50 Tips for Improving Productivity


Don’t you hate those wasted days? There’s nothing worse than spending precious time at work, only to get nothing done.

Luckily, you can learn to be productive. From the 80/20 rule to GTD (Getting Things Done), tried-and-true skills exist to help you get more done. Here are 50 no-nonsense tips that will help you improve your productivity.

Behaviors That Will Make You More Productive
Being productive isn’t just a matter of creating a To-Do list. It’s a mindset. The articles below help you cultivate productive behaviors.

How to stop reacting and start producing.

Developing relationships can make you more productive.

Trying to please everyone makes you unproductive.

Say no to be more productive.

Productivity means nothing without passion and purpose.

Become more productive by taking a vacation.

Productivity and life management.

Planned living helps you be productive.

Sometimes, you need some motivation—these quotes are perfect.

Where Do You Waste Your Time?

Ever have those days where you log onto the Internet and immediately waste two hours on pointless browsing and socializing? Try some of the tips below for cutting out the activities that gobble up your hours.

The top 20 time wasters, stealers, and nibblers.

Trick yourself into action.

Stop squandering time at home.

3 simple ways to avoid procrastination.

The ultimate cure for procrastination.

How dealing with time will help you be more productive.

Tips for a Productive Workday
Whether you’re salaried or hourly, self-employed or employ hundreds, there’s nothing sadder than a wasted workday. Here’s how you avoid that fate.

5 things that are bound to clutter up your day.

Don’t just work. Work on the right things.

Scheduling right can boost your productivity.

Be more productive by capturing your open items.

11 ways to be more productive at work.

Even your to-do list may need cleaning out.

Productivity and Your Job
Below are some productivity tips for specific jobs, like sales and management.

How to be more productive as a salesperson.

Use interns to increase your productivity.

If you’re a freelancer, a 4-hour workday could be enough.

How to be super-productive—and still end your day at 5:30 pm.

Easy, baseline things you must know to be a productive knowledge worker.

How to be a more productive blogger.

General Productivity Tips
Being productive is a craft–learn it well.

Thoughtful ways to increase your overall productivity.

Life management tips–from calendars to food–that will boost your productivity.

10 really obvious ways to be more productive.

Productivity and goals.

Making GTD (getting things done) a mobile, ubiquitous partner.

13 strategies to jump start your productivity.

Lots of productivity links, all the time.

Productive Magazine has good features on productivity experts—and more.

The Right Software for the Job
Use technology to help you be productive. Here are some good places to start.

Top 5 free productivity iPhone apps.

Top 10 Firefox extensions to improve your productivity.

10 Google Chrome extensions that will boost your productivity.

10 productivity apps that you need to put on your iPad.

130+ productivity links for Twitter.

Avoid Getting Distracted by Technology

Make technology your friend, not your foe.

Assault your email inbox so you no longer have a pile-up.

Practical technology strategies that will make you more productive.

Reduce social media distractions and become more productive.

How social media can actually increase your productivity.

How managers should see productivity in employees distracted by social media.

Individual Stories on Productivity
Here are some individual peoples’ stories about being productive.

Outlandish ways that famous people have forced themselves to be productive.

What Penelope Trunk learned about productivity from years of hating Tim Ferriss.

A satirical (or honest?) look at a life of too much productivity.

What you can learn about productivity from a cat.

A cautionary tale of how cocaine and Grand Theft Auto turned one formerly productive writer into an addict.

Written by Drea Knufken

Currently, I create and execute content- and PR strategies for clients, including thought leadership and messaging. I also ghostwrite and produce press releases, white papers, case studies and other collateral.