7 Things Highly Productive People Do to Succeed

Are you someone who looks at the people who are always moving—always doing something—with awe? Like, how do they have the time and energy to get so much done?

Trust me, I used to be like that. I did not understand how people can be so productive. What drives them to just keep going?

I wanted to be that productive. That motivated.

And I have put a lot of time and energy into figuring out how to make that happen.

It isn’t like I unlocked some massive secret. I just started to try different things to see what works.

I also read a lot of articles on the topic and listened to some amazing podcasts.

Highly productive people tend to have a lot of common habits. How they follow through on these habits may vary, but the ideas behind them are all the same.

If you want to start becoming more productive with your time and start getting more done, here are 7 things you should consider doing.

Planning Out Your Week

One common thing that all highly productive people do is set some time aside each week to plan ahead.

On Sunday night, take some time to plan out what you need to get done during the week.

Then schedule these items in during your working hours throughout the week.

Whether you only work on this stuff for an hour a day or it’s your full-time job, you should still structure your time.

It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed. Just know that on Tuesday morning you are going to be writing article X and on Thursday afternoon you are going to be creating an email sequence. Or whatever it is that’s on your list.

Having a Morning Routine 

In order to have a productive day, you have to set yourself up for success.

Some people love the Miracle Morning, some read the news while drinking their coffee.

Whatever it is that allows you to jump-start your body and brain to take on the day: working out, a long shower, listening to a podcast.

Just make sure that whatever it is, that you are consistent with it. This will let your body know that you are preparing to start your day, so it’s ready when you are. 

Having Systems in Place 

In order to be as productive as possible, you have to have systems!

This stops you from wasting time thinking about what comes next. You know that after you hit publish on a post, you are going to email your list, post it on social media, and then take a lap around the house.

It prevents you from wasting time looking for things. You aren’t going to run around like a madwoman looking for your keys in the morning, they will be right where they are supposed to be.

And it allows other people who have worked with you before to know what to expect. You don’t have to explain that you are going to do X, Y, and then Z. It’s part of your system and is to be expected.

By doing things consistently, you save time. You are not reinventing the wheel every time you do something. You do it the same way you did it before. Yes, you can always improve on something, but that isn’t a setback. It’s merely perfecting your system.

Additionally, the most often you do something, the faster you do it over time. It becomes automatic.

All the time you save by systematizing your life equates to extra time for something else. And this time adds up fast.

No Multitasking 

This is a huge one. I am the type of person who will be cooking dinner, doing the dishes, folding some laundry, and entertaining my toddler all at the same time.

None of these tasks require much thought, though. And if I were to wash a spoon twice or put a shirt away in the fridge, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

When it comes to doing something that requires thought and concentration, though, it is imperative that you give it your undivided attention.

And science is behind me on this one. An article on the American Psychological Association’s website discusses how multitasking actually decreases productivity. Read more here.

If you aren’t giving your work your full attention, you are likely to make mistakes. Which will take time to fix. So just don’t do it.

Prioritizing Health and Sleep 

If you intend to be productive and stay productive, you have to take care of yourself.

If you wear yourself down and get sick, you are going to have to take time off and get behind. Don’t wait until this happens—prevent it from the start. Plus, being sick sucks.

Likewise, if you aren’t getting enough sleep, you are going to make mistakes. Mistakes cost you time and money so prevent them from happening in the first place. You will also be more pleasant to be around.

This may seem like obvious advice, but when you are passionate about a project or plan, it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself.

Delegating Effectively

A truly productive person knows when to delegate a task and who to delegate it to.

Your time is best spent doing those things that only you can do.

The other things that someone else can be doing should be delegated if at all possible.

Having an End of Work Day Ritual

A highly productive person is not going to leave their desk at the end of the working day with a mess of papers and an overflowing inbox.

This creates overwhelm.

How do you expect to come into work the next day and get right to work if there are loose ends from the day before?

If you have paperwork that needs to be addressed the next day, create a place for that to go. Then, when you are ready to work on that, you know where to find it.

If you have emails that need to be followed up on, move them into a “follow up” folder. Don’t just flag them and leave them to clutter up your inbox! You should really strive to have no emails remaining in your inbox when you are done working for the day.

If there is something really important that you don’t want to miss by moving to another folder, create a reminder for yourself.

This allows you to start your day fresh. And when you start your day on the right foot, it generally remains that way.

There you have it. I hope these tips really resonated with you!

I’m curious, though. Is there anything on this list that gave you that ah-ha moment? I really hope so!

Make sure you share this list with someone else who may need a little help in the productivity department!

5 Day Productivity Challenge

Are you a highly productive person? Or are you still struggling to figure out a way to get things done in a way that works for you?

I have created a 5-day productivity challenge! In it, I will walk you through creating a system that works for you. The best part? It’s absolutely free! Click here to read more!

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