10 SNS Steps to Being Productive

There are as many Productivity Secrets out there as there are people on this planet. But when you get right down to it they are all just tools and techniques. The trick is to get out of the quagmire of 12-step programs and secrets and simply see them for what they are. Ideas.

Stand above these things and pick them out as you need them instead of just accepting them as a package deal. Understand what each tool does, what its strengths and weaknesses are and if its the right tool for you to wield.



Some tools just don't feel right in our hands. Some tools feel right for one job but not for another. And some tools feel right at one time in our life but feel wrong later. It is completely fine to read a productivity book or article and only pick out certain ideas. So next time you are searching for ways to be more productive or are reading a book on productivity keep a notebook handy and write down the ideas that jump out at you. Write down the ideas that make you think, "Wow, that might actually work for me."

Like with everything else productivity is holistic and unique to your individual needs. This is a list of productivity tools that I've cultivated over the years. These are the things I continue to return to when things get jumbled in my life and when I feel like I'm not moving forward.

1. Regular breaks
2. Enjoy hobbies
3. Stay active
4. Exercise
5. Spend time outside
6. Set a unique schedule
7. Keep a journal handy at all times
8. Design a unique system with unique tools
9. Eat healthy
10. Spend time with people who elevate you

Notice that some of these don't sound like traditional productivity tools. How can "being outside" really help me get stuff done? That's the problem with all these "productivity experts" and their productivity tips. They make us think that there's a category of "productivity tools" and only those tools listed there will help us be productive. I'm sure that a lot of those tools will help. But they won't help all of us and there are some tools and tips that might help you but the "experts" haven't thought of it yet.

As always, listen to yourself and pay attention to what you need. You may have to tweak your tools a little but the result will be a system that's actually productive for you.