Productivity is the art and science of completing tasks that move you closer to goals completion in a way that strikes a balance between your work and personal life.

Knowing where you are and where you want to go are key concepts that can skyrocket your productivity levels. You can do that in 4 steps:

1. Set up SMART goals
2. Evaluate your goals into actionable tasks
3. Complete your tasks
4. Review progress and reward yourself

So, we know what productivity means, but the question remains: Why should you care?

The benefits of productivity

Before we dive into the benefits of productivity, let’s first agree on one thing. When you’re being productive, you’re completing tasks that are bringing you closer towards your goals. Here are 3 productivity benefits:

• Innovation

Modern-day life has always been about change. However, since the turn of the 21st century, the pace of change has been increasing rapidly.

Granted technology has played a fundamental role in our productivity levels, but the reverse is also true. The more productive we are, the more innovative we become.

• Self-confidence

When millennial students become more organized and productive, they’re investing in their own well-being. Many people see productivity as a way to squeeze more work out of someone. 

This approach has to change. As a millennial student, increased productivity means you’ll do more in less time which will help you achieve your goals faster and more efficiently.

When you realize this fact, you reduce your stress levels and increase control, well-being, and focus. So, you become more committed to your goals.

• Higher engagement

Millennial students who are more productive are usually more engaged in their work. Engagement is an outcome of multiple factors, which often pertain to the amount of autonomy they feel and the degree to which they feel in control of their workload.

Common productivity challenges

Quality is often crucial, meaning that the amount of time you spend on a project may not necessarily reflect your productivity level. To ensure that you’re spending your time wisely, being efficient, and creating an impact, here is a couple of productivity challenges you want to control:

Distractions

Whether at work, at home, or at school, we all face distractions every single hour. Distractions drain both our productivity and energy to no end.

If you think of your working week, you’ll likely be able to list out 5 to 10 people or things that have distracted you from your work. Some of the common distractions are gossip, noise, email consumption, and notifications.

Lack of training

Everyone wants to be more focused on what they’re doing. They want to be calmer in their personal lives. They want to matter. However, most people don’t see productivity as a skill they can learn.

You can solve these challenges by improving your productivity skills. Be aware of what’s standing in your way to reach your full potential.

How to improve your productivity and achieve work-life balance

To become your most productive self and achieve your goals, here are 6 proven ways!

Track and limit how much you’re spending on tasks

With modern solutions that can automate tracking of your digital activity, you can now uncover insights about your workflow and productivity patterns. Here are 3 reasons why time tracking is essential:

1. Time tracking is the most efficient way to find out if you’re wasting your time
2. It’ll help you measure your productivity levels
3. It increases your focus and performance both at work and at home

So, how can you maximize your benefit from your time tracking effort?

Regardless of the tool you use to track your time, follow these techniques to reach your most productive self:

• Start from your goal and work backward – Why are you tracking your time? Is it to maximize your working hours or carve out some time for your personal life? Your goal will determine how you track and evaluate your time tracking effort.
• Create detailed task lists and track time by task – you want to track time spent on specific parts of your project to determine roadblocks.
• Create and implement new strategies to increase productivity – you want to use all the tracking and analysis to your advantage so you can change, modify, and improve your productivity.

Making analysis-based changes isn’t always easy, but practiced the right way it can be a valuable asset.

Take regular breaks

Embrace the 2-minute rule

Quit multitasking

• A biological impossibility

• More mistakes and less creativity

Work in 90-minute intervals

Minimize interruptions

Conclusion