10 Simple Steps to Increase Productivity

For freelancers and for everyone who are working, we would always want to be productive in everything we do. We do not want to waste every second of the day for we want to finish as many tasks as we could so that we can proceed to the next activity. With the limited time we have and the tons of tasks to do, we really need to be self-disciplined in order to be productive. We have here a few tips to help you increase your productivity.

1.Be organized.

Image: Darren Hester

You will not be a productive person if you couldn’t learn how to organize stuff. Organize your files by using folders in your computer. Organize everything, including printed designs and even those which were declined by some clients. You’ll save a lot of time if you could easily find everything in just a few clicks.

2. Sharpen your skills.

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It is important that you perform activities that could hone you better as an artist. This way, since you are already well versed in your field, you could do certain task easier and faster. Another thing, you can produce a better work for your clients and if you really improved a lot, you can even increase your rate.

3. Do not defer activities.

Image: Denis Vrublevski

Some tasks may look easy and you would say that since it will take only a little time, you’ll do it later. Putting aside tasks isn’t a good idea for it will result to a lot of unfinished activities. If a task doesn’t take long, then do it. At least you’ll be more productive coz you have done something already.

4.Be inspired and motivated.

If you work with motivation and inspiration, for sure you’ll be able to do a lot of things. Another advantage is that your output looks better. Also, you’ll never notice that you have actually worked on a lot of tasks already. Inspiration and motivation are great keys to be a better designer.

5. Breakdown tasks.

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Instead of doing a major task in one sitting, break it down into smaller tasks and do it little by little. It is easier if done this manner. That way, you’ll not only come up with a good project but you will also be able to finish a major project without even noticing it.

6. Follow the list.

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Some of us keep a list of tasks to do for a day or for a week. If you do that, make sure that you will follow it. It is one of the best ways to stay productive.

7.Plan tasks in order of priority.

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In making your list, you will of course write it according to your priorities. Do the most important one first and do not be skipping the important tasks.

8.Set a timer for your tasks.

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To make sure that you’ll finish a task for a certain time, set a timer. This way, you could work on all of your tasks on time and this could also help you to do away with distractions.

9.Do your most dreaded tasks first.

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Before you go to tasks which you can enjoy while working on it, accomplish the ones you hate doing first. So you won’t have to worry about it anymore and you could spend time doing on other tasks without being bothered about the task you hate.

10. Master keyboard shortcuts.

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Keyboard short cuts can save a lot of your time. There are different shortcuts for a certain program. So, try to learn that stuff and for sure you’ll find it useful.

Since work is one of our priorities and we all want to be as productive as we could be, you may use the tips we have given you. But if you still have other tips to add, feel free to leave a comment and share your own tips to us. We hope this article have helped you a lot to increase your productivity as a designer.