What are small ways to be more productive in everyday life?

Child and adult psychiatrist Domenick Sportelli, DO, shares small ways to be productive day-to-day and ultimately achieve those big goals for the new year. He helps with goal setting and managing expectations.

Transcript

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[MUSIC PLAYING] So, again, to be more productive

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every day is a big burden on a lot of people because there is so much extraneous activity these days. So I'm going to give you guys a couple of tips here

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that are really important to allow you to feel and be more productive day to day.

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So, number one-- this is the big one-- is you have to set clear goals. Obviously, if you have vague goals out there,

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you're not going to be able to accomplish them because they're going to feel too overwhelming and they're going to be too big. Just make sure that it's a very clear goal.

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So be very specific. Make sure when you're thinking about your goals for the week or for the day, it's really important to prioritize them.

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And a lot of times, we don't do that. We won't prioritize our goals of the day or goals of the week in importance.

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So make sure you prioritize by importance, and take one task at a time. Make a to-do list.

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I hate making a to-do list. It seems like another task that I start to feel a burden. But I did realize, as I read the literature,

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that making a to-do list and putting your tasks on paper or on your phone helps tremendously.

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One of my favorite ones here on this list, guys, is learn to say no. I actually had a hard time with this. I was a big people-pleaser.

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A lot of us out there are. But what that tends to lead to is burnout. Make sure that you're comfortable with saying no

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in a polite way. You can certainly pass on certain tasks if it's not important, or necessary,

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or capable at the time. So learn to say no. That's a big one. And then, finally, guys, make sure that you take time,

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whether it's the end of your day, end of your week, that you sit, review, and reflect what you accomplished.

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Take five minutes or 10 minutes, look at your to-do list, and reflect on what you accomplished, what you didn't, what needs to get done.

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Doesn't take very long, but that will also reinforce you to continue being productive moving forward. [AUDIO LOGO]