JUMPSTART YOUR PRODUCTIVITY NOW

Having trouble crossing everything off your daily "to-do" list lately?

Feel like there's always one more thing to do?

Staying late at work when you wish you were home?

Do you just plain have way too much to do in a day?

If you are like most principals you can answer "yes" to all of the questions above. You might even want to shout it from the school roof top...YES!!   YES!!   YES!!  Despite all of the wonderful advances in technology that are supposed to make our work easier, our processes more efficient, and save us time it seems as if there are days that no matter how hard we try we end the day feeling like we weren't the least bit productive.  We fall back in our office chair exhausted from the demands of the day and ask ourselves the rhetorical question, "What did I actually do today?"

Does this sound like one of YOUR days?

I know it sounds like a few of mine.  One way to help combat the crazy, hectic, way-too-full daily agenda days is to reflect on your degree of productivity throughout the day.  When I say productivity I mean real productivity, the kind that propels you toward accomplishing the things that really matter.  Often we are extremely busy but may not be very productive.  I know there are days that are just downright busy; however, I always want to be able to wrap up each day knowing that no matter how busy the day got I was productive as well.

Here are 3 of my go-to, must-do tips that I use to increase my productivity, especially on those exceptionally busy days.  Try one or all of these the next time you feel like you're in a productivity slump or when things get a bit crazy.

1. Turn off all technology notifications for 60 minutes and focus on doing your most important work. 

That's right.  Turn it all off.  Email, phone, social media, appointments, etc.  Give yourself time to think, to plan, to reflect, to vision.  Give yourself permission to focus on the really big, important, "big rocks" type work that you just haven't been able to get to.  If needed, actually schedule this time into your day.  Let your secretary and assistant principal, if you have one, know in advance that you will be working on important work.  It's OK.  Life will go on without your computer, phone, or tablet chiming for an hour.  Just try it.  See what it feels like.  You might actually like it!

2. Don't check your email first thing in the morning.

This one is as simple as it sounds.  Don't start your morning by reading emails.  If you use your phone as an alarm clock resist the temptation to look at your email.  Email is a huge time suck.  Once you start reading and responding it's like falling into the great abyss or down the rabbit hole.  It's never ending and all encompassing.  Wait until you get to school, greet your staff, say hello to the kids, and get the day started before you sit down to go through emails.  Let those that need to be "in the know" (those that need to be able to reach you in an emergency) know that you don't read emails until ___o'clock and if they need to reach you in an emergency they can text or call.  This tip alone will increase your productivity immensely.

3.  Keep a "STOP DOING" list. I wrote an entire blog post about this topic.  Is it possible that there are things you are doing that maybe you should stop doing? Things that are taking up time?  Not bringing value? Failing to deliver the results you had hoped? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to create a "stop doing" list. A stop doing list is essentially a list of identified actions, behaviors, practices and even thoughts that are keeping you from accomplishing all that you desire to.  The things that go on a stop doing list can distract, divert, or totally expend your time, energy, and resources that could or should be used differently to help you achieve your goals. 

Try one or more of these tips the next time you feel your productivity starting to wane. They have helped me tremendously.