Productivity Tips - Alyssa's Creative Lifestyle

Posted on February 28, 2022March 16, 2022 by Alyssa — Leave a comment

How To Do a Brain Dump for Mental Clarity

Have you ever had 7 billion things on your mind at once that you can concentrate on a simple task like checking your email? It’s exhausting, isn’t it?

Well, there’s a way to dump all that clutter out of your brain so you can concentrate and get things done faster, and it’s called a brain dump. (how creative huh, lol )

In this blog post, you’ll learn exactly how to do a brain dump properly so you can work with a clear mind and be more productive.

Let’s get started.

What is a Brain Dump?

Before we go any further, let’s define exactly what is a brain dump.

A brain dump is simply a tool to help you dump out all the thoughts clouding your brain by putting them on paper. It can help you organize, store, and process the information later.

This is a little different than a traditional journaling exercise, there are no prompts and no structure, just write anything you want to get out of your head.

By doing this, the hope is that you can:

Rember things you’d likely forget without writing them down; like things you need to buy, or birthday gift ideas
Put everything in one place to access later
Encourages creativity and problem-solving by addressing concerns rather than ignoring or forgetting them

Brain dumping can help you start your day with a clear focus by writing out everything on your mind.

Why Does Brain Dumping Work?

I mean writing things down without structure at all doesn’t sound like it will give you much benefit right? Wrong!

There are so many benefits of brain dumping.

Writing things down can:

Help improve memory
Help you process emotions better. There are studies that show writing down emotions can help improve mental processing
Put you in a better position that makes you more likely to achieve the things you write out. Notetaking is a more effective memory and learning aid because you’re taking the time to think about the process that you need to take to complete said task
Helps organize information so you can clearly decide what the best action to take next is

In a way, brain dumping is almost like a functional stream of consciousness exercise.

Benefits of Using a Brain Dump

How can using a brain dump help you become a more productive person?

Helps improve your focus and productivity levels
Makes you more likely to remember the information
Can reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression since you aren’t keeping them in your mind
A tangible place to access your extras when you have time and the ability
Helps provide perspective and encourages problem-solving
A great to-do list opportunity

Supplies to Start a Brain Dump

Traditionally, most people will simply use pencil and paper. Here are my favorite inexpensive supplies on amazon:

College Ruled Classic Notebook

This journal is only 5.5″ by 8.15″ so it can fit nicely in your purse or bag for brain dumping at any time of the day.

Five Star Spiral Notebook

I keep one of these on the kitchen counter as I always get my best ideas while I’m cooking dinner for some reason. The Five Star brand notebooks come in so many designs so you can have a beautiful brain-dumping notebook sitting out all the time.

Pilot G2 Gel Pens

These are by far my favorite pens to write with. They write so smoothly and seem to never run out of ink. And they’re super inexpensive, Bonus!

Now I prefer to write out my ideas as I find it better to remember things when I write them down. However, there are people who prefer technology for various reasons. One of them is that notebooks can take up a lot of room as you fill them.

Here are some ideas for digital brain dumping:

Google Docs: It’s free and you can access it from anywhere. What more could you want?

Notes App on your Phone: Your phone already comes everywhere with anyway so why not also make it a place to dump your ideas; maybe on the bus to work, or while you’re on your lunch break.

Notion: I LOVE Notion! You can do so many things with Notion other than brain dumping and it syncs to any device with the app. Brain dumping doesn’t have to look great but with Notion, you can easily organize thoughts by dragging them around the page. Seriously go check out Notion!

*not sponsored; I just really love using Notion more than any other digital note-taking app and I really think you guys should check it out!

What to Include in a Brain Dump

Really, you can write anything, the sky is the limit. But if you’re still not sure how to start here are some ideas:

Thoughts
Feelings
Things you need to do later this week
Something that happened in your life
Ideas for future travels
Quotes/song lyrics you want to remember later
Goals
Dreams
Aspirations
Things you want to look up later
Books you want to read
Movies you want to watch
Grocery list
To-do list

The list can go on and on, Just start writing!

When to Brain Dump

Ok, you have a notebook and pen or a digital way to take notes, now when is the best time to brain dump? Well, honestly there really isn’t “the best time” to use one.

But here are a few different ways people use them throughout the day:

In the morning: I prefer this cause it clears my head for the rest of the day and I can get out all the ideas I may have dreamed up overnight
Before bed: same as right in the morning, brain dumping right before bed can clear your mind or put you at ease so you can fall asleep easier
Anytime an idea comes to you: this is where it’s nice to have something to brain dump with at any hour of the day, cause who knows when that million-dollar idea is gonna come floating into your brain, and you don’t want to forget it!

Final Thoughts about Brain Dumping

Brain dumping is a great strategy to organize your thoughts floating around in your brain. It helps clear your mind when you otherwise might be afraid of forgetting something important.

Now a brain dump can become totally useless if you never come back to the notes you took. Try to put it into your schedule; just a short 15 minutes or so, to look over your notes from the past week and organize them or cross stuff off if it no longer applies.

Make a plan to go through your brain dumping notes on a regular basis. This is where it becomes super beneficial. Often times people write things down to get them out of their heads but if they never come back to them, they’re lost as if you never wrote them down.

Brain dumping can transform your life if you stick to it properly.

Have you been wanting to figure out how to clear your mind and focus better? Find a place to start brain dumping now. You won’t regret it!

Have you tried brain dumping before? How has it helped improve your life? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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Posted on July 29, 2021February 14, 2022 by Alyssa — 1 Comment

10 Daily Habits of Highly Productive People

I think we all know that one person that always seems to be getting so much done, and crushing goals each and every day. How can we be more like them, we often ask ourselves. What if I told you the secret was just some simple daily habits?

We are always striving to be more productive each and every day. I mean we only have 24 hours in a day, so we should try to make the most of it.

I recently took to the internet to find some of the best daily habits of highly productive people. After all, habits and routines, when formed properly, can help us cut back on so much wasted time. Therefore getting more done in less time.

So without further ado, let’s get to those 10 Daily Habits of Highly Productive People

The 10 Daily Habits of Highly Productive People

1. Have a Consistent Morning Routine

Having a morning routine is crucial for a successful and productive day.

Use your morning routine to start your day on a positive, productive note.

First, try getting up a little earlier than usual, and use this time to take care of yourself. Grab a cup of coffee, meditate, do some yoga, and make yourself a healthy breakfast.

Have a nice slow and relaxing morning so you don’t feel stressed or rushed first thing. That will not benefit you at all for the rest of the day.

By setting up a consistent morning routine, you don’t have to waste time figuring out what to do during the first few hours of your day. Plus, you’ll be all set to start your productive workday right after.

2. “Eat the Frog”

Eat a live frog, first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.’ – Mark Twain

The most productive people ‘eat the frog’ first thing in the morning (after their morning routine, of course). Brian Tracy introduced this theory in his book “Eat That Frog”.

He says that by doing your most important task first thing, the rest of the day will flow easily, and you’re less likely to push off the job until tomorrow.

Ask yourself “If I can only get one thing done today, what would that thing be?”, and make that the first thing you do.

If you cross off the most important task on your to-do list first thing, you’ll naturally reach a higher level of productivity for the day.

3. Eliminate Distractions

Over time, you’ll come to know what things can easily distract you from your work.

Highly productive people know what distracts them and make it a point to eliminate the distractions.

For example, if you are easily distracted by notifications on your phone, put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode while you are working.

Or if you get distracted by different sights around you, sit facing a blank wall why you are working.

Find a way to eliminate the distractions and you are golden.

Related: How to Stop Wasting Your Time

4. Take Regular Breaks

What?! Taking breaks can make you more productive?!

Yep, that’s right. Sometimes taking a break is all you need to get back into a productive and focused state.

I recommend trying out the Pomodoro Method, where you focus on work for 25 minutes, and then take a 5-minute break.

You can save those breaks for things like checking social media, getting up and stretching, or answering a text message. This will help eliminate the possibility of getting distracted during your work time.

5. Don’t Multitask

I hate to break it to you, but multitasking does not benefit your productivity at all. In fact, it actually significantly slows you down.

You may think you are getting more done, but instead, by switching between multiple different tasks you are hindering your cognitive process. Meaning you aren’t able to truly focus on the tasks at hand. Multitasking causes you to slow down and lose focus easier.

The most productive people will spend a only few hours on one task. This allows for a deeper concentration, therefore producing the best possible results.

If you try to do multiple things at once, you won’t be able to do them as well as you could have if you spent some dedicated time on just one task at a time.

Focusing on one task at a time will significantly improve your productivity.

6. Have a Clear Focus

I think we are all guilty of trying to get work done while we have 20+ tabs open on our computer. Not only will our computer run slower, but you’ll waste tons of time trying to find the tab that you actually need.

Every time you sit down to work on a task, have a clear focus and goals set for that period of time and close out any tabs that you aren’t going to use.

Let’s stop bouncing from tab to tab, only to find that 3 hours later, the goal we set that day had not even been started.

7. Have an Organized Work Area

A clean and organized work area will not only help eliminate distractions, but also eliminate the time you spend trying to find things.

Make sure to organize your desk so you know where everything is that you need during the day. Declutter and throw out anything that you don’t need in your work area and organize anything that you may need throughout the day so you can easily find it.

Be sure to have a designated spot for everything.

Check out some of my favorite office supplies for organizing your desk:

Marbrasse Paper Letter Tray Organizer

Monitor Stand Riser with Drawer

White Office Desk Organizer

8. Take Care of Yourself

You simply can’t pour from an empty cup – it’s just not possible.

If you aren’t taking care of yourself first, you won’t be able to concentrate or help anybody else as well, or as effectively as you should.

Make sure you are taking some time for some self care. Get enough sleep, get regular exercise, and eat healthy meals.

When you take care of yourself, you will not only feel better overall, but you’ll get more stuff done.

9. Plan the Night Before

Productive people make sure their calendars and workspaces are already set and waiting for them the next morning.

Before you finish your workday and close your laptop, take the extra 10 minutes to go through your schedule for the next day. Maybe even time block your important tasks or projects for tomorrow into your calendar.

You could also quickly clean up your workspace by putting everything away and closing out all the tabs on your computer.

The next day, you’ll come to a clean space that’s all ready for you to begin your first task.

10. Take Time for Self-Reflection

If you don’t reflect on your days you’ll never realize what you may need to improve on.

At the end of every day, do a quick daily self-reflection. Acknowledge what went well that day and what could have gone better. Learn from your mistakes and make changes to help improve your strategy for next time.

Then at the end of the week and month do a bigger self-reflection to help you refocus your goals and set the tone for the next week or month.

Check out my blog posts on those topics below.

How to do a Weekly Review | 10 Weekly Self-Reflection Questions

How to do a Monthly Reflection | 15 Questions to Ask Yourself

Final Thoughts

After reading this list, I hope you realize that you can’t just snap your fingers and instantly become more productive overnight.

Try picking out 1-3 of the daily habits listed above and start implementing them into your daily routine. Then after a few weeks, take some time to reflect on how your productivity levels increased with those new habits.

Discover what works best for you and start crossing things off your to-do list even faster than you ever thought possible.

What daily habits have you implemented that help you increase your productivity? Let me know in the comments below.

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Posted on June 3, 2021May 26, 2021 by Alyssa — 5 Comments

What is the Pomodoro Technique and How to Use it for Optimal Productivity

If you’ve been in the productivity community at all, you’ve probably heard of the Pomodoro Technique. Whether you’re a busy student looking for a better way to study, a busy parent juggling working at home while taking care of children, or anyone who just has a lot on their plate, this productivity system will help you stay focused and work smarter.

I stumbled across the Pomodoro Technique just recently and it has changed my daily productivity for the better.

What is the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The main idea behind the technique is quite simple. Basically, you work for 25 minutes and take a 5-minute break. Repeat that 4 times and then take a longer break, usually between 15-30 minutes. Break for however long you need to feel re-energized, but not too long that you lose motivation completely.

Fun fact:

Francesco Cirillo names the system “Pomodoro” after a tomato-shaped timer he used when tracking his work while studying at college.

Why does the Pomodoro Technique Work?

The Pomodoro method is popular and effective for a few reasons. The main reason it works for a lot of people is that it allows you to break your work down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

It also encourages you to simply start working. Once that timer starts, there’s a little shotgun inside you that goes off and wants to get as much done in those 25 minutes as you can.

Often the hardest part when working on a project is just simply getting started. This eliminates that problem completely.

The 5 Simple Steps to Integrate the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique is probably the simplest productivity method to implement, because all you need is a timer. Seriously, that’s it. No books or special apps. Just a timer, which you can find on literally every smartphone these days anyway.

Here’s the method broken down into 5 easy steps:

Pick a task that you need to accomplish
Set a timer for 25 minutes
Work on that task until the timer goes off. Check off what you completed in that time.
Take a short 5 minute break. Check your phone, stretch, or grab another cup of coffee.
Then repeat. And make sure to take a longer break after every 4 sets.

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique for Optimal Productivity

In order to make the Pomodoro Technique work for you, there are a few tools you need to implement in order for it be most effective.

Break down your work into small chunks

Often when you have a large project in front of you, it can feel overwhelming, which often leads to procrastination to even start it.

But when you follow the Pomodoro method, you know you only have 25 minutes to work on it. So break your project down into smaller actionable steps that can be completed in a 25 minute chunk. Then each time you complete a Pomodoro, you’ll get to check something off your to do list.

Limit possible distractions

Anytime I sit down to work on something, before I start my timer, I set my phone and computer to do-not-disturb mode so that I have a complete 25 minutes of undistracted time to completely focus.

Using the Pomodoro technique actually really helps with limiting the distractions because I know that I have a 5 minute break coming up and I can do whatever on my phone during those 5 minutes.

Final Thoughts

The Pomodoro Technique is a great addition to anyone’s productivity tool box. Pair it with another simple productivity method and you’ll be unstoppable.

Have you tried the Pomodoro method before? I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on it.

Let me know in the comments below.

For more information on the Pomodoro Technique, check out Francesco Cirillo’s book: The Pomodoro Technique: The Acclaimed Time-Management System That Has Transformed How We Work

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Posted on March 12, 2021April 15, 2022 by Alyssa — 5 Comments

How to Stop Wasting Your Time

Do you constantly find yourself wasting time on accident? Do you subconsciously open Instagram, start scrolling and 30 minutes go by without you noticing?

Well those days are over.

Did you know there are about 3 main reasons why you constantly find yourself to be wasting time?

Let’s look at some root cause for why this keeps happening to you.

In this blog post, I’m going to help you understand why you end up turning to time-wasting activities and how to avoid them so you can start skyrocketing your productivity.

If you want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

How to Stop Wasting Your Time Every Day pinterest pin | picture of clock on desk

3 Reasons Why You are Constantly Wasting Time

Not Having a Consistent Way to Plan Your Time

One of the big culprits of that lead to time wasting is not having a plan for your day.

If you don’t plan your day your brain will fall into distractions without you even realizing it. You will reach for ticktock or Instagram just because you don’t know what to do next.

For example, if you don’t have an exact morning routine planned out this may happen.

Your alarm goes off and instead of getting up and starting your day, you grab your phone and start scrolling through social media.

Now you should not be upset at yourself for falling into these distractions because your brain is simply trying to find something to do.

How to avoid:

Plan your days the night before.

Learn how to time block your days. If you time block your day the night before you’ll know you know exactly what you should be doing at each point in your day.

Not Doing Things That You Really Care About

Often the biggest reason you are prone to distractions is because you’re bored.

If you aren’t enjoying what you are doing your brain will try to find something more exciting, like watching Netflix.

Your brain often looks for more enjoyable things to do rather than continuing to do the boring task.

How to avoid:

Most of the time we can’t avoid doing the boring things like cleaning up the house or doing dishes.

However, we can try to make it fun.

I like to turn boring activities into a game. This is called gamification.

Basically you try to bring different parts of gaming into a real life setting.

So make cleaning up the house a game but setting a timer and trying to clean the house as fast as you can.

This adds an element of challenge which your brain will find fun to try and complete.

If your entire life seems to be boring because you don’t like your job, create a vision for yourself that drives you forward.

Make a vision board of what you want your future to look like and how the “right now” boring activity will contribute to that.

Remind yourself of your vision to help you get through those boring activities.

What are some ways you make boring activities more enjoyable?

Not Taking Care of Yourself

If you aren’t getting enough sleep, moving your body, eating healthy, or seeing loved ones you are going to feel sluggish and unmotivated.

This will cause you to reach for the brainless things to do.

Over the past few years, I’ve discovered self-care to be a priority.

For example, if you don’t get enough sleep or healthy foods in your body, you will feel tired while you’re working on a project and not feel motivated to keep working.

Because of this you reach for the brainless activities like Netflix, Ticktock and Instagram.

Self-Care is complementary to productivity.

How to avoid:

Start practicing self-care every day.

This sounds like a hard task but it’s really not. I include my self-care time in my morning routine as a way to encourage me to get up every morning instead of reaching for my phone.

Determine which self-care activities are more important for you.

Maybe you need 9 hours of sleep every day to feel awake the next day. Do that.

Everyone’s needs are different.

Final Notes

If you still aren’t sure why you turn to those time wasting activities, ask your self every day, what would have made this day better.

Really dig deep to find the root cause to why you are wasting time, instead of immidiately blaming the same old distracts like social media.

By being aware of the reasons for reaching for those distractions, you’ll be able to focus better during the day and start wasting less time.

How to Time Block Your Whole Week

What is Productivity? | The Ultimate Guide to Being More Productive

9 Things to Do Every Month to be More Productive

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stop wasting your time and skyrocket productivity

If you want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

Posted on February 23, 2021October 20, 2021 by Alyssa — 4 Comments

How to Time Block Your Whole Week (in just 30 minutes!)

Is work/life balance difficult week to week? Do you find yourself getting to the end of the day Friday having only completed half the tasks you planned? What if I told you a new time management system using only blocks of time could save you?

Continue reading for my complete guide on how to time block your whole week (in just 30 minutes), plus get an already made weekly template to start time blocking today.

If you want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

What is Time Blocking?

Time blocking, also known as calendar blocking, is a time management tool that helps you divide your day into, what we call, time blocks.

Each block designates a specific task or group of tasks. And only those specific tasks can be done in that block of time.

If you time block your days in advance, you won’t have to constantly decide what you need to focus on throughout the day. You’ll already have that planned out ahead of time.

Just follow your time blocked schedule. And if you find yourself getting off-task, just simple glance at your schedule and you’ll know exactly what you should be doing.

The Benefits of Time Blocking Your Weeks

Still not sure if time blocking is for you?

Here are some amazing benefits for time blocking your week:

1. Promotes focused work time

When you schedule a chunk of time to work on a particular project or task, your brain has an easier time concentrating on one thing. Hence less distraction and time wasted.

As you get the hang of time batching (another term for time blocking) your tasks, you’ll build the muscle memory required for more focused work time.

2. Makes you aware of how you spend your time

Believe it or not, most people aren’t that great at time management.

Human beings are terrible at estimating how much time we spend on different tasks. And we often think we have more time than we do.

As you get more comfortable time blocking your schedule, you’ll find yourself realizing some things take less time than you thought.

3. Helps You Follow Through on Your Goals

Many studies have shown that when people write down a specific place, date, and time for an activity, they are more likely to act on it fully.

Therefore, when you schedule tasks and goals, you’re more likely to follow through.

Time blocking allows you to make plans with yourself to ensure you are always working towards your goals.

Step-by-Step: How to Time Block Your Week

Now that we’ve talked about what time blocking is and the benefits, I’m gonna show you how to time block your week, one step at a time.

Also, be sure to grab the free weekly plan template so you can easily time block your week right inside google sheets.

1. Plug in your non-negotiables

These non-negotiables would be your work or class schedule, any upcoming appointments, and schedule activities, like club meetings, music rehearsals, or soccer practice.

Basically, anything that you must go to or else there will be consequences.

2. Add 6-8 hours of sleep every night

Everyone needs to sleep so don’t ditch out on it. Make sure you schedule at least 6-8 hours of sleep depending on how much you need.

3. Schedule meal times

As weird as it sounds, make sure you schedule your mealtimes. Sometimes when you’re so focused on a particular task you work straight through lunch. Don’t let that happen again.

*And if you really need to, set an alarm to make sure you stop working to eat and refuel.

4. Morning and evening routines

I’ve mentioned it many times before, but creating morning and evening routines are crucial for increased productivity.

You become more prepared for each day when you know exactly how you’re starting and ending it.

How to Create a Morning Routine

10 Smart Things to Include in Your Bedtime Routine for an Easier Morning

5. Self-care time

Another thing I’ve said quite often on this blog is: self-care time is important.

You need to refuel your mind, body, and soul or you wouldn’t be able to take care of anything else.

Take time to take care of yourself first. It’s not selfish!

*Check out my blog post on self-care activities for ideas on what to do during your self-care time,

6. Time block your goals and tasks

Now that all the essentials are scheduled you can break down your days into different focused work time blocks. Decide when you’re going to work on particular goals and for how long.

Break them up into blocks of time throughout your day.

Here’s an example of what a general week looks like for me when it’s time blocked.

This setup is the example I included in the google sheets template you can grab for free down below.

Some Common Time Blocking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Time blocking sounds pretty straightforward and for the most part, it is, but it can be hard to put into practice at first.

Here are some helpful tips to get started when learning how to time block:

Overestimate your time

You’ll get better at estimating how long it takes you to complete a particular task over time. But until you do, error on the side of blocking off too much time, rather than not enough.

Also including some “buffer time” or transition time in between tasks can help as well.

Don’t be too strict with your schedule

Things will come up and ruin your plans. That’s ok. Your time blocks are in place to help you focus your attention on particular tasks at a time. It’s not a binding contract.

It’s ok to edit your plans throughout the day if need be. Don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t always stick to the schedule.

Don’t over-schedule your leisure time

You do not need to schedule everything down to 5-10 minute increments.

In fact, scheduling your leisure activities can have a damping effect on the actual enjoyment of the activity.

Instead, block out the time that you plan to disconnect and relax. Don’t set how you are going to spend that time, let that come to you in the moment.

For example, I don’t plan my Saturdays and Sundays really at all, because those are my leisure days. Minus the time I plan to prep meals, do laundry or do my weekly reviews, I don’t strictly plan my weekends much at all.

Final Thoughts on Time Blocking

Scheduling your whole day or week in advance can seem like a waste of time. But when you don’t have control of your calendar, distractions can take over much easier.

By doing the decision-making ahead of time, you’ll save time and mental energy during the workweek. Therefore, being more productive.

Try time blocking a couple of days at first. Then come next Sunday, time block your whole week and see how it affects your overall productivity that week.

After the first week that you time block, it will become easier. Take 15-30 minutes every Sunday to adjust your time blocks for the coming week and ta-da! You have your entire week planned in no time.

Have any more questions about using time blocks? Let me know in the comments below.

*Hey college students!

I made a special blog post just for you guys on How to Time Block Your College Schedule. Go ahead check it out!

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If you want a PDF download of this post for $1, click here!

You might also enjoy:

How to Stop Wasting Your Time

Posted on February 17, 2021May 10, 2022 by Alyssa — 2 Comments

What is Productivity? | The Ultimate Guide to Being More Productive

Productivity is defined as “a way to measure the efficiency of a person completing a task.” In basic terms, making 1 product in an hour isn’t very productive, but making 10 products in an hour is seen as being much better.

But how do we calculate productivity in our daily lives? It’s easy to use units as a way of measuring productivity but that isn’t always the case.

So what exactly is productivity and how can we use it to optimize our success every day? Let’s discuss it.

What is Productivity?

Author of the book, Smarter Faster Better, Charles Duhigg defines productivity as “making certain choices in certain ways” that moves us from being “merely busy” to “genuinely productive”.

We often assume that productivity in our daily lives means getting more things done each day. Well, what if I told you that isn’t exactly correct.

Instead, productivity is getting important things done consistently. No matter what you are working on, there are really only a few things that are truly important in a given day.

Being productive is about maintaining a steady, average speed on a few things, not maximum speed on everything.

What Productivity Is Not

Often times we think of productivity as being busy all the time. We see that person at work who’s always running around getting tasks done and their desk is covered under a pile of to do lists.

Well I hate to break it to you but being busy is not the same thing as being productive.

When you are missing deadlines or running 10 steps behind you are not actually being productive. When you are truly being productive, you’re more likely ahead of schedule.

Remember, there are only 24 hours in a day. Being truly productive means you are making the most of every day and achieving your goals rather than always chasing endless deadlines.

Like my dad always told me growing up: “Work smarter, not harder.”

How to Be More Productive Every Day

1. Manage your energy, not your time

If you stop and think about it, you are less productive during certain times of the day. What type of energy do you have in the morning? Afternoon? Evening? Before bed? Determine how much energy each task needs to determine what time of day you should aim to complete certain tasks by.

2. Prepare the night before

If you only do one thing each day it should be to organize your to-do list for tomorrow. If you do it right, you’ll spend less time and energy the next day determining what you should focus on that day.

3. Don’t open emails all day long

Having email notifications is one of those big distractions you should elimate. Set a designated time every day (or a couple times a day if needed) to check and respond to emails. Getting distracted by the sound of the notification every time you get an email can do a lot of damage to your productivity.

4. Develop a “before work routine”

I often just call this my morning routine. Everything I do in my morning routine helps me prepare for the day. I drink a whole glass of water, do some yoga, and journal every morning. By doing these things every morning it sends a signal to your brain that you should get ready for work mode or school mode, or whatever mode you need to be in right after your morning routine.

My Top 5 Productivity Strategies

Time Block Your Days: This time management method is where you divide your day into several blocks of time where each block is dedicated to a specific task.
Understand How to Stop Wasting Time: Once you understand why you often find yourself wasting time, you can learn to catch yourself in the act and skyrocket your productivity.
Having a Daily Routine: This strategy is pretty straightforward. When you have a routine set in place you already know what is planned for each day. I recommend setting up a morning routine and evening routine first and perfect those before going too crazy.
Eliminate Distractions: Everything seems to demand your attention these days. And they can affect your productivity if you let it. Take note of what distracts you throughout the workday and get rid of it.
Follow the Pomodoro 25 to 5 Technique: The Pomodoro Method is a time management system. The main idea, I like to call the 25 to 5 technique, is simply breaking your workday into 25-minute chunks separated by 5-minute breaks. And after 4 of those rotations, you should take a longer break, 15 to 20 minutes.

Note: I will be making separate posts about each strategy listed above and dive into more details. To get notified of when I post them, sign up for my newsletter.

Some of my favorite books on Productivity:

Getting Things Done by David Allen

The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg

The Productivity Project by Chris Bailey

Final Thoughts on Productivity

How can you be more productive?

Remember, there is a big difference between checking things on your to-do list and actually getting closer to achieving your goals. Not every task on your to do list will contribute to your overall success of your goals.

Try implementing any of my ideas for being more productive every day. The idea is to find the best tip that works for you and gets you closer to achieving your goals.

Stop wasting time and start focusing on what you truly care about.

What tips are you adding to your daily productivity strategy? Let me know in the comments below.

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Posted on January 29, 2021May 10, 2022 by Alyssa — 1 Comment

9 Things to do Every Month to be Super Successful

The beginning of the month is the perfect time to get organized and make sure you aren’t missing anything in the upcoming month.

It’s also a good time to review your goals and set new ones so you can have a productive month, too.

There are so many simple things you can do at the beginning of every month to prevent unnecessary stress later.

In this post, I’m sharing 9 things you should do at the beginning of every month to ditch unnecessary stress, get organized, and make sure your goals are ready for the month ahead.

9 Things To Do at the Beginning of Every Month to Be Super Organized:

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Create or Review Your Goals

At the start of the month, go through your and review the goals you set last month. Check off the ones you’ve completed and set new ones.

Once you have decided on the goals you are going to focus on for the month, set up some new habits and/or routines to help you keep up with them. That could be a weekly check-in to see where you’re at, or setting a habit to complete every day that’ll get you closer to your goal.

Start a 30 Day Challenge

This is a fun extra thing I’ve been adding to my months lately.

Doing a 30-day challenge can be a great way to build up a new habit you’ve been trying to do forever.

Make sure you only choose one new habit to focus on in a 30-day challenge so it is easier to implement.

In January I did a 30-day yoga challenge along with so many others on Yoga with Adrien’s Youtube channel. She does one of these every year and it’s a great way to get into something new.

There are so many other 30-day challenge ideas. I’ve put together a collection of over 30 ideas and put them into a PDF along with a calendar to track your progress. Just enter your email below and start a 30-day challenge today!

Go through purse/phone/papers

This is a simple step you can do to feel more organized.

Bring your purse to the table and dump everything out. Throw out the trash, save or toss any receipts, and decide what needs to stay and what can go.

Next, go through your phone.

Delete any unnecessary apps and go through the open tabs in your browser.

Then go through your photos. Delete all the screenshots you took that you don’t need anymore or the random pictures you took to remember something.

This is also a good time to back up your photos.

Finally, go through the papers and mail covering the counter, your desk, and the dining table.

Doing this will give you a clean slate to start the month. Plus less clutter means less stress and distractions which then leads to a more productive month!

Update Your Calendar

If you don’t have some sort of wall calendar I highly recommend getting one.

With all the things going on every month, it’s hard to remember everything but if it’s on a wall calendar where everyone can see it you don’t have an excuse for missing anything.

I put my big whiteboard calendar on the fridge so everyone can see it.

Make sure to write down every appointment, meeting, or family/friend hangout.

Related: February Bullet Journal Set-Up

Plan your budget for the month

The beginning of the month is the perfect time to go through the budget. Plan which check will pay which bills and when you are going to go grocery shopping.

Also, make sure there is enough money in your emergency fund for any unexpected expenses that could happen during the month.

Declutter

The best way to be more organized this month is to declutter items that are just taking up wasted space.

Go through your stationery, the small kitchen appliances, movies, your clothes, etc.

You don’t have to do a huge purge by any means. Try to pick one area of the house to declutter during an afternoon each month.

Just doing a little declutter every month can help create a less cluttered mind.

Deep clean your home

After decluttering, take the time to clean your home.

Wipe down places that don’t get cleaned that often. Scrub down the appliances in the kitchen, do a wood shine on the floor, dust the ceiling fans, etc.

Doing a deep clean will help your home look and feel cleaner which will allow for less headaches later in the month.

Clean out the fridge

Along with deep cleaning your home, clean out the fridge.

Take everything out of the fridge, check the expiration dates, and take an inventory.

By doing this you can come up with meals for the next few weeks easily and realize which staple items you are out of and should pick up on your next trip to the grocery store.

Choose a Book to Read

The last thing I do at the beginning of the month is decide on a book (or two) to read.

This will usually be the fiction book that I end my day with snuggled up in my warm bed with a cup of tea and a personal development book to read during my morning routine.

Deciding what part of your life you want to focus on this month and find a book to pair with it.

9 Powerful Self-Care Books That Will Change Your Life

Final Thoughts

Some of these things to do every month can be super simple while others may take time.

Plan out a few days at the end and/or the beginning of the month to organize and plan for the rest of the month.

Even just doing a few of these things can make a huge difference in your stress level and whether or not you reach your goals.

Plus when you are super prepared it can make the month go by not so scary-fast.

I would LOVE to know what things you do every month to be more successful and organized. Leave a comment and let me know.

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9 Things to do Every Month to be Super Successful

Posted on January 12, 2021June 3, 2022 by Alyssa — 6 Comments

How to Time Block Your College Schedule Using Google Calendar

Figuring out how to time block my college schedule was the most impactful thing I could have learned.

By scheduling my days ahead of time and putting everything I needed into a timeslot, my productivity skyrocketed.

Now, it took me a while to get ahold of this concept, but now that I do, I have a step-by-step plan that can help you plan every week.

It’s super easy. And taking the time to set it up now is the best decision you could make for the most productive semester yet.

*Setting this up only took me about an hour

How to Time Block Your College Schedule

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My entire schedule is made in google calendar, so pull that up on your computer and let’s get started.

1. Plug in your scheduled classes, labs, and work schedule ( + commute time)

*This example schedule is my best friend’s college schedule. She is a nursing student so it may look different than yours but the concept is still the same.

The easiest thing you can do right away is to plug in your already scheduled items. For example, you class schedule, labs, work schedule, club meetings, etc.

The cool thing about using Google Calendar is that you can have items repeat weekly. This way you don’t have to set this up every week.

Also, take advantage of color-coordinating everything. It makes it easier to navigate and it’s pretty. ?

Pick one color for your classes, another color for work, and one for drive/commute time. (I’ve included the color of each item I add in the next steps to help you out)

Put in commute time too. Give yourself enough time to walk across campus if you have too so you aren’t late.

2. Schedule when to eat and sleep! (purple and light brown)

Scheduling when you are going to eat may sound ridiculous, but trust me.

Have you ever just been studying all day that you skipped lunch completely but had to get running to another class?

The worst thing you can do in college is to be starving through a lecture. You’ll focus more on your stomach growling than your professor’s important lecture.

Schedule at least 30-minute time blocks for each meal of the day.

If you don’t have much time in the middle of the day for lunch, grab a protein bar or protein shake, plus some peanuts.

Something is better than nothing at all.

Next, plug in when you are going to sleep.

Now, I know scheduling sleep may sound crazy but hear me out, sleep is important!

I sound like your mom now don’t I..?

Anyway, if you go to sleep and wake up around the same time every day, you’ll rewire your brain and be ready to go to sleep early every night and wake up at the same time every morning.

Make sure you schedule enough sleep every night.

Most people can’t survive on 5 hours of sleep every night. You may think you can for a few nights but don’t make that a habit.

Most young adults need 6-8 hours of sleep every night. Here I’ve put about 7 to 7 1/2 hours.

*notice I didn’t schedule sleep for Saturday to Sunday. Use the weekend to catch up on sleep if you need it. Or hey, you are a college student. Spend Saturday night with friends or whatever you want. However, try not to sleep until noon on Sunday, you’ll regret it Monday morning. I promise you.

3. Schedule study/homework time for each class (dark green)

Many studies have said that you should study for 2 hours per credit taken.

So if you’re taking 16 credits, you should study close to 32 hours a week.

Yep, that’s right. Studying is basically a full-time job, but you wanna pass your classes don’t you??

Start with using a 2 hour per credit study schedule for the first few weeks of a new semester.

After a while, you’ll figure out which classes may need more study time and which wouldn’t require much, if at all, study time. Make adjustments then.

*take notice that I didn’t put any study time on the weekends or after dinner during the week. If you can help it, I recommend doing that. However some weeks will be harder than others. That’s why I try to keep my weekends open for overflow study time.

4. Schedule time for morning and evening routines (pink)

Your morning and evening routines don’t have to be that long.

Just schedule some time for you to slowly wake up and get mentally ready for the day; and also some time to wind down before bed.

*My next two blog posts are about setting up a college morning and evening routine for a successful semester. Check them out for help in making a routine just for you.

5. Schedule some self-care time! (yellow)

This one is important!

You can’t just keep going and going and going all week. You’ll get run down really fast, I promise you.

If you don’t have that much time left, just plug in a 30-minute block at the end of each day to do whatever you want or feel like doing. I call it “Me Time”!

Self-care doesn’t have to be a bubble bath or spa day. You could read a book, watch an episode of your favorite show, or take a walk in the fresh air.

Just find something you enjoy to take your mind off of school. You can even make self-care apart of your evening routine.

Check out my other self-care related blog posts for more.

Review and revise your schedule in a few weeks

After the first 2-3 weeks of the semester are over, take some time to review your schedule and make sure everything is still working for you.

Maybe you need more time for a meal, or your commuting time is off.

Whatever it is, fix it.

I review my schedule every few weeks throughout the semester, too. This keeps me accountable for sticking to my schedule.

Things I didn’t mention:

Snack Time

Sometimes you can’t make it from meal to meal without getting hungry.

Keep some healthy snacks in your bag to munch on while you’re studying or in between classes.

Make sure the snacks will refuel you and not bog you down. Try some granola bars, peanuts, or pretzels.

Study Breaks:

Make sure you take breaks during your longer study periods. I like to do 5-minute breaks for every 25 minutes of studying.

Get up away from your desk for those 5 minutes and stop staring at the books and laptop.

Do some stretches, grab a snack, and have a quick dance party to keep that blood flowing

Buffer Time:

You probably noticed there are 15-30 minute blank spots throughout the calendar. I call that buffer time.

Sometimes you stay a little after class to chat with friends or ask your professor a question. Or maybe you just really need a break from school and want to call your mom quick.

Make sure you aren’t scheduling back-to-back blocks all day every day. It’ll be harder to stick to the schedule if you do that.

Final Thoughts

Try to set up this time blocked college schedule either before the semester starts, or during syllabus week, or during the weekend after syllabus week.

It may take a little bit to set up but it will save you so much time later on. You won’t waste time trying to figure out when to eat or what you should study at a given time.

This is the best tip I can give any college student when they say they are struggling with time management.

I hope this helps you have a successful semester as much as it has helped me.

Stay strong and study hard! You’ve got this!

Posted on December 17, 2020April 14, 2021 by Alyssa — 2 Comments

My Hybrid Planning System for 2021

I’m trying something new this year for my planner set-up. I call it my hybrid planning system because I am using two different systems to plan my life.

Why am I doing this? Why can’t I just use one planner like a normal person?

Well, I have tried so many different planner systems in the past:

The Happy Planner
A standard dated planner
An undated planner
A Bullet Journal (both physical and digital)
Notion (by itself)
Google Calendar
Reminder App

I have tried them all. But I never get more than a few months into each system before getting bored or finding it doesn’t work as well as I need it to. And then I go on trying something different.

I have tried using physical planners and digital planners. They both work great but there was always something missing. I would miss the simplicity of just writing something down when I had a digital planner. Or I’d miss the copy-paste tool when I was using a paper planner and my hand was tired.

After so much trial and error, I have finally come up with my perfect method.

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My Hybrid Planning System

Over the past few years of going between different planners, I have always come back to the bullet journal. I like having a blank book to organize however I want. It has also become a place to get creative with different media in a way I never have before.

Realizing this I decided I definitely wanted to keep using my bullet journal.

However, I don’t always have my bujo on me. Often it’s easier to pull out my phone and jot down my thoughts on a notes app.

But most apps don’t have the capability to organize my notes like I want.

This past year I have discovered Notion which is an all-in-one workspace to organize my notes, projects, and databases.

Plus it’s an app too!

So this may sound confusing since you can do anything you want in both a bullet journal and with Notion but let me explain.

How I’m Planning to Use My Bullet Journal

This past year I’ve really enjoyed using my creative brain more, so I’ve decided to keep using my bullet journal. I love creating art for my own use and enjoyment. I think my bujo is going to become kinda like a life journal. Although, I don’t want to just call it that. I plan to keep using the normal bullet journal type stuff as well.

Daily To-Dos

I like to still write out what I’m planning to do in a day down on paper. I’m more likely to do something when I actually write it on paper. I also plan to write down my daily focus for each day as well to help keep me on track.

Affirmations

I have recently made reciting morning affirmations apart of my daily routine. I have found that my creative brain wants to make my affirmations artsy. Meaning using fun fonts and colors to write my affirmations and I simply can’t do that in Notion.

My Creative Space

My bullet journal has become a place to let my creative brain flow and go to work. I can create whatever I want, wherever I want, and with whatever I want.

When I have an awesome day I can journal about it with some pictures and art to document it. Same as when I have a more difficult day and just need to sit down and creatively journal about it.

My bujo is my safe place where I can be my creative self. I can also use it to go back and reflect on my past self to see how far I have come.

Simply, my creative brain won’t let me get rid of my bujo so it’s here to stay.

Related: 2021 Bullet Journal Set Up

Click Here to Check Out My Favorite Bullet Journal Supplies

How I’m Planning to Use Notion

Notion is amazing. You can create so many pages wherever you want at any time, which you can’t do in a bullet journal. This is what I plan to use Notion for:

Projects

When I have a project I’m planning I don’t have to worry about writing something down in one place and not being able to move it later. If I started a project in my bujo I would run out of room or focus too much time on making it look nice. That would just cause me anxiety.

By planning projects on Notion, I can have different pages and move them around my workspace very easily.

hybrid planning system - projects in notion

Books

Notion has become a wonderful book hub. I can use it to hold all the information about books I have, want, or are currently reading.

Over the past few months, I have built myself a perfect database that holds all the information about a book I could ever want. It’s super easy to organize with the sort function build into Notion databases.

However, I still want to keep a running list of books I read in a year in my bujo. I’ll write down the title of a book on my “books read” spread. As for all the information I want to store about a book, that can easily go in my books database.

Hourly Time Blocking

Most of my days I like to keep the same from week to week. So I’ve built an hourly time blocking table in Notion. If I want to change anything, it’s super easy to shift things around without having to make a whole new page.

Daily Log Tracking

I like to track my daily stats, and in Notion, I can easily compare those stats from day-to-day. I track my sleep, my exercise, my steps, etc. I’ve set it up so as I add these stats to my daily log I can easily review them when I do my weekly reflections.

My Blog

Everything about my blog (except my growth stats) are in Notion. I am actually typing up this blog post in Notion now. It’s easy to type up a blog post or save some interesting website about growing my blog on Notion.

I’m already on my laptop when working on my blog. It just makes sense to organize it on there too, oh, and because copy-paste is a thing too. Can’t copy-paste something you’ve handwritten…

Running Tasks List

I’ve found that it is much easier to keep all my tasks in a Running Task List. Everything is in one spot rather than all over the place in a bujo. It’s much easier to change the “do date” in Notion than in my bujo. And if I don’t know when I’m going to do a certain task yet, I can leave the “do date” blank and add one later.

Brain Dumping & Knowledge Vault

I often get my best ideas when I’m grocery shopping, or out for a walk, and don’t have my bujo. However I always have my phone and guess what! Notion is also an app! When I have an idea pop into my head I can pull out my phone, open Notion, and start writing. Plus when I go back to the idea later, I can easily organize or add to it.

Then there’s my Knowledge Vault.

Anything that’s knowledge-based is organized in Notion; books to read, music to listen to, movies/shows to watch, or quotes I like. They are all easily saved on Notion and will never be lost.

Basically, Notion will be my project manager and a giant knowledge base, as well as a place to collect ideas.

Now I can’t take credit for this idea. I have been trying to figure out what to do for the upcoming year in terms of how much to use my Bullet Journal but I wasn’t convinced that it was ok to use two planner systems. It just didn’t seem fair to say one system wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t until I came across a video on youtube by Mariana’s Study Corner that I realized I can totally make two planner systems work. She is also doing a Hybrid Planning System. Highly recommend you go check out that video too.

Final Thoughts on my Hybrid Planning System

It’s ok if one planning system doesn’t work for you. If you can organize it properly, you can use two or even three planning systems simultaneously. Just make sure it works for you. You don’t have to make your system just like mine or even like anybody else’s. Remember, everyone’s brains work differently. Take some time to discover what works best for you and helps your productivity.

I don’t remember where I heard this, but I love this quote:

“You’ll be more productive day-to-day after you first take the time to establish a system that works for you.”

Seriously take the time to figure out what works for you and you won’t regret it.

What’s your current planning system and how does it work for you? Let me know in the comments.

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Posted on October 12, 2020May 14, 2021 by Alyssa — 2 Comments

6 Sunday Habits to Have a Productive and Successful Week

Do you ever wake up Monday feeling sluggish and absolutely not prepared for the week ahead?

Do you even know what projects you have to do that week?

I’ve definitely felt like this before, but it doesn’t always have to be like that. If you plan out some Sunday habits to implement, it can be the difference between an extraordinary week full of productivity or a crash and burn week.

Now you’re probably wondering, how should I prepare for the whole week on a Sunday?

The following are easy ideas to recharge and prepare you for a successful week ahead.

6 Sunday Habits for Success

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1. Slow Morning

First of all, you don’t have to get up early on Sunday to have a successful day. I mean come on, it’s the weekend. Leave the getting up early to the weekdays.

**However, you also don’t want to sleep the day away. i.e. don’t sleep till noon. It will not only throw your sleep schedule out of wack, but you’ll feel groggy all day.

Instead, don’t set an alarm, gently wake up to the sunrise through your window. Snuggle with your partner, your kids, or your fur babies. Savor those little morning moments.

The weekend is about replenishing your mind, body, and soul.

2. Meal Prep for the Week

Take the first few hours of the morning to meal prep or at least plan out every meal for the week. By planning out every meal for the week you’ll avoid those unhealthy easy quick stops on your way home from work to pick up fast food or take out or a deep-dish pizza. Yes I know those are good but plan when you’re gonna have those meals is all I’m saying.

Meal prepping can be done in 4 easy steps

Clean out the fridge
- Throw out everything that has gone bad and then take inventory of what you have.
Plan meals
- Using what food you already have, plan some meals. Or if you are only missing 1 item for a meal add it to the grocery list.
- If planning every meal sounds overwhelming, just start with planning dinners.
- Doing this before going grocery shopping will help cut down the costs and help prevent impulse buying.
Grocery Shop
- If you have the time now, hit the store and get everything you need for your meals. Make sure you have your list and don’t stray off the list!
Prepare Your Meals
- If this is your first-time meal prepping, just make one meal ahead of time. Start with just making some overnight oats for breakfast, or prepare one or two salads for lunch. It’s ok to start small.

3. Clean Up

Now you don’t have to deep clean the entire house! No that is not what I’m saying. Just tidy up a bit. Sweep or vacuum your living areas, dust, and do that laundry. Just a little bit of cleaning up can significantly put you in a better mood.

This is also a good time to organize your workspace; put away papers that got stacked on your desk over last week, organize the important papers into the filing cabinet, and put away all the clutter (pens, papers, folders, etc.)

A clean space can give you a clear mind. Everything feels so much better when things are put away in their own space, and you’ll be so much more productive when you aren’t constantly having to stare at a dirty space.

4. Reflect and Evaluate

“In order to become a better you, you must reflect on your past self.”

Every Sunday you should review how your previous week went; did you fail to make enough time for an important task? Did you feel overwhelmed most of the week from all the things you needed to get done? Did you schedule too many things in one day? Or did you smash your goals and achieve so much more than you planned last week?

Either way, keep track of everything, write them down. Then evaluate how you’re going to make it better this week or if what you did last week was a success.

If you’re struggling with this, here are some questions to ask your self about how last week went:

What were my goals? Did I achieve them?

What am I doing wrong? What am I doing right?

Am I happy with how the week went?

5. Plan Your Week

Planning your full week on Sunday can put you ahead of everyone else when it comes to being successful this week. You can do this in just a few short easy steps:

Get a notebook and start brain dumping everything you need or want to get done in the next week (taking into account the previous step)
Next, decide roughly what day of the week you want/need each task completed by
Pull out your calendar and look at all your prescheduled appointments and plug in your to-dos for each day. Be sure not to overload one day, try picking which things are a priority and put a star by it so you know you need to get that done first.
- *If you use google calendar you can already designate a time of day you want to complete the task or just schedule it as an all-day activity so the task is listed at the top of the day.

Note: Make sure to schedule time for yourself too. You shouldn’t just get to relax on the weekend, try to take at least 30 minutes to an hour out of your day to do something for you.

6. Self-Care and Relax

Spend the last few hours of the day focusing on you. Put the kids to bed early, then relax. Maybe take a bath, watch a movie with your partner, read a book, or do some before bed yoga. Remember what I said earlier, Sunday is about replenishing your mind, body, and soul for the week ahead. This means you have to take care of yourself in order to be successful and ready for the week ahead.

Finally just before you go to bed, write down a few things that you are grateful for. This so simple practice will put a smile on your face and will distract you from the things you may already be stressing about for the week ahead. If the last thought before you go to bed is positive, you’re more likely to wake up with a smile on your face and want to get up and start your day.

Related: Self-Care Ideas and Self-Care Books

Something to Think About

Obviously, all these don’t have to be done on Sunday. You can spread them out over Saturday and Sunday. For example, if you have a big house and really want to super clean it, do that on Saturday so you don’t have to worry about cramming it all in on Sunday.

I guarantee if you commit to accomplishing just a few of these tasks, you will have a much more focused, productive, and successful week.

A Couple More Sunday Habits for Additional Productivity, Organization, and Self-Care Time

Get out in nature
Plan out your exercise for the week
Plan your outfits for the week
Wash your bedding
Pack your bag or purse for the week
Find some inspirational quotes and put them around your home
Call a friend or family member
Unplug from social media
Journal about life

Marbrasse Paper Letter Tray Organizer

Monitor Stand Riser with Drawer

White Office Desk Organizer

FREE
Weekly Time Blocking Template

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Free Printable Calendar

What is a Brain Dump?

Why Does Brain Dumping Work?

Writing things down can:

Benefits of Using a Brain Dump

Supplies to Start a Brain Dump

Here are some ideas for digital brain dumping:

What to Include in a Brain Dump

When to Brain Dump

Final Thoughts about Brain Dumping

Have you tried brain dumping before? How has it helped improve your life? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

The 10 Daily Habits of Highly Productive People

1. Have a Consistent Morning Routine

2. “Eat the Frog”

3. Eliminate Distractions

4. Take Regular Breaks

5. Don’t Multitask

6. Have a Clear Focus

7. Have an Organized Work Area

8. Take Care of Yourself

9. Plan the Night Before

10. Take Time for Self-Reflection

Final Thoughts

What is the Pomodoro Technique

Why does the Pomodoro Technique Work?

The 5 Simple Steps to Integrate the Pomodoro Technique

How to Use the Pomodoro Technique for Optimal Productivity

Break down your work into small chunks

Limit possible distractions

Final Thoughts

3 Reasons Why You are Constantly Wasting Time

Not Having a Consistent Way to Plan Your Time

How to avoid:

Not Doing Things That You Really Care About

How to avoid:

Not Taking Care of Yourself

How to avoid:

Final Notes

What is Time Blocking?

The Benefits of Time Blocking Your Weeks

1. Promotes focused work time

2. Makes you aware of how you spend your time

3. Helps You Follow Through on Your Goals

Step-by-Step: How to Time Block Your Week

1. Plug in your non-negotiables

2. Add 6-8 hours of sleep every night

3. Schedule meal times

4. Morning and evening routines

5. Self-care time

6. Time block your goals and tasks

Here’s an example of what a general week looks like for me when it’s time blocked.

Some Common Time Blocking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Overestimate your time

Don’t be too strict with your schedule

Don’t over-schedule your leisure time

Final Thoughts on Time Blocking

Have any more questions about using time blocks? Let me know in the comments below.

FREEWeekly Time Blocking Template

What is Productivity?

What Productivity Is Not

How to Be More Productive Every Day

1. Manage your energy, not your time

2. Prepare the night before

3. Don’t open emails all day long

4. Develop a “before work routine”

My Top 5 Productivity Strategies

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Some of my favorite books on Productivity:

Final Thoughts on Productivity

How can you be more productive?

What tips are you adding to your daily productivity strategy? Let me know in the comments below.

9 Things To Do at the Beginning of Every Month to Be Super Organized:

Create or Review Your Goals

Start a 30 Day Challenge

Free Printable Calendar

Go through purse/phone/papers

Update Your Calendar

Plan your budget for the month

Declutter

Deep clean your home

Clean out the fridge

FREE
Weekly Time Blocking Template