17 Ways To Have An Exceptionally Productive 2017

We’re already in the second week of the new year, and most people would already have started giving up on their resolutions. How lucky then, that I’m here to help you have an exceptionally productive 2017!

Fear not, for here are my top 17 tips (categorized for your convenience) for making this year your most productive one yet.

Fine-tune your mindset to be more productive:

1. Say no (to as many things as you can). Focus only on the things you truly want to achieve. The less you have on your plate, the more progress you will make.
2. Avoid meetings at all cost. If you have to go, always go in with one specific outcome in mind.
3. Make it a habit to regularly ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing right now getting me closer to what I want to achieve?”
4. Know what you’re looking to achieve. Visualize in clear detail what does achieving your goal look like and feel like.
5. As Yoda said, “Do or do not; there is no try.” So stop procrastinating and just effing do it!

How to plan your way to super-productivity:

1. Eat That Frog! Plan your day according to the biggest, most important task. Not the smallest and easiest.
2. Prioritize your goals and tasks. Don’t let only the urgent things rule your day. Work out what is important and what isn’t.
3. Use Sunday evenings to plan for what needs to get done in the coming week.
4. Use a simple to-do-list app like TeuxDeux, and only put THREE things on it to get done for each day.
5. Keep a journal of WHAT you have achieved – either in a notebook or if you’d like to do it online, I recommend Penzu.

Execute the heck out of your daily goals:

1. Get up an hour earlier. If it’s important enough, you will make time for it.
2. Throw out the TV. Just bury it in your backyard. (Yes, it means your Netflix subscription has to go too)
3. Dump your phone. Turn off email notifications. Put it on vibrate. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.
4. Turn off the internet on your laptop. If you’re writing or creating, go to a coffee shop that has no internet. If you can’t do that, use browser extensions Leechblock or Freedom to block access social media and other distracting websites.
5. Use the Pomodoro technique to get things done. Set a timer to go off at 25-minute intervals and focus on doing one activity. Then take a 5-minute break, and repeat. (Remember to take a proper break 15-20 minute break every couple of hours – dance to your fave song, do some pushups, get some fresh air)

Reclaim more time by outsourcing:

1. Outsource your business tasks. Hire freelancers on Upwork and Fiverr, and have someone else design your logo in 2 days instead of you taking 3 weeks.
2. Outsource your life. Hire a house cleaner, use apps to buy groceries, let someone else clean your car. Stop spending your precious hours on things like this. Your time is worth a lot more.

There you have it, my top 17 tips to have an exceptionally productive 2017! Now go out and rock this year, dear freedomist!

And if you want me to personally help you make this your best year ever, check out my workshop on how to plan your ideal freedom year in 2017.