The 10 Secret Habits of Productive Women!

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I don’t know if being productive is a skill that comes naturally to some women, but it is definitely a skill that I have worked on and improved over the years.   This is for several reasons, but mainly because being productive helps me to get more done, and what woman doesn’t want that?

Productive women exist in all domains, vary in age and in walks of life.  However, there are certain traits that they share.  Read until the end to find out more about these traits and how you can be your most productive self!

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The Benefits of Being a Productive Woman

As a Psychotherapist, School Counsellor, wife and a new mom, productivity is a skill that I place a lot of value on.

Productive women can accomplish a significant amount of work (whether personal or professional) without a great deal of stress or burden.

Productivity is a top soft skill that is closely linked to self-development, effectiveness, performance and even career achievement.

How Being a Productive Woman Can Help You?

When working with clients professionally, I find that the topic of productivity comes up quite often.  Clients often discuss the desire to accomplish particular objectives in their day-to-day life or achieve short or long-term goals.

Similarly, when talking to friends, it seems like most of the women I know always seem to have a long list of to-do’s to accomplish in their day.

As busy women, wives and moms, productivity can help us immensely with the huge list of tasks we strive to complete daily.

Who Can Benefit from Being a More Productive Woman?

Simply put, I think that everyone can benefit in some way or another from being a bit more productive.  However, particularly if you find that you’re not getting as much done as you’d like lately or you find that there just aren’t enough hours in the day to tackle your to-do’s, the strategies I share below can help you to become a more productive woman!

Common Traits of Productive Women

I spoke to 5 productive women to try to determine the commonalities that make them successful.   I quickly noticed that certain habits and strategies stood out.  Several of these strategies related to organization skills, task completion and time management.

Although these traits may not come naturally to every woman, I do believe that every woman can become more productive by practicing strategies that help them to stay more organized, efficient and task oriented.  Keep reading to find out how!

So How Do You Become a Productive Woman?

Using the skills and strategies discussed with various productive women, and my personal strategies that have helped me to excel both at work and home, I have compiled a list of the 10 secret habits of productive women!

These strategies will encourage you to get more done and excel at your execution as you tackle you to-do list!

These tips help me in virtually all aspects of my life- from meeting deadlines at work, to keeping my house organized, to planning my own wedding and even keeping up with my daughters routine and daily tasks!  You can read more about my wedding planning journey in this post.

I am sure that every woman can benefit from some of the strategies and tips shared below!

Check out these actionable tips to help you be more efficient and productive. You can apply these tips to your life in general or to a specific activity.

After all, who doesn’t want to be a little more productive in their day-to-day life?

 

The 10 Secret Habits of Productive Women!

 

1. Set Goals for Your Week! Every Week!

On Sunday nights I like to jot down goals for the week in my phone notes.  I use my phone for this because it is always near by and easily accessible, meaning that I can check them often when I need reminding.

If you keep a calendar, agenda or other type of planner you may prefer to write them in there.  Use whatever works best for you and something that you will be able to access frequently throughout the week.  (Here is a great calendar and a planner that I have used to track my progress and increase productivity.)

Setting goals are a great way to set the tone for you week by identifying objectives or tasks that you would like to accomplish.

By doing this at the beginning of the week, you can later identify actionable mini-steps to work towards your goals, which will ultimately make them easier to accomplish.

I tend to begin with broad goals, which I later narrow down when I make my to-do list, which you will read about in later steps.

Here is a simple example of a goal list:
– Online shopping
– Begin spring cleaning
– Update the blog

2. Make To-Do Lists to Help You Accomplish Your Goals

Once I have made my list of goals for the week, I move on to make a to-do list for that week.

I usually create one main list with general things that I want to or have to do during the week.  This is usually a non-date specific list.

Next I make smaller sub-lists for each day of the week for objectives that I want to tackle on specific days.

You will note below that my sample list includes tasks I want to complete, appointments and plans I have with others, so that nothing in my schedule is left out.  I have found that this is the best way to map out your week, so that you can effectively manage you time in order to get things done.  You will read more about time management a bit later.

Throughout the week you can add to your list as other tasks or obligations come up.

Your weekly to-do list might look a little something like this:

Week of April 11th-17th, 2022

General To Do’s:
– Order work clothes
– Order new purse
– Organize baby’s room
– Clean bedroom
– Research for new blog post

Monday

– Check Fashion Nova for work blouses
– Clean closet
– Clear old clothes out of baby’s closet
– Proofread report

Tuesday

– Research for new blog post
– Clean bathroom
– Dr’s appointment
– Sort and organize baby’s clothes
– Finish proposal

Wednesday

– Write new blog post
– Clean under the bed
– Go to the bank
– Order purse
– Hair appointment

Thursday

– Edit new blog post
– Clean vanity and shelving
– Grocery Shopping
– Reorganize baby’s clothes in closet and drawers
– Meeting with Management Team

Friday
– Take a break and do some self-care!
– Date night with husband

Saturday 

– Post and market new blog post
– Donate unneeded baby’s clothes
– Beach day with family

3. Review Your List Each Day (Daily to-do’s) and Throughout the Week (General to-do’s)

 

It is important to check your progress frequently to see how you are managing your goals and objectives for the week.

I do this by reviewing my to-do lists each day (daily lists) and scanning my weekly to-do’s several times throughout the week.

Sometimes you will eliminate items from your list once you have conquered a certain task, and at other times you may realize that you need to add items if they help you accomplish a certain goal.  This is why it is important to keep your list somewhere that is easy to access frequently, as I mentioned earlier.

Checking your list often helps to remind you of what you would like to accomplish for the week.  It is a visual reminder to keep you motivated!

4. Prioritize Important or Time-Sensitive Tasks

 

If there are objectives that are more important or must be completed in a certain timeframe (i.e. within that week or on a particular day), keep these at the top of your list.

I usually put a star or highlight these objectives to remind me of their importance.

I tackle these items first, knowing that they are the most important to accomplish, and then get to other objectives afterward.

5. Be Mindful of Time

The reason that I like to breakdown my to-do list into daily task lists is because this helps with time management.

Time management is one of the most important skills related to productivity.  Being able to effectively manage your time helps you to execute objectives in a reasonable amount of time, and ensures that you don’t waste too much time on one or a few tasks.

Time management also helps you to make time and stay mindful of all of the other things that come up during your day that you also need to make time for, such as work, meetings, eating, taking care of the kids, fitness, etc.

6. Create a Routine

Learn to create a routine for repetitive tasks that come up each week to help you get through them more quickly.

For example, when I create my to-do list each week, I always do it on Sunday evening, I use the same format and always create it in my phone.

This is a routine that has helped me get this task done quickly and easily.  Similarly, I use a routine when writing new blog posts.  If you are interested in learning how to start your own blog, you can check out this post.

You can create routines for just about any repetitive task or item on your list.

7. Use Aids to Help You Stay Organized and Efficient

A great way to stay on task and help you complete your objectives is to use aids to help you remember what you have to accomplish, keep track of your progress and remain motivated.

There are many types of aids and what works will be specific to you!  What works for you may not work for everyone.

Examples of aids include visual aids like post-its, auditory aids like alarms in your phone to keep track of time periods where you want to complete a certain task or even music if listening to it helps get you in your zone while you’re completing a certain task.

I often play music or listen to a podcast while cleaning to help keep me zooming through that activity.

8. Tune Out Distractions and Procrastination

 

Two of the biggest hinderances to productivity are distractions and procrastination!

First, distractions can take on many forms and come up at any time.  Try your best to tune out distractions when they arise and to keep yourself focused on tackling your list.

I like to use breaks or treats to reward my progress, in order to help me stay on task and reduce distractions.  For example, if I tackle a certain number of tasks by midday, I will take some time to play a game on my phone or watch an episode of a show that I love as a reward for my progress.  This “treat” will encourage me not to get distracted by these activities when I am trying to get work done.

You can use whatever incentives or rewards work best for you!

If you are a procrastinator and find yourself putting things off, train yourself to tackle your objectives first before letting yourself fall prey to putting it off.  I assure you this will help you to tackle your goals faster, leave you feeling more accomplished and less stressed.

I find the great thing about being productive and getting things done, is that it makes you feel great, and encourages you to continue the trend, therefore, reducing procrastination.

A trick I use is to employ motivational strategies such as self-talk or positive affirmations to keep you on track.  You can try repeating or posting near you a positive mantra like, “achieve small goals everyday!” or “morning moves set the tone for the day” to keep your productivity motivation high!

9. Learn to Take Breaks

Breaks can also be used as small rewards for in between tasks or as a tactic to help you unwind if you find yourself getting tired or feeling overwhelmed with a particular task.

Schedule time for rest during your day.

Your breaktime can literally be to do nothing at all or you can do a fun activity that re-energizes you, such as going for a walk, playing a game or getting some exercise to rejuvenate your energy to get the rest of your list done.

10. Stay Motivated in the Face of Challenges or Setbacks

Sometimes we don’t manage to accomplish everything on our list.  This doesn’t mean that you’ve failed at being productive, because you are human, and obstacles will arise that sometimes cause setbacks.

Instead of getting discouraged, remain motivated and put that objective at the top of your list for the following week!

Final Thoughts

Being a productive woman means that you get things done, stay on task and do so with minimal stress.  Productivity is a highly valued skill that leaves you more time to do the things that you love!

I hope that you will apply these tips and strategies to your life so that you can be more productive!

My goal is to help empower more productive women with these strategies that not only help you get things done, but also leave you with more time for family, friends and self-care.

To learn more about the importance of self-care and life balance, check out this post.

I would love to hear from you

Do you have any tips that help you to stay on task and excel as a productive woman? If so, feel free to share them in the comments to help out other women!  You can also reach out to me using this contact form.

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