8 ways to pump up personal productivity

Let’s talk about working smarter instead of harder.

Start by incorporating these eight tactics and healthy habits into your workday:

1. Keep your to-do lists lean.

The lightbulb just went off for a new business venture, so you start furiously scribbling. Soon, you have 10 pages’ worth of tasks, proposals and ideas.

There’s nothing wrong with your enthusiasm. The problem is that bulky list you just created.

If you start each day with an overwhelming amount of ideas or information, you’ll constantly get distracted, sidetracked and frustrated. You’ll also set yourself up for a strong case of burnout. Instead, keep your to-do lists lean by jotting down your three most important, urgent and challenging tasks of the day.

2. Track your time.

Researchers found that those who were assigned to wear a pedometer tended to walk at least one extra mile per day. Their overall activity levels also improved by 27%. What does that have to do with work?

If you know how you’re spending your days, you can see when you’re most productive. You can also see how and where you’re wasting your time. Tracking your time drastically increases accountability, which fuels productivity.