13 Productivity Strategies That Actually Work to Maximize Your Day

Struggling to stay focused and get more done in less time?

This empowering episode breaks down 13 practical productivity strategies to help you eliminate distractions, master time blocking, and finally take control of your schedule. From planning your week with intention to setting boundaries and using productivity apps, Jessica Rosario shares actionable tools to reduce overwhelm and boost focus.

You’ll walk away with clarity on how to prioritize tasks, build healthy habits, and create an environment that supports your goals. Get ready to maximize your day and reclaim your time with ease.
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Transcript

Welcome to Maximize Your Day Podcast

Speaker 1 0:16

Hello and welcome to the Maximize your Day podcast , a place for entrepreneurs who are building their business in pursuit of freedom and flexibility to do the things they love . I'm your host , jessica Rosario . I'm a New Yorker turned Floridian who knows a thing or two on how to effectively manage your time while juggling multiple priorities . I'm an ex-corporate leader who walked away from my nine-to-five-ish to launch and grow my business . Launch and grow my business . In this podcast , I share insights on mindset , business productivity , habits and strategies to help you take control of your to do list and maximize your day , which will help you feel more confident and less overwhelmed and getting more done in less time . I'm so excited you're here . Go ahead , listen in . Hey everyone , welcome back to the show . I am so excited to be sharing with you guys today the 13 strategies everyone needs to improve productivity .

Speaker 1 1:15

Now you'll be surprised how many people lose track of where their time goes , and many times we think we're focused on a single task , but are we really Think about it ? One way to find out is just to keep track of how we spend our time , even if it's just for a week , you

Why Tracking Time Changes Everything

Speaker 1 1:33

might find out you've been wasting time on little things like I'm guilty checking Facebook or TikTok and getting lost for an hour , sometimes more right . Or TikTok and getting lost for an hour , sometimes more right . So here are my strategies for improving your focus and increasing your productivity . So , number one I know what you're thinking she's going to talk about time , because that's exactly what I always do . So number one track your time . Now , I know tracking your time is sort of difficult . I mean , I know some of us joined Weight Watchers at one point or another in our lives and tracking our foods was really difficult . But we noticed that when we tracked our foods , for some reason the scale got started getting lighter , right . So tracking time is very , very similar , especially if you have the right tools . So don't worry , I put together a time wasters audit checklist that I'm going to drop in the show notes for you , where you'll be able to track your time , analyze those results after about a week and then tweak and get rid of any time wasters . And I know that this tool is going to help you identify several hours throughout , you know , throughout the day , throughout the week , and by the end of the week I mean a couple of hours every single day . You're looking at 10 plus hours every single week .

Speaker 1 2:52

As long as you track your time , you will be able to analyze what those time wasters are , and I'm not saying don't do certain things , but definitely either reduce them or leave them for your non-productive time . I know you guys have heard me talk about that . In order for us to get more done , we need to be doing these things during our most productive time , when we know that we're not in our most productive time . Use that time for those time wasters At that point . Who cares right ? So there you go . Number one track your time . Number two time for those time wasters at that point . Who cares right ? So there you go . Number one track your time . Number two plan your week .

Speaker 1 3:29

I know you guys have heard this before as well that what doesn't get measured doesn't get done , and I tell people all the time what's not on my calendar doesn't exist . So if it's not there , I didn't even know about it At the end of your week or the beginning of your week . It depends on you . Know again your most productive state or what time you're setting aside to plan . Find a quiet spot in your home , in your office , at a desk

Planning, Prioritizing, and Eliminating Nonessentials

Speaker 1 3:57

, in the patio , whatever , whatever that looks and sounds like for you , and plan out your week's tasks and these are the most important ones . They are non-negotiables , right ? So write down those key projects and the tasks that are associated with them , and don't forget to add in family activities that you participate in as well . You'll be surprised how many times people forget to track . One of the most important things is meal prep and having dinner with their families . They just automatically assume that shouldn't be on their calendar , but it absolutely does , because it's a boundary that you're setting and it's a new , it's a routine that you're setting . You're basically telling yourself , your subconscious , that at this time , everything comes to a hold because it's family time and it's dinner prep time . You know , if it's something , something different perhaps you know going to your kids , extracurricular activities then those are some things that you're going to drop inside of your plan as well . Whether you're using a planner or whether you're using your phone , your phone's calendar , you know either one . Just plan out your week .

Speaker 1 5:03

Number three prioritize your list Now . Break down your tasks from most important to least important , and then use a calendar to mark out blocks of uninterrupted time , anywhere from about 15 minutes to 60 minutes , based on the complexity of the task , so that will give you the time to work on each one . Now I'm going to be talking a little bit about time blocking in a moment , but when we talk about blocking your calendar , you have to be really , really specific . So don't block your calendar and just put you know work on my business . What specific tasks do you need to work on your business during that time ? That's how you prioritize and drill down . So make sure that you're prioritizing your list what has due dates first , what are non-negotiables and what are some things that you can do after . So that way you're able to use your time intentionally to get the tasks that you need done .

Speaker 1 6:09

Number four eliminate what isn't essential . Outsource what you can for things you need to do but aren't your strength , and you know what I'm talking about . A lot of us , for example , for me it's tech . Tech is just not my thing , and I wind up wasting so much time in trying to figure out the nuts and bolts of doing something or editing something , and it's just not a good use of my time . So outsource what you can . Delegate what needs to be delegated , you know , and this could be anything from mowing your lawn to hiring a virtual assistant to take care of your you know social media , or you know dropping your laundry . I mean there , there's so many different tasks that consume our time that we absolutely hate doing , and that's going to look different for everyone , you know , but at the end of the day , and that's going to look different for everyone , you know . But at the end of the day , you're eliminating what isn't essential for you to complete and delegating it out or outsourcing whichever term you prefer best .

Speaker 1 7:15

Number five set your goals , and I don't know if you've heard of the book called 12 Week Year . It is an amazing book on goal setting and just crushing our goals , and one of the things that I find is that it takes you through a deep dive for a period of 12 weeks , that it's almost flawless . There's almost like no possible way for you not to be able to complete what you said you were going to complete

Time Blocking and Breaking Multitasking Habits

Speaker 1 7:45

. So break down your goals from big goals to small goals , short term goals to long term goals , and if you break them into weekly or even daily goals , that makes it easier for you to focus on . So set proper goals . If you need some support on that , definitely check out the 12 week year and you'll be able to learn how to drill down for periods of 12 weeks at a time .

Speaker 1 8:13

Number six , my favorite time blocking Set aside a specific time of each day to check emails or answering the phones or answering social media . I usually call it priming my social media . So you know maybe 15 minutes in the morning where I'm commenting , liking and tagging other people's posts and also posting inside of mine . So identify specific time blocks that will be able to help you sort out those tasks for the day . The last 30 minutes of your workday are also really , really important , because if you take the last 30 minutes of your workday to prepare for the following day , then you're starting the next day on the right track . You already know what needs to get done . You're walking in the next morning with intention and , if you're like me , my most productive time is in the morning . I have to plan my time in the afternoons because otherwise I walk into the office and don't know what needs my attention first . So identify those time blocks .

Speaker 1 9:14

Don't stop in the middle of the day to check your emails . When I tell people that I check my emails in the mornings and in the evenings , usually they're like what Can you actually do that Absolutely . If it makes you feel uncomfortable , check them in the morning , midday and in the evening . The only time I jump in my inbox midday is if I'm expecting a response from something . But I'm not going through filtering through my inbox to see what I responded to , what I didn't respond to , because I've already done that in the morning and I've already done that in the evening . Those are my two times that I check email Again . Only if I need to respond to something in the middle of the day that I was expecting those get my attention in the middle of the day . Otherwise I don't bother with it .

Speaker 1 9:58

But setting time that will be able to help you with some specific task is really important , and not only that . I don't know about you guys , but I schedule time for my own quiet time in the morning . There is a boundary set that during the first hour of the morning , first hour and a half of the morning , I'm having my coffee , I'm enjoying my quiet time , I'm reading , I'm journaling , because those are some of the things that help me stay balanced for the remainder of the day . So time blocking is essential when it comes to improving your productivity . I also have a guide to time blocking . So I'm going to drop that guide in the show notes . So there you have it . You're going to have two tools already that will be able to help set up your week .

Speaker 1 10:47

Number seven do away with multitasking . Oh my gosh , when we focus on too many things , really nothing gets completed . So what do they say ? Jack of all trades and master of none . That's usually what happens when we're multitasking . And I'm not saying I haven't done it , because I certainly have , but I don't make it a habit to constantly multitask . There are times that I'm in the middle of an important task that I know that I cannot leave for the day without completing it , and the constant interruptions come in right . So I usually ask the person that's interrupting and I ask them do I need an answer ? Do I need to give you an answer right now , or do I need to stop what I'm doing right at this moment , or can I finish what I'm doing right ? So setting some of those boundaries that will help you eliminate interruptions , but also doing away with the multitasking . Jot it down on the side if you have a to-do list or a brain dump on the side , so that you can focus on it afterwards , but in the process of completing a task . We need to become laser focused on only one task at a time , and this is one of the ways that will help you increase your productivity .

Speaker 1 12:04

Number eight make a distraction to-do list . The internet has made it so easy for us to become quickly distracted . As soon as we want to look something up , we hop on the internet , do a search . I wonder what's happening on Facebook . What was the name of the actor in that movie ? Wait a minute , how long will it take me to drive to the zoo tomorrow ? Hey , anytime we get distracted like this , it takes us about 25 minutes to get back on the original task , believe it or not . So instead , next time you want to look up something or an idea pops up in your head , jot it down on a piece of paper or a sticky note . Or , even better , if you use Evernote or any type of digital notes , iphone notes or anything like that jot it down there . That is your distraction to-do list .

Speaker 1 12:54

Number nine create boundaries , and I know this is a hard one for a lot of people . I actually did a Facebook live on boundaries about a few months ago . I'll drop that link in the show notes as well , and learning to say no is really difficult for people , especially when you have a full day task list . You don't feel like you have to take on another project for someone else , but you still don't know how to say no , right ? So it's really important to set boundaries and I always say you know you could say no politely , doesn't have to come across rude or anything like that , but understanding that you have other tasks in front of you that

Creating Boundaries and Optimal Work Environments

Speaker 1 13:40

require your undivided attention is really important to setting some of those boundaries .

Speaker 1 13:47

Number 10 , create an environment that works for you . Do you need a quiet space free from people , phones , tv , noise ? Well , where is your office set up ? Is it in a bedroom ? Do you not have an office ? Can you sit at the patio ? What is that quiet space for you to be able to be inspired and be creative ? And if you work best in a neat environment , then you might want to focus on clearing out the desk or clearing out any clutter before you start working , because when you do that , you work focused and intentional . If you start working out from a cluttered desk or a messy desk , then you might feel like things are a little over the place . So get rid of the clutter If you focus better while listening to music or some kind of ambient noise . Be sure to have a way to make that happen as well . You know whether it's with your phone , you can put it on . Do not disturb . And put some instrumental music so that way you're not alerted constantly from notifications on your phone . But there are so many ways to do that . Definitely , find a quiet space to get more done .

Speaker 1 14:59

Take a break when needed . You know short breaks help break up boredom and burnout when you're working on a big project . Get up , walk around the room , go around the block , walk your dog . I mean , there's so many different things that you can do . In the 12-week year book , brian Moran talks about taking a break , walking away from your desk and , you know , spending several hours blocking your time so that you can just completely disconnect from all the tasks that you need to get done , because otherwise that's how you experience burnout , if you're not giving your body a break . So identify what that break is . Could it be just getting up and walking around in the room ? Is it doing some yoga stretches ? Is it walking your dog ? Is it just merely going outside and you know , watching a waterfall or something you know , in your backyard , do you have a nice view ? Do you need to ? You know , get in the car and drive to the park for a few minutes , whatever that looks like for you , to the park for a few minutes , whatever that looks like for you . Take a break whenever necessary . If you use the Pomodoro app on iPhone I'm pretty sure it's on Android as well the Pomodoro app after about four cycles it makes you take a longer break . Usually there's about a five minute break in between each task , but with the Pomodoro app , as you continue to move forward , then your breaks become a little bit more extended . So take a look at those tools as well that will help you enforce taking breaks in between doing the task Number 12 , break it up or chunk it .

Speaker 1 16:37

Break your tasks down into smaller , more manageable chunks of time with short breaks in between . For example , as I was telling you about the Pomodoro app , when you work on a task for 25 minutes , you get a five minute break . Let's say you're writing an ebook . Don't try to do it all at once . You know there's so many authors out there that share that they don't even write a full chapter at a time . They just make sure that they block out time , whether it's 60 to 90 minutes just to focus on that specifically . Break it

Breaking Tasks Into Manageable Chunks

Speaker 1 17:07

down , take 15 minutes to write out your outline , take a short break and then 15 minutes to research the first chapter and so on , but break it up and chunk it out .

Speaker 1 17:18

And number 13 , use an app on your phone to boost your productivity and concentration . Apps like Evernote iPhone Notes can keep you organized and keep track of your distractions . There's also an app called Brainwave that can be downloaded to your iPhone . In this app , you'll be able to choose like settings to focus on concentration or problem solving or brainstorming and whatnot , and there are plenty of other apps that help you stay focused and productive as well . These strategies for becoming more focused are endless . So make the list , remove the distractions , set up your ideal environment . You need to find that works best for you , for your style of working , and if it is a productivity app , then use that as well . So there you have it .

Speaker 1 18:07

The 12 strategies for improving your productivity are number one track your time . Number two plan your week . Number three prioritizing your list . Number four eliminate what isn't essential . Number five setting your goals . Number six good old time blocking . Number seven do away with multitasking . Number eight do away with multitasking . Number eight make a distraction to-do list . Number nine create boundaries . Number 10 , create an environment that works for you . Number 11 , take a break when needed . Number 12 , break up or chunk it . And number 13 , use an app on your phone to boost your productivity and concentration .

Speaker 1 19:06

I hope that you found this episode helpful . I am so excited to share it with you , because all of these things are things that I'm constantly working on , and I know that those of you that follow me go through some of the similar struggles , so I can't wait to hear your feedback . I'd love to connect with you inside of my Facebook group , where you will be able to find the link in the show notes as well , so I hope to see you on the other side

The 13 Productivity Strategies Summary

Speaker 1 19:36

and we'll chat soon . Take care , as always . Thank you so much for listening in . Don't forget to subscribe to the show to be notified the second a new episode is released and share with your friends who you believe could benefit from listening . Contact me at JessRosariocom forward slash podcast to share your feedback , ask questions , make topic suggestions or even be a guest on my show . You never know if your topic will be next , until next time , maximize your day and own it .