7 Habits That Will Keep You Productive in 2021

It is not easy trying to be a boss at life when you have tons of competing interests. Between juggling the demands of our careers, relationships, finances and health, it is easy to let some things fall through the cracks. We all have been guilty of this at one point or the other, but small actions can set you up for long-term success. Here are eight habits that keep me productive: 

1. Wake up early: Early bird catches the worm. While everyone else is still sleeping and your emails and text messages are not going off every minute, it is a great time for you to do things that are important to you. My early mornings start off around 5:00 a.m. with a cup of coffee or green tea. I use this time to eat breakfast, read the news, go to the gym and review my calendar for the day. No morning is the same for me, but getting up early is the constant denominator. 
2. Keep your email responses brief: I don’t like reading or writing long emails. When I am getting messages from my team, I usually answer the question in one or two lines and get straight to the point. E-mail correspondence can suck up your day if you let it. I usually allocate 60 minutes to email in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon and 30 minutes in the evening. 
3. Schedule in project time: It is easy to get distracted from big projects. I have learned to block time off in my calendar to get things done. I usually schedule these blocks in about 2 - 3 hour increments per project and sit in silence with my phone on airplane mode and my email screen hidden. 
4. Use lunchtime to connect with friends: You have to eat. Instead of always doing a working lunch, opt to meet a friend for a social distanced coffee or virtual chat! It is a great way to incorporate the people you love into your life and gives you a slight boost of energy during the day. I try to do this once or twice per week and have been pretty successful.
5. Plan for the next day: Before you clock out, outline what your next day’s tasks and projects are going to be. The best way to mitigate any work surprises is to plan ahead of time. By doing this in the evening, you prevent decision fatigue in the morning. Make it easy for yourself to get up, settle and go. 
6. Schedule some “you” time: I have a rule not to work on Sundays, unless truly necessary. I spend that day resting, cleaning, journaling, reflecting or watching netflix. It is important to have sometime during the week for yourself. You can also opt to have this time during the workday by stepping away from the desk for a few minutes to look out the window or going for a socially distanced walk in between projects, meetings and/or calls. 
7. Get some shut eye, early: The key to getting up early (habit 1) is to go to bed at a decent hour. I am usually in bed by 11:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. No evening is the same for me, but I have learned to unplug after a while. I have been there and done the whole #teamnosleep business and it is not sustainable, healthy, or fun. 

What’s your take on productivity for this year? What works for you and what doesn’t? Leave a comment below and let me know. If you know someone that could benefit from this post, share it! Thanks for reading.