Hey Friends,
Every so often, I have days (or weeks!) where I’m just not productive. Maybe it’s super hot outside, or I’m tired from not getting enough rest – but some days, it’s just HARD to be productive and get stuff DONE. Can you relate?
To get myself back into a productive and profitable mindset, I’ve been putting a very simple productivity hack into practice.
This simple productivity hack is not original to me – I didn’t create it, nor am I the first person to talk about this simple trick. So please, don’t think this idea started with me – it didn’t! There are some fabulous bloggers and productive people that I need to thank for sharing this idea with me!
This productivity hack has been helping me feel like my productive self again and I’m confident that it will help YOU too!
One Simple Productivity Hack
This idea is so simple – you are going to love it! Are you ready? Here it is…
Each day, write down just 3-5 “top tasks” you want/need to accomplish and make those tasks your focus for the day. Anything else that gets done is a bonus!
Seriously, this has been such a big help to me! If I just focus on 3-5 things, I don’t feel overwhelmed and I know exactly what needs to get done before the end of the day (and preferably before dinner).
I encourage you to give this simple productivity hack a try this week. Grab your favorite planner, a notebook, or just a scrap of paper… and write down your top 3-5 tasks (if you choose too many it’s easy to get overwhelmed and give up!). Make these tasks a priority and get to work!
Why This Works
Okay, so why does this super simple productivity hack work?
It forces you to zero in on your priorities and stay focused on what you truly want/need to get done.
This productivity hack also works because choosing just 3-5 tasks will keep you from getting overwhelmed (and quite possibly giving up!).
An Example of my Top 5
This past Friday, I purposely chose to sleep in (I needed the extra rest!). However, I still wanted to have a productive day, so after I woke up, I chose my top five tasks. Here’s what these tasks were…
- Weed the flowerbeds
- Workout
- Create my meal plan + grocery list
- Study lesson notes for Bible school
- Sweep the house
After fueling up with a good brunch (because I slept in!) I went to work right away on my top five tasks.
Because I knew what I needed to get done and stay focused on those five tasks, I got them all done before supper time. I even had extra time at the end of the day to read and work on some fun blog tasks. 🙂
Why Does Our Time Matter?
Our time is a valuable resource given to us by God. We each have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week. However, we all get to choose HOW we will spend the time we’ve been given. None of us knows how much time we have left on this earth, therefore it’s important to use each day wisely.
The Bible actually has more to say about our time than I realized! Think about some of these verses and what they teach us about our time:
James 4:15-17
“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” James 4:15-17
Application: Life is SHORT! We don’t know what tomorrow could hold… we must remember that every day is a gift from the Lord. Our life and our actions should be in accordance with God’s Will for us!
Ephesians 5:15-17
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
Application: A wise young woman will redeem (or “buy back”) her time and use it according to God’s will. The days are evil – the time to live for God is TODAY.
John 9:4
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:4
Application: Christ had a job to do – and He focused on that task while He was still on this earth. He knew His time to work would come to an end. Our time to work will also come to an end someday (we just don’t know exactly when). We must use the days that we’ve been given to accomplish God’s will for our lives!
Do you see a pattern happening here? Our time is a valuable resource because God has a plan for our lives! We must use our time wisely so we can accomplish what HE wants us to accomplish!
“Time is more valuable than money… spend it wisely!”
Putting It Into Practice
So, how can we put all this into practice? It’s simple:
- Pray about your daily tasks. Ask: “Lord, what do YOU want me to accomplish today?”
- Focus on your God-given priorities – your relationship with God, your marriage, your children, your home, your family, your church, your health… these are all areas of our life where God wants us to be a wise steward.
- Go forward with passion and purpose. Go after your daily “top tasks” as if you are doing them for the Lord! After all, everything we do should be to the glory of God!
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
How to Get Motivated
It’s sobering to realize that our time is limited and God wants us to be living each day FOR HIM. But, what do we do on those days when we just do. not. feel. like. it?
Here are some quick and practical tips to help you get motivated and get to work on your daily tasks:
- Pray about it – ask the Lord for help.
- Turn on a podcast or some music – get to work as you listen.
- Set a timer – see how much you can get done in 10 or 20-minute increments. Give this miracle time cube a try!
- Just do one very small step – get the ball rolling.
- Ask a friend for help – friends make great accountability partners!
Sometimes, all we need to do is get started the rest will be easy!
Related Post: 15 Bible Verses to Help You Get Motivated
More Resources to Help You
Here are some great productivity resources that have helped me a LOT both recently and in the past. I hope you will check into some of these and give them a try! I know they will help you too! 😉
- Powersheets Goal Setting Planner – this GEM of a planner has helped to figure out my most important goals and priorities. This planner has given me so much clarity – now I know what I should be working on each day, week, and month!
- Phylicia Masonheimer’s Free Productivity Course – Phylicia was one of the first ones I heard talking about this simple productivity hack. She follows it too + she shares so much more helpful info in her free productivity course!
- Stewarding Life by Paul Chappel – a helpful and insightful book about the areas of our life that God has given us to steward + HOW to go about it.
Related Post: 10 Life-Changing Books on Personal Growth
Final Thoughts
I hope this post was helpful to you… and I sincerely hope you will go ahead and put this simple productivity hack into practice – even today! Seriously, go ahead and jot down three things you want to accomplish before today is over!
Got your top 3-5 things? Share the with us in the comments below and then GO DO THEM! 🙂
Can’t wait to hear from you!
There have certainly been some really hot days recently + plenty of days when I’ve felt exhausted. On days when I don’t feel productive and nothing seems to be getting done, I usually just focus on 3 areas that need to be clean before I go to bed. (For example: kitchen, eating area, and living room.) Sometimes, I’ll focus on a specific project (such as sorting laundry) instead of cleaning an area.
Listening to music or some kind of audio is definitely a great way to stay awake while doing chores.
I also like to think of the happiest things I can, as it makes me happy. And happiness gives me energy! 🙂 It’s a whole lot better than thinking “The laundry is all piled up again. I’ll never get it done!” Better to remind yourself of all you can do once you’ve tackled that laundry mountain. (Plus the fact that you’ll have one more thing out of your way.)
Ephesians 5:15-17 has recently been particularly inspiring to me. I really liked your application notes after each of the verses.
Thanks for sharing! Now I feel like getting something done!
Love this post, Rebekah! Love how simple but effective these tips are, and how you really expanded it with practical points and scripture and other articles/resources. Thanks so much for this post! ❤️
I love this idea! I often overload my to do list with so many things I couldn’t possibly get done in one day, and I end up not getting anything done for being so overwhelmed! Deciding what those few most important things are would help me just get the ball rolling – and actually accomplish things during my day!
I definitely have found that I need to start out the day intentionally! I need to ask myself what the most important things are for me to get done that day before I waste time doing anything else. I love getting everything that I need to get done, done..and then after 5:00, that’s my time to just chill and not worry about the to-do list! Sometimes I still get things done after 5:00, it just depends 😉
Rebekah, what a wonderful post! I love how you took a simple tip and took verses and derived application from it! So good. This tip I have used and it definitely helps! I love how you say to focus on our priorities. That’s so important! We can get so caught up in doing everything BUT our priorities – relationships, church, family, home…
All in all, thank you so much for this!
Wonderful tips! I’ve been struggling in this area and really have found this post encouraging. Thank you for this tips & many resources as well as Scripture quoted. Very helpful! <3
Annie
I’m glad this post was helpful to you – it’s easy to fall into a routine of “un-productivity!”. Hope these tips and verses help you get on the right track!