How to Be More Productive in Life: Easy Actionable Guide (32 Hacks)

Have you ever thought about how to be more productive in life?

How do successful people achieve so many goals in such a short time?

Imagine yourself achieving high-quality results in a short amount of time.

Just think about all the possibilities and opportunities you’ll have at your disposal.

Well, if you are an ordinary guy like me, you might want to know, where the heck do these successful people get those insane magical powers?

Let’s face this:

Becoming highly productive can be extremely hard. And with a lot of distractions craving our attention every second, it seems like a distant dream.

But, it doesn’t have to be this hard:

You, too, can become highly effective at what you do and become successful.

I may not be one of the most productive people around, but I did a lot of research and came up with many ways to become highly effective.

This is quite a long post having around 4k words. Therefore I want you to bookmark this page. It will help you to catch up later.

32 Hacks on How to Be More Productive in Life

Now get ready for 32 easy, actionable productivity hacks to boost your productivity to the next level.

Alrighty!

Let’s dive right in.

1. Start small

Moving a mountain of hefty tasks can be daunting.

We have all been there, right?

One common mistake people make is they try to take on big tasks — all at once, in the hope of saving time, but they waste a lot of time.

I know it’s a cliche, but it is effective.

Let me explain…

Everybody has a limited amount of willpower throughout the day. It only reduces as time goes by. It drains even faster when we do big complex tasks.

The best way is to divide BIG tasks into SMALL ones.

By doing this, you will be able to focus on one task at a time, which means the big task will be completed in less time and have maximum output.

Next time you approach a BIG daunting task, try dividing it into small achievable tasks. Use lists and sticky notes if necessary.

2. Enjoy the process

It is a human tendency to focus on the outcomes or fruits, but the process matters most.

Consider this example:

Let’s say your goal is to write a bestselling novel.

But if you are too focused on thinking about all the benefits you will get after that, you will probably dream all the time instead of focusing on the process.

The drawback of this approach is: fear and anxiety creep in quickly. Chances are you’ll end up wasting your precious time in grappling with fear.

In short:

Enjoy the process. Forget about the outcomes.

The best way to accomplish this is by building systems.

But how do you build systems? By creating habits that stick.

That way, your brain will have to spend less energy completing the tasks.

Working on habits can be boring initially, but it gets easier to get things done once you successfully establish a routine.

Interesting Fact: Some keystone habits like exercising, meditation, etc., have a compound effect on your productivity.

3. Prioritize your goals

Remember? We just talked about setting short goals in the pursuit of achieving big goals.

Just breaking the task into smaller ones isn’t enough.

The order in which you do the task strongly impacts your efficiency.

This is the reason you need to PRIORITIZE.

You can prioritize by figuring out the top tasks that must be done first.

The MOST IMPORTANT and URGENT tasks must be at the top of your priority list.

You won’t be able to prioritize your goals properly unless you have a purpose in your life.

Always have a big picture in mind.

Pro Tip: Try to divide your goals into two categories: short-term and long-term. This will bring you some clarity.

4. Use your time judiciously

As you know, time is of utmost value. You must use your time cautiously if you ever wish to become productive.

If you are here, then it means that you want to become more productive.

Use the 80/20 Rule by Pareto.

According to this rule:

20% of your actions bring about 80% of your results.

For example:

• 20% of people in the world have 80% of the wealth.
• 80% of the revenue is generated by 20% of employees.
• 20% of bugs cause the most common 80% crashes in the software.

So, focus more on that 20% of yours. Because it will give you an 80% result, you will be able to plan other objectives more efficiently.

5. Mess things up

Humans are prone to mistakes.

Mistakes remind us of our humanity.

Instead of fearing mistakes, you should embrace them.

You only make mistakes when you are trying or experimenting.

Try new things.

Mess up.

How do making mistakes make you productive?

By committing mistakes, you get a sense of clarity and realize your blind spots.

So the next time you do a similar task, you automatically become confident. You start applying focused and directed efforts. And you become more productive.

Just don’t repeat a mistake twice. Otherwise, this strategy will backfire.

6. Drink adequate water

You can dramatically increase your efficiency with sufficient water. Staying hydrated makes it easier for people to think clearly and work properly.

That means:

• higher project completion rate.
• faster results.

Thus, your productivity boosts.

Funny Hack: Sometimes, when you feel that you’re forgetting something but fail to remember what it is, grab a glass of water and drink from it. This little hack works.

7. Exercise your body

Exercise is one of the best ways to lift your mood and spirit. It not only relieves you of stress but also energizes you.

Think of a time when you are feeling dull. You’ll find that those are probably idle hours.

If you want to have an extra edge over others, exercise regularly. Make a daily morning workout routine. And follow it religiously.

If you’re lazy, then don’t worry, lad. You aren’t alone.

Exercising your body doesn’t have to be so hard.

If you can do hundreds of pushups every day and wish to have an incredible physique, it’s okay.

But if you are stuck in a job that doesn’t allow you much free time, then a brisk walk every two hours would do the job.

The point is:

Your body needs some service. So give it the service it deserves.

8. Take proper diet

Merely exercising your body isn’t enough.

You might have heard: “We are what we eat,” BUT it is also true that “we work how we eat.”

Diet has a severe impact on our results and efficiency.

Just as a car needs high-quality fuel to run, our body also needs a high-quality diet to perform to its full potential.

A proper diet doesn’t mean that you have to eat only fruits and salads. And not to mention, force yourself to stay away from the things you love to eat.

And neither do you need to hire nutritionists.

Look, I’m not a nutritionist. But through observation, I can say that whatever food you eat, make sure you observe how your body responds to it.

No one magic diet suits all.

Experiment yourself. Try to eat a variety of food items.

Ask yourself, “what kind of food makes me feel energetic and productive?”

Once you crack the food your body needs to stay hyper-productive, rinse and repeat.

9. Set realistic goals

We need to make sure that the goals we set are realistic.

How does setting realistic goals increase productivity?

When you set realistic goals, you save a lot of time. They make sure that you make specific plans with reasonable deadlines.

Let’s say you want to become a renowned chef.

But instead of setting small actionable goals with relevant deadlines, you set unachievable goals.

What do you think will happen?

It’s easy to figure out — you won’t become a great chef.

This is detrimental to your productivity.

To set realistic goals, you need to realize your strengths and weaknesses.

Once you do that, set the relevant deadlines, keeping in mind Tip 3.

10. Avoid multitasking

Where do you think humans got the idea of multitasking?

COMPUTERS.

It is natural to think that multiple tasks performed simultaneously increase our efficiency.

But unfortunately, it is a myth.

Avoid multitasking at all costs.

By doing multiple things simultaneously, you give yourself an illusion that you’re optimizing your efficiency, but you don’t pay full attention to any task.

Therefore, at one moment, concentrate only on ONE thing.

Pro Tip: Less is more. The quality of work matters, not the quantity of work. Remember that.

11. Take short breaks

Taking short breaks makes sure that you are consistently hyper-productive during work cycles.

You can also use a very popular technique named Pomodoro technique.

You can even take a nap if time and situation permit.

Give your body the rest it deserves.

Treat your body as a temple. Take care of it.

Give your body the attention it needs. Don’t abuse it.

Our body gives us the signal when it needs rest. Sometimes, it responds through headaches, sometimes through aches. Don’t ignore those signals.

Take adequate sleep and rest. Allow your body to replenish its energy tank.

12. Cut the clutter

One quick way to increase your work efficiency is to cut the unnecessary clutter from your To-Do List.

Analyze your To-Do list and check all the unrewarding inefficient tasks.

Once you find them out, remove them from your list.

Finally, Appreciate yourself.

You just saved yourself from doing pointless tasks.

Pro Tip: Everybody is focused on creating To-Do lists. But it isn’t enough and often drains you of your energy. Try to create a Not-To-Do list. It will free you from the many bullshits in life.

13. Organize your workspace

How does organizing your workspace enhances work efficiency?

By organizing your workplace, you save time searching for things and get more time to concentrate on essential things.

Moreover, a neat and clean workspace also reduces stress levels. It means your work will feel natural.

Work won’t feel like “WORK” anymore.

14. Ditch the digital Distractions

In this digital era of gazillion gadgets, it is almost impossible to stay away from distractions.

From IOS to Android, you’ll find many apps that are developed only to keep you hooked.

Try to stay away from as many distractions as you can.

Distractions are time-zombies.

So how do you deal with it?

One way is to silence your digital devices. Go to the settings on your device and turn off the notification of all the apps.

I usually keep my mobile on vibration. This helps me to keep myself sane.

You can also try deleting the apps that you don’t use anymore.

Another way to reduce noise in your productive life is to unsubscribe from useless newsletters. ( I know you weren’t expecting this 

Yes, I’m talking about those myriads of newsletters that always pitch you their services and don’t add value to your life. Please get rid of them.

If possible, you can also disconnect the Internet. I know that it’s hard these days. But it’s also true that most of our time is wasted on the Internet.

And then we wonder, “where did all my time go?”

This is so relatable, isn’t it?

You can save all that time and put it to good use.

15. Think proactively

I learned this tip from the book: “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.”

There are mainly two types of thinking:

• Proactive Thinking
• Reactive Thinking

Reactive people always think according to the current situation. They believe in taking immediate action.

While Proactive people always have foresight. Not only are they engaged at the moment, but they also have plans for the future.

How does proactivity improve productivity?

Having a proactive approach helps in foreseeing future problems. This means you can prevent a problem before it happens. 

Yes, you read it right.

You’ll have a plan in advance to tackle the problems.

No matter how many precautions you take, you’ll find yourself in trouble at some point in time.

But, thanks to the proactive approach, you’ll be able to avoid most of them.

This is where you’ll improve your productivity.

16. Invest in tools

Why should you invest in tools?

In simple words, tools make your life easier.

Just imagine yourself fixing a nail onto the wall without a hammer.

It’s scary, isn’t it?

Therefore you should invest and buy yourself some tools. They will boost your productivity many-folds.

17. What are your peak hours

We all have a few hours during the day when we are most productive, when our energies are at their best, and we have a strong urge to do something.

How do you find your peak hours?

Peak hours vary from person to person.

Some are early risers, while some stay awake all night like owls. It varies from person to person when they are at their best.

To find your peak hours, you will have to do a self-assessment.

Maintain a logbook and record your gut feeling throughout the day.

Repeat the same steps for a few days.

Experiment with yourself by working in different rhythms and cycles during the day.

What do you do after finding your peak hours?

Do your MOST IMPORTANT tasks during those peak hours.

18. Automate repetitive tasks

If you have good observation skills, you’ll most likely observe: Many tasks have a recurring nature.

Those tasks eat away most of your time. You won’t even realize it, and in the end, you will find yourself short on time.

Start automating repetitive tasks.

Sooner or later, you’ll have plenty of extra time left for other tasks as well.

19. Listen to soothing music

According to this research by Zapier:

Listening to music activates different parts of the brain, which ultimately increases your attention span. You become a sober person.

So how does this help?

It is simple:

The more attentive you are, the more quality the results you produce.

So start listening to music during breaks. This will recharge you for the following work cycle.

20. Don’t forget your hobbies

Having hobbies is fun, right?

When you have hobbies, you learn new skills.

Your hobbies may be utterly unrelated to your profession.

You can learn a guitar or piano even if you’re a professional photographer by using your time wisely.

So what?

Well, like Steve said: “You connect the dots when you look back.”

By connecting the dots, you’ll have a BIG picture, and you’ll take steps towards something Bigger and more Meaningful.

In addition to that, you learn the art of making effective habits by having hobbies.

21. Delegate your tasks

As you already know:

Life isn’t fair.

It throws stuff that is urgent but isn’t that important.

How do you deal with that?

One of the easiest ways is to delegate.

Delegate the task if it isn’t important.

Find somebody to do it for you. You can’t become hyper-productive by doing everything yourself.

Just think about all the big businesses like Google, Amazon, etc. What do you think, how do they manage their time?

Does the CEO perform all the manual tasks himself? Obviously not.

And that’s why it’s so essential that you delegate all those tasks that can be delegated. This will give you ample time to take on important tasks.

22. Reward yourself

Whenever you complete an objective, reward yourself.

Setting up a reward system would give you a sense of achievement. You’ll feel compelled to work.

Psychologically, it will uplift your mood and spirits.

Rewards also help in establishing powerful habits like reading, journaling, etc.

And these powerful habits reverberate in other areas of your life.

23. Spark your curiosity

So far, we have been talking about becoming more productive in life.

But, what’s the basis of all that?

It is managing your time effectively.

And, how do you manage your time?

By having a solid strategy.

And, how do you strategize effectively?

By asking yourself:

• Who ……?
• What …….?
• Why ……..?
• When ……?
• Where ……?
• How ……?

Answers to all these questions will lead to a sound strategy.

Eventually, you’ll save a lot of time and become more productive.

24. Have fun at what you do

If you don’t enjoy what you do, your work would feel like “TORTURE.”

Who likes to do BORING stuff anyways, do you?

Of course, you don’t.

Find ways to have fun at work.

Your work wouldn’t feel like “WORK” anymore.

Let me give you an example:

Let’s say you have two books: The Laws Of Quantum Mechanics and The Lord Of The Rings.

Which one do you think would you be able to finish fast?

Well, it’ll depend on what you enjoy reading.

If you’re someone like Einstein, then The Laws Of Quantum Mechanics would be fun.

And if you’re a fiction-lover, then you would love The Lord Of The Rings.

But what if I ask you to read a book that doesn’t match your interest?

It would be painful. You’ll have to drag your eyes from one page to the other, and you might still fail to finish it.

So if you do something that you think is fun, you enhance your productivity. And you don’t even realize when you finished it because of deep involvement.

Takeaway: If you have a choice to choose from two tasks, then select the one that you have the least resistance with.

25. Meditation is the key

Meditation is the best means of achieving inner peace and mindfulness.

Your inner world reflects or manifests itself in the outer world.

Confusing, isn’t this?

Let me throw some light…

In simple words,

You become what you think all day long. Without being at peace in your mind, you won’t become productive.

Meditation also helps you in becoming more mindful.

Pro Tip: Try to focus on your breathing multiple times throughout your day. This will make you more conscious of yourself. It also helps in improving focus.

26. Become a nerd

It is an undeniable fact that books are packed with wisdom.

By reading personal development books, you become wiser. Your decision-making, along with other skills, improves drastically.

This means you make big leaps in your journey of becoming hyper-productive.

If you are super busy and don’t have much time to read, you can also read book summaries, which take less than 10 minutes to finish.

Here are some of my favorite websites that provide you awesome book summaries as I do:

• Blinkist (My personal favorite)
• getabstract

But here is the thing:

Reading will only take you so far.

People often fall into the trap of reading and don’t do anything else. They use reading to escape their problems.

Pro Tip: It is equally important that you practice and apply your knowledge in real-world situations.

27. Find motivation

How will you produce high-quality results when you’re feeling lazy?

It can be challenging, right?

But you can find motivation everywhere. You just need an observant eye.

It is also important to understand that motivation won’t take you anywhere. It’s the actions that will.

28. Never make commitments

Never commit to anyone when you are happy. This will only slow you down.

Wondering, how?

You may end up doing other people’s stuff when you should be busy doing yours.

Here, I don’t mean that you should never do other’s stuff. Just make sure that you think twice before making any commitment to anyone.

Let’s be realistic here.

Sometimes you don’t have any choice in this regard.

But when you do, just remember this point.

29. Learn Life Hacks

There are many life-hacks all over the internet.

All you need to do is to read one life hack every day.

Try to apply them in your daily life.

Soon, you’ll find that your ability to see through obstacles has increased significantly.

Also read:

100 Incredible Life Hacks That Make Life So Much Easier

30. Start Saying “NO”

It’s not that easy to tell a person that you’re a busy bee right now and can’t help.

Things become more complicated when the person asking for help is a close friend or family member.

No matter how heart-breaking it is, tell them that you can’t help them.

Some people are too generous that they don’t know how to say “No” to others.

Such people constantly find themselves in a mess and waste most of their time and energy doing other people’s stuff.

Read How to win friends and influence people‘s summary to learn to say no in a subtle way.

Learn The Craft Of Saying No.

31. Take Rational Decisions

Don’t be an EMOTIONAL fool.

The decisions we make while working on a project strongly influence our efficiency.

You can only make the right decisions while thinking rationally.

What does rational thinking mean?

When you think rationally, you don’t just jump to conclusions. You consider all the facts, opinions, possibilities and analyze them critically. Only after that do you come to a conclusion.

This sort of thinking helps in making critical decisions.

32. Consult the time-management Gurus

What’s better than asking someone who has already done what you wish to do?

Who says you always have to learn from your mistakes?

It is wise to analyze and learn from the uncountable mistakes people have made over the years.

Find yourself a mentor to learn time management.

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Conclusion

That’s it! 

Congratulations … that you read all the tips above. It shows how serious you are about becoming highly productive in your life.

Productivity shouldn’t be that hard to achieve.

But it isn’t super easy either.

All you need is strategic efforts, planning, and some precautions.

I hope all the above tips will help you achieve more productivity in life.

Stay productive to have more time in your hands to focus on what matters the most.

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Now You Tell Me

I hope you enjoyed reading the tips above. I’m confident these tips will help you become more productive in life.

Now it’s your turn:

Which of the above tips worked for you?

Do you know any other ways to become more productive in life?

Tell me in the comments, and let me know your thoughts.

Feel free to share this with your friends and family members to add value to their lives and help them become more productive too.

Thanks for reading!