Simple Habits to Boost Your Productivity

by Dr. Rick Goodman

There’s an old quote, commonly attributed to Aristotle: “You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”

I will be so bold as to say that the same is true of productivity.

Being an efficient and high-producing person—the kind of person who starts each day with a lengthy to-do list and knocks several items off of it by lunch time, making every precious second and minute count—is all about cultivating the right kind of lifestyle; maintaining the right habits over time.

This begs the question: What are some of the habits of high productivity?

As a leadership speaker, I’ve talked to a lot of executives and learned how they make productivity a habit. Let me tell you some of the lessons I’ve learned from them:

Use your Sundays. I don’t mean you always need to work on the weekends, and in fact I think it’s necessary to take weekends to recharge your batteries and invest in activities that are replenishing. With that said, taking a few minutes on Sunday evening to map out your goals and priorities for the next week can enable you to hit the ground running on Monday.

Protect your time. Use Google Calendar or a scheduling app of your choice to block off time for all of your valuable activities—not just work stuff, but also exercise, family time, and time for yourself. Schedule all of these important, affirming pursuits.

Practice gratitude. Spend some time each day—ideally first thing in the morning—contemplating some of the things you’re most grateful for. Speak aloud one affirmation, one thing you’re glad to have in your life. Frame your whole day around gratitude and positivity.

Establish a morning routine. There’s something about a strong routine that helps you ground your entire day. Your routine might include a big breakfast, a work-out, a quiet moment sipping tea, some time spent writing, a nature walk, meditation—whatever you need to do to start your day on the right foot, do it. Turn it into a habit!

Avoid multi-tasking. More and more productivity experts are coming around on this point: You’re better off focusing all of your attention on one task, really doing it well, than dividing it among several activities at the same time.

Follow these steps to start forming good habits—habits that will help you be a high producer in the long run! Learn more of my leadership and productivity perspectives at www.rickgoodman.com.

About the author: Dr. Rick Goodman, CSP, is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is a sought after conference keynote speaker on leadership, engagement and business growth in the United States and internationally. You can contact Dr. Rick at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098. You can contact Dr. Rick at www.rickgoodman.com or call 888-267-6098.