6 tips to help you become a more productive person

We all have the same amount of hours in the day – so why do some people just seem to have a knack of using them so well?

Contrary to what you might think, being productive isn’t about losing sleep and burning the candle at both ends.

Here, experts share their top tips for making this month your most productive yet.

1 Make a ‘to-be’ list

List-making is generally a disheartening business. Carina Lawson, founder of wellbeing planner Ponderlily (Ponderlily.com), suggests chalking up an alternative “to-be” list. “These lists are all about the end goal, and what you need to do to get there,” she says. “Write down the things you want to achieve in the long term.” The idea is that it helps you prioritise your important life goals over the insignificant tasks of day-to-day life. “Once the list is done, pin it up somewhere where you can easily see it,” says Carina.

2 Declutter your home

Taking the plunge to live with less “stuff” can reward you with more time and better focus. Clutter can have a negative psychological effect. “Look at the items you own and ask yourself if you’ve used each one in the past eight months,” says life coach Jennifer Boon (booncoaching.com). “If you haven’t, consider whether you will use it in the future. If the answer is no, donate it to charity or friends.”

3 Eat for your brain

“I’m a huge believer that you are what you eat,” says Sasha Sabapathy, founder of holistic remedy brand Glow Bar. Foods high in healthy fats, like salmon, avocado and coconut oil, are amazing for brain health, as well as dark-green vegetables like Tuscan kale, broccoli and Swiss chard, she adds.

Make sure you’re not skipping breakfast. Rhiannon Lambert, nutritionist and author of Re-Nourish: A Simple Way To Eat Well (£18.99, Hodder & Stoughton) says: “Without breakfast, your brain and body are effectively running on an empty tank. By eating as soon as you wake up, you are giving your body a much better chance of feeling energised and productive.”

4 Embrace a ‘deep work’ mentality

January is a great time to get stuck into a personal project. If you struggle to find the motivation to start, the key could be to embrace a “deep work” state. “The idea comes from professor and author Cal Newport’s excellent book Deep Work: Rules For Focused Success In A Distracted World (£14.99, Piaktus),” says Matt Searle, head of employer relations at Henley Business School Careers (henley. ac.uk). “This is scheduled, focused work with no distractions: no phone calls, no social media, no checking the news and nobody interrupting.”

Matt says: “Personally, I like to start early and work on things before I even open my email, then I have a clear mind and an hour or so to really crack on with things.”

5 Get your finances in order

“Checking your balance every day is a really good habit to get into,” says Anne Boden, chief executive of Starling Bank (starlingbank. com). “Personal finance apps mean you can track your spending insights and see exactly where your money is going. This means you don’t get any nasty surprises at the end of the month.” She also suggests making some realistic saving targets to work towards.

6 Have a social media detox

The average person spends at least one hour and 40 minutes per day looking at social media sites and apps. “Make time to spend with loved ones and away from social media, and make sure you are without your phone for at least an hour before bed to get a good night’s sleep,” says Sasha.