How to Have a More Productive Day
At the end of the day, do you feel like you got nothing done?
We can't always avoid being pulled in 50 different directions, but we can use our executive function skills to make every day more meaningful.
When we start our day by selecting our Number One Priority (NOP), every day becomes a productive day.
Most people avoid doing this because:
They don't want to decide on one priority
They feel like everything is a priority
They don't start their day with a plan
Below are the steps I teach in our course, Adult EF Skills 101, to increase your productivity and focus, daily.
Let's dive in.
How to Have a More Productive Day
Using your strengths is key to making today the most productive day of your life. If you haven't taken a no-cost executive function assessment, I recommend you start here.
One of my executive function strengths is planning. I play to this strength and rely heavily on it.
For me, every workday begins the same way:
Plan
Prioritize
Commit to my word.
Even if planning isn't your strength, you can use this strategy to accomplish your most important tasks.
1. Plan
The second I sit at my desk, I ask myself two questions:
What is your number one priority today?
Who do you need to be to get that done?
When coaching our adult clients with ADHD and Autism, we start with these questions at the beginning of each session to make sure they walk away from the session feeling accomplished.
2. Prioritize
Next, I look at my to-do list and put a star next to my Number One Priority (NOP).
Side note: I make my to-do list each night. It’s a part of My Final 15.
In an adult executive function coaching session, my clients and I talk through their to-do lists and intentionally select an NOP that aligns with their most important goal.
3. Commit
Then, I write one word declaring who I need to be to get that thing done.
When I finish, my to-do list looks like this:
What if I Struggle to Follow Through?
Follow through is extremely difficult. Yet, it's the most important part of my plan. I improved my follow through using two strategies.
A. Connect My NOP to My Long Term Vision
My NOP is always connected to a long-term goal that is highly important.
See that start in the picture of my to-do list?
Editing and scheduling my newsletter will help me become a better writer, grow my audience, and serve my community. Those three outcomes are directly aligned with my future vision.
B. I Don’t Have A Choice
Mentally, I commit to my NOP.
Nothing can or will stop me. Completing my NOP is a daily promise I make to myself. Integrity is something I value.
I am a person of my word.
I know who I need to be.
I know my NOP.
I’m committed.
That doesn’t mean being committed is easy. I always use strategies to get started and stay focused.
Here are my most popular strategies, all of which I teach in our course, Adult EF Skills 101.
Today, my NOP is making it to the airport 2 hours before my flight! I’m setting reminders (modifying my environment) to arrive on time.
I hope this is helpful. Now, it’s time to catch this flight!
Quick shout out to Seth Perler, one of the most knowledgeable EF experts, for teaching me about NOPs.
Are you ready to improve your executive function skills?
We know adulting is HARD. It demands strong adult executive function skills. Luckily, we've made a LIVE course to cover the fundamentals so you can make the best of each day: Adult EF Skills 101. Join dozens of other adults improving their EF skills.
In this course, you will:
Learn how to plan your priorities 🎯
Learn to get started (task initiate) 🔨
Learn how to keep things tidy 🧺
Learn how to find and keep a job 👩💻
Learn how to communicate effectively 🗣️
Learn how to budget 🤑
Stay Engaged
Other Resources
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann, M.Ed is a Professional Educational Therapist and Certified Executive Function Coach. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an online adult executive function coaching company designed to guide adults in overcoming disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks so they can unlock their potential. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice located in San Clemente, CA, that guides students with neurological differences toward becoming independent and confident students and self-leaders.