 Productivity is what determines your success in life. It is your ability to produce an outstanding result upon completion of a task. Danez Kennedy, a strategic advisor and business coach, defined it this way. Productivity is the deliberate strategic investment of your time, talent, intelligence, energy, resources, and opportunities in a manner calculated to move you measurably closer to meaningful goals. Contrary to what majority of people think, productivity is not your ability to get things done, but your ability to accomplish your goals and produce exceptional results. Paul J. Meyer, the pioneer of self-improvement industry, said, Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused efforts. Also, Tim Ferriss, an American entrepreneur and author once advised, focus on being productive instead of being busy. Again, productivity is not measured by how much work you spend your time doing, but what comes out of it. So, if you spend 24 hours working on a project with no results to show for it, then you've just spent the entire time being busy, not necessarily productive. Jim Ron said, You don't get paid for the R. You get paid for the value you bring to the R. To become more productive, you have to be proactive and intentional in taking actions that can help you accomplish your goals. In this video, I'll share with you 9 smart hacks for maximizing productivity. If you're new here, consider subscribing so that you don't miss out on exciting videos like this. 1. Make your to-do list a night before A productive day starts the night before because you know what you intend to spend the entire day doing. You know the results and goals that you expect to accomplish by the end of the day. Also, your productivity is highest in the morning, so it'll help to know what you want to spend the morning doing instead of using the time to figure it out. So use your peak productivity to perform tasks and not to think about the task to be completed. Also, about the importance of creating a to-do list, Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group said, List not only provide great structure to getting things done, but it also help us to set goals and achieve our dreams. 2. Set time for every task Once you have set up your list, put time boundaries to every task on that list. When you place a time bound on a job, you stand an excellent chance to get it accomplished on time. However, when you don't, chances are you may never achieve that goal at the end of the day. Here's the thing, when you don't set time to a task, you'll spend the day believing that you have enough time to get it done eventually. When you set time boundaries, however, you most likely complete all the tasks that you set for the day. 3. Focus on one task at a time Susan Cain, an American writer, said, What looks like multitasking is really switching back and forth between multiple tasks, which reduces productivity and increases mistakes by up to 50%. When you multitask, your brain focuses on one of the activities and quickly changes that focus on another task when you switch. So, you can only be reading or you can only be watching the news, but not conveniently do both. If I look like multitasking helps get a lot of tasks done in no time, however, if you want to get an exceptional result, then it's essential to learn how to focus on your task one at a time. 4. Focus on high priority tasks first Stephen Covey said, The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to shadow your priorities. And according to Dale Carnegie, do the hard jobs first, easy jobs will take care of themselves. It's best to start your day carrying out the most critical task on your list. Do the high priority jobs first because your productivity is maximum at the beginning of the day. So, start with these tasks before your brain gets tired and distracted quickly. 5. Take regular breaks Tom Rajd said, Taking regular breaks from mental tasks improves your creativity and productivity. Skipping breaks, on the other hand, leads to stress and fatigue. When you work hours upon hours without taking a break, you will eventually become tired. Your productivity level will drop and at the end, you might not accomplish your goals. You can work for 90 minutes, then take a 15-minute short break to freshen yourself. Go for a quick stroll outside your workplace. And if you can, take a 10- to 20-minute power nap in your lunchtime to replenish your energy. Please, try not to make the mistake of logging into social media or answering your phone during your breaks because it can turn your 15-minute break into a 15-minute break. 6. Put your phone away When you're working on something, the sound of your phone notifications can serve as distractions, quickly destroying your concentration. So you can switch off your phone, put it in airplane mode or put it away in another room where you can only hear the sound of your ringtone and text message notifications in case of a work emergency. That way, you'll reduce the interruptions that can arise from checking your social media or email notifications regularly. 7. Listen to audiobooks and podcasts while eating or commuting Think of something that you love doing and find a way to learn more about it. When you are eating, commuting, or doing any other routine activity that doesn't require the active use of your brain, listening to a podcast or audiobook can be helpful. The idea is to go for something that you want to learn but still enjoyable and beneficial to your life and work. 8. Learn something new during your free time Productivity requires you to keep learning. You can't keep doing the same old way every time, otherwise sooner or later it will become impossible to achieve a goal because you are not improving yourself. So, instead of spending your free time watching TV or on your mobile phone, invest in learning. You can pick up a book or sign up for an online course that can be beneficial to you. 9. Create a good workspace The last thing you want to do is set up a workstation around your friends or family members because you will end up using that time as chit chat time instead of work time. So find the right location and the most convenient position to help you get work done. You can lie on your bed and expect to get your job done in good time. You have to create a great space with the right materials like a desk and chair, table lamp, bookshelf, etc. There you go. Now you can work on becoming more productive. Thank you very much for watching our videos. If you like this video, watch more videos on our channel and subscribe. We love you.