All people are given the same amount of hours every day and yet, some are so busy these hours simply aren’t enough. In this highly competitive and pressure-filled world, the number of responsibilities is exhausting. Yet, our success strongly depends on finishing them all.  

But, does this mean that you cannot achieve a good work-life balance?

It certainly does not. Achieving work-life balance requires a simple action – boosting your productivity in a way that allows you to maximize the tasks without feeling overwhelmed. Here are 9 tips to teach you how to be more productive each day in a manner that’s stress-free.

1. Review Today

The best way to start working on your productivity issues is by taking into account the present. Take a notepad with you and write down your daily activities. Do not try to change anything. Simply write down what you do in your regular daily routines.

When you are done, look back at your notes.

What have you done that can be changed, and how would you change it to free up some extra time? Are there things you didn’t have to do, but spent valuable time doing? Are there things you missed out on because of your choice of actions?

This is the first key step towards detecting why your productivity is so low. Once you have the issues in front of you, you can continue with the next step.

2. Plan Tomorrow

Take a couple of minutes every night to plan out the next day. By devoting ten to fifteen minutes of your time to plan tomorrow, you can tackle all tasks in an organized manner.

’Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion’’ – Parkinson’s Law

When doing this, don’t forget about Parkinson’s law. Give all your projects a set time window to be completed, and you will see that instead of all day, some of the tasks can only take two or three hours. Basically, it all depends on what you prioritize and the deadline you set for the tasks.

Prioritizing the tasks takes most of the time you will spend on planning, but with practice, you will do it faster and faster every day. Just aim to organize the list on the basis of task importance. The most important tasks go on the top, while the least important should go to the bottom of your to-do list.

productivity at work coworker

3. Learn To Delegate

You may be the most ambitious person in the world, but let’s face it – one person cannot do it all. If you want to be successful and finish your responsibilities, you must learn to delegate. Otherwise, you will be stuck with endless tasks and have no time to finish them all.

Take the tasks only you can finish and make them perfect. Delegate the rest. Your time is as valuable as that of others, so make sure you have sufficient time to spend on your tasks, and time for your life outside of work, too.

Fortunately, experts are around every corner and can help you with everything you cannot manage to do in time. For example, if you need resumes or other writing services, you can always give these tasks to some of the best resume services in the area.

4. Get Moving

Now that you have your to-do list in front of you, get moving. Productivity depends on action, so start working on your tasks to finish them before the deadline.

5. Find Your Spot

Sometimes the reason for our lack of productivity is the environment we work in. Take a look around – is this the right place for you to work? Are there things that distract you or keep you away from what you have to do?

If the answer is yes, look for your perfect spot. Whether it is your home, the café across the street or a coworking space, we all have a spot we are most productive in.

6. Take a Break or Vacation

Take as much vacation as you can. Your mind can easily be overwhelmed, and this seriously harms the productivity. Even if you are extremely organized, you won’t be able to keep in pace with the responsibilities if you are too tired.

Travel and vacation concept.

Take all the vacation days you can, and pitch for some work holidays. You will surely benefit from a change in environment.

7. You are What You Eat

A healthy breakfast helps you start the day right. Food is essential for the operating of your brain, so make sure that the foods you consume fuel the body with energy. This should set you up for success.

This process goes both ways – you should consume healthy food to keep the energy levels high, but also stay away from things that do you harm. So, instead of reaching for a coffee when feeling tired, take a break or drink some herbal tea.

productivity at work coworker

8. Drink Water

The body needs to be hydrated at all times. Take a bottle of water with you everywhere, and sip from it during work. This will keep your metabolism fired up and drive away toxins. As a result, the brain is more alert.

9. Exercise

A couple minutes of exercise CAN make a difference. In just 10 or 15 minutes of daily exercise, you can create a beneficial morning ritual that will prepare your body for the day that is about to come.

Morning workouts keep the brain more alert and provide the body with the energy it needs. If you don’t feel like getting out of bed, force yourself to start the morning off right and develop a habit of exercising.

These 9 tips should help you prevent the things that damage your productivity. Follow them every day and you will no longer feel like there are too few hours in a day!