Tips for productivity and sticking to those New Year's Resolutions

So, this past year I have been super productive… Well, more productive than I’ve been in past years. I have accomplished goals, this year alone, that I didn’t even know I had. Like beginning school and I’m already 79% finished in just one year. I have begun to build my portfolio for freelance writing, started my blog, I have begun learning marketing and advertising, and finally, I've started working with nonprofits. So, I got inspired to write a blog with some tips in no particular order to help people looking to become more productive. Just in time for those of you making your New Year’s Resolutions.

• Break larger goals into smaller goals that are more realistic to get done during the day. For example, going back to school may seem a little intimidating but if you break it down into smaller goals they don’t seem like that big of a deal. They seem a lot easier to accomplish.

1. Apply for FAFSA

2. Register at my chosen school

3. Complete Orientation

4. Choose classes (12 units)

5. Purchase supplies!

6. First day of school

• Do it early, don’t procrastinate, and wait until the last minute to finish whatever it is that you need to get done. If you end up doing everything last minute you risk things like being late, rushing, not finishing, and not doing your best.

• Being organized is vital to being productive and staying on track. Ever heard the saying “A cluttered house is a cluttered mind” If your environment isn’t organized it’s likely you won’t be either. Being organized in different aspects of life makes getting things done easier and a whole lot faster.

• Do it when you think of it and do not put it off for later. If you think about washing the dishes, then wash them. If you think about going grocery shopping, then go! Stop putting things off for later. Get yourself used to accomplishing what you need to do when it needs to be done. Putting it off for later can get you into the habit of becoming lazy and laziness isn’t the best habit when your goal is to become more productive.

• Make yourself an attractive visual board and place it somewhere that you are guaranteed to see in the morning or before you leave the house. Some different ideas:

1. A Calendar

2. Different color sticky notes on the fridge

3. A DIY corkboard

4. A Whiteboard… Use different colors for different tasks like red (priority) to-do lists, blue reminders, green bills, yellow birthdays, and orange appointments.

5. I am usually able to find small bottles of black chalkboard paint at Dollar Tree and chalk on Amazon for $1. I have turned an entire closet door into a chalkboard, and it makes forgetting appointments, errands, deadlines, and bills impossible.

• Get your mind and body used to a routine. A decent bedtime and early wake-up time. I was never a morning person, EVER! I love sleeping in but dating an early bird and having to be up for morning classes naturally helped me adjust to waking up early. Starting your day early is obviously going to be more productive than starting it at noon because you’ll have more time to get things done.

• Break bad habits with good habits. We are creatures of habit, but this can be an advantage because we learn through repetition and anything that we do over and over will eventually become second nature…Like waking up early!

• Learn self-discipline, practice self-discipline, and have self-discipline. Commitment takes self-discipline and knowing when to say yes and when to say no even when you want to say yes.

• Prioritize… Having priorities in life is necessary. Some things are more important than others and some things shouldn’t be put off so if you find it harder to get it all done at least have priorities and get the most important things done.

• Finally, like Nike says Just Do It, It’s that simple. Just do it, do what you need to do when you need to do it. No Excuses!

Don’t put it off for later or tomorrow because you will end up rushing and not giving 100% Make yourself an organized list of goals broken down into smaller goals and write them down on a visually attractive board, you’re guaranteed to see before you leave the house so that you remember what needs to be done. Get yourself into a routine and stick to it no matter what, after some time it will become second nature for you. Go to bed and wake up early and stop making excuses! JUST DO IT!

-In a world where you can anything -Be Productive!