19 Tips for productivity as shared by Teal Swan

Intrinsic Motivation

1. Work on the things that intrinsically reward you.

2. Live the day according to inspiration rather than structure.

3. Find something intrinsically motivating within the things that do not motivate you.

   
   

Acting on Inspiration

4. Act on inspiration immediately, before you lose it.

   • Not an hour, not tomorrow, not someday. Take action the second it happens.

     
     

Dealing with Resistance

5. Deal with resistance the second it arises.

   • Don’t bulldoze the resistance. Resistance can be internal or external. If resistance occurs, deal with it the moment it arises. Resolve it before moving on. Don’t let opposition create a drag while you move forward because that will take you much longer time.

   • Analogy: Pull up an anchor on your sailboard instead of increasing the number of sails to overcome the drag.

     
     

Natural Talent and Life Purpose

6. Recognize your natural talent and life purpose.

   • Your area of excellence is often something you take for granted.

     
     

Results Over Hours

7. Think in terms of results, not hours.

   • Successful people see what they produce as a reflection of themselves. They take responsibility for their results, not the time they take.

     
     

Prioritization

8. Prioritize before putting effort into something.

   • Figure out what is most important and when to do it. If you are exhausted and have a long list of tasks, getting sleep may be the highest priority.

     
     

To-Do Lists

9. Write down everything you need to do on a to-do list.

   • Break the giant list into smaller daily lists. You may not see all the steps yet. Do the first step, then the second, and the third until the idea is brought to life.

     
     

Task Completion

10. Complete one task before moving to another.

    • Focus on task completion. Have a lower tolerance for open-ended items. Clearly define what marks a task as complete.

      
      

Multi-Tasking vs. Focus

11. Evaluate whether multi-tasking is effective.

    • Ask yourself if multi-tasking is better or if fully focusing on a task to completion is more efficient.

      
      

Tracking Progress

12. Keep track of everything you do during the day.

    • Every time you change focus from one task to another, write it down.

      
      

Action Over Thinking

13. Spend more time doing rather than thinking about doing.

    
    

Delegation

14. Delegate tasks.

    • Don’t have too much on your plate. Delegate tasks to people who can do them better than you

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Decluttering

15. Declutter tangible and intangible things.

    • Avoid opening email or social media when you are about to focus on something. This can clutter your mind with other people's ideas. News can also clutter you with worries.

      
      

Re-Evaluation

16. Stop, step back, and re-evaluate.

    • Don’t keep pouring energy into something that is not working.

      
      

Systems and Processes

17. Set up systems and repeatable processes.

    • Systems are repetitive tasks and habits designed to help you reach your goal.

      
      

Handling Bad Days

18. Understand that having a bad day does not mean lack of motivation.

    • We all have bad days on the journey to achieve something. When that happens, don't give up. Taking a rest can allow space for solutions to arise.

Streamlining Focus

19. Streamline your focus and energy to complete what you are trying to produce.