Everyone Has The Same 24 Hours: 7 Productivity Tips To Maximize Yours

5. Stop multitasking.

   Multitasking is not real. No one actually does it and believing that you can do it makes it harder to accomplish tasks. The human mind is not set up to do to similar tasks at the same time, what it does is switch back and forth between the two tasks quickly.

   Studies have found this to be a very inefficient way to work. By switching your attention between multiple tasks, none of them will be completed to the same standard of focusing on one task at a time.

6. Optimize your time.

   Dead time can be used for less important tasks that don’t require the full support you get sitting at your desk with a computer in front of you. Although it is not as easy to write a report on a tablet, it is easy to answer emails or make notes on current and future projects while waiting for your lunch or commuting on the train. Your time is the most important currency you can spend. Even time that you didn’t expect to have can be used for productive purposes, don’t waste it.

7. Track your time.

   It is easy to assume that you know how much time a project will take based on experience with similar projects, but it helps to have the time you spend on aspects of your project written down and able to be referenced. Knowing how much time you need for a project is just as important as knowing how much time you currently spend on social media or answering emails. Tracking your time for as little as a week can give you important insights into what takes the most time in your work

Although these tips won’t stop you from having unproductive days where you can’t focus on your current project, they can minimize wasted time and keep you on track.

This article has been edited and condensed.

Simon Crompton is an entrepreneur running several online businesses. Currently focusing on his marketing firm, Threecolors.blue, he is also a trained journalist sharing his knowledge via several internet blogs. In his spare time he’s an avid programmer and videographer. Connect with @PermanentStle on Twitter.