No matter what a person’s career entails he or she wants to be productive. When you are the most productive you can be that’s when you typically reach your greatest levels of success. Productivity can be measured in many different ways, but typically when you’re productive you get required tasks done in the most effective and efficient way possible. Everyone wants to become more productive, whether in their job or in life. So what things should you focus on in order to maintain your productivity? Here are some top tips to keep in mind, including suggestions from some of the top leaders in the business world.

Stay Focused and Prioritize Your Time

One of the top things you can do to be productive is to stay focused on what you’re doing. That means you avoid getting caught up in other things going on around you, or with other tasks and responsibilities that you know will come up later. Stay in the moment and finish your current task before moving to the next one. That being said, no one is fortunate enough to have just one thing to worry about. Therefore, you need to prioritize your responsibilities and dedicate the appropriate amount of time to each task that must be completed.

Don’t Let Email Kill Your Day

One specific task that many people spend hours on is checking and answering email. Of course, email is part of life and you have to address it, but people often waste hours of precious time every day stuck with this tedious task. Many people have found much greater productivity by waiting to answer emails towards the end of the day so they can give their greatest focus on more important tasks at the beginning of the day.

A Few More Suggestions

Here are some other common suggestions. Don’t wait for the perfect conditions in order to get started on a project. Keep your work area organized. A messy workspace will cause stress and prevent you from organizing your thoughts and actions. Keep set routines. Try to limit your meetings and learn not to say yes to every request. Don’t try to multi-task, and get things done right the first time.

Leadership Examples

So what do some of the world’s top business leaders have to say about being productive? Larry Page, one of the cofounders of Google, suggests using more one- on-one face-to-face time instead of unnecessary group meetings. Famous author, Stephen King says the most important factor for him to remain productive is to be consistent. Richard Branson, the head of Virgin Group, swears by exercise. In fact, he claims it’s the most important thing he does, giving him an additional four hours of productive time every day. Ram Shriram, Google, says the best way for him to be productive is to keep track of his performance daily. Meantime Career Education Corp. CEO Gary E. McCullough says time is extremely valuable, which means he always tries to limit the amount of time he gives people to exactly half of what they ask for. These are just a few tips to help you be more productive. One more thing to keep in mind: always remember to get enough sleep.

//www.inc.com/ss/10-leaders-and-the-surprising-ways-they-stay-productive
//www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/50-simple-ways-to-stay- productive.html
//www.robinsharma.com/blog/09/become-the-most-productive-person-you- know/