lunch? This is a common time to fall off track! Review your list and get back to work!

What are your best strategies for having a productive day? Please comment below!