How to Increase Your Productivity By Doing Less

How can I become more productive every day? How can you increase your productivity?

Be honest, you’ve looked back at a long workday and the tasks you’ve completed and asked yourself: “Is that it? I thought I accomplished a lot more.”

That’s when disappointment and frustration set in.

You wanted to get so much done, get a big step closer to your goal, but somehow time went by, and hardly any of the items on your to-do list are checked off.

You start wondering whether you need to plan more time for your tasks in the future. Maybe getting up another hour earlier will help you get more done?

While this could seem plausible, there’s another point you might have overlooked. Investing more time in your work or project is great. But what’s more important than the amount of time spent is how you use it.

Increasing your productivity is about doing more with less, after all, here’s how!

Here are the best minimalist productivity tips and tricks to help you get more done.

Increasing Productivity Reminders. For the reader to save for later.

What Is Productivity?

Before diving into how to increase productivity, it helps to understand what it actually means.

At its core, productivity is a measure of output relative to input. In simple terms: how much are you getting done with the time, energy, and resources you have available?

The Harvard Business Review puts it plainly. To measure productivity, take your units of output and divide by your units of input. The higher the ratio, the more productive you are.

For you, your inputs could be your energy, your time, or even your finances.

But for most people working on personal goals, creative projects, or running a business, productivity isn’t just about volume. It’s about doing the right things, not just more things.

How Do You Measure Productivity?

For individuals, productivity can be measured in a few practical ways:

How many of your priority tasks did you complete today?
Did you move meaningfully closer to your goal?
How much time did you spend on focused, purposeful work versus busy work?

The key is having clarity on what you’re actually trying to accomplish. Without that, it’s easy to feel busy all day and have very little to show for it.

Woman Writing In a Planner on a Busy Desk

Increase Productivity Meaning

When people talk about wanting to increase productivity, what they usually mean is this: they want to accomplish more of what matters without burning out or working longer hours.

Research shows that it’s rarely about adding more hours to your day. Productivity studies show that how you structure your time, manage your energy, and eliminate distractions has far more impact on your output than simply working more.

How to Increase Your Productivity Instantly with Minimalism

We are often led to believe that the more we do (and plan to do), the better.

That’s why we add countless things to our schedule, try to do everything at once, and then wonder why projects don’t turn out the way we thought or take way longer to complete than expected.

This is exactly where minimalism comes in.

Now you might be thinking: “Wait a minute, minimalism? Isn’t that where you get rid of all your stuff, move to a tiny apartment, and stop going on shopping sprees?”

Yes, it can be.

But even without having to purge your house and downsize your wardrobe, you can start practicing minimalism and take advantage of its benefits in some areas of your life.

The way you work (both on your personal and professional goals) can be one such area.

What does Minimalism Have to do with Productivity?

Minimalism can look different for different people. Depending on where you are in life, it can take various forms and be practiced in many ways.

In general, practicing minimalism means understanding that more is not always better. Because of that, you’ll find yourself identifying things that don’t add value to your life and slowly getting rid of them. The final goal is to keep only what you need.

Still wondering how that relates to productivity?

If you find yourself constantly adding new things to your to-do list and trying to do it all, minimalism will help you.

By applying the above idea of minimalism to your work habits, you’ll be able to focus on what matters. Eliminating both physical and mental clutter will let you zone in on your mission and evaluate everything based on whether it will help you achieve your goals.

You will learn how to cut unnecessary tasks out of your to-do list, spend less time and energy figuring out what to do next, and be able to focus your energy on what’s most relevant to accomplishing your goals and objectives.

By doing so, you increase your productivity exponentially.

If that sounds like something you want to do, then keep reading…

“It is not enough to be busy… The question is: what are we busy about?” - Henry David Thoreau

7 Steps to Increase Productivity by Practicing Minimalism

#1: Start Your Day Right

How you start your day has the biggest impact on how your work will go, so give this one some thought.

The idea here is to keep it simple. When practicing minimalism, your focus is on doing only the things necessary to achieve your goals. Everything else is busy work.

Implementing this when you plan your day can look like this:

Spend a few minutes making a list of everything that needs to get done
Pick the top 1-3 things (depending on how much time each activity takes)
Plan when you will do what, giving the most important task priority

With a solid plan for the day, you get started knowing your work will bring you closer to your goal. That will make it easier to keep your focus as you’ll know your tasks are important and can’t be delayed.

In the evening, evaluate your progress.

Did you finish the things you set out to do?
Do you need to continue any of them tomorrow?

If yes, put them down as a priority for the next day. You can even decide on the rest of tomorrow’s activities the night before to give yourself a head start in the morning.

Having a strong focus on a few things rather than an endless to-do list will also help you in case life happens and stuff gets in the way. In the likely event of something taking your mind off work for a few hours, you will know how to prioritize your time after the storm has blown over and get back on track.

To maximize this approach’s positive impact and see the bigger picture, plan tasks ahead for the whole week or month.

A strong morning routine sets the tone for everything that follows. Even ten minutes of intentional planning can make the difference between a focused, productive day and a scattered one.

Woman Using Laptop at Wooden Desk Phone on Table

#2. Work Like a Hermit

If possible and your work allows it, eliminate everything that could be a distraction. This includes the TV, your phone, notifications on your computer, and other things around you that could divert your attention from your task.

Need a place to take notes for sudden bursts of inspiration? Use a notebook and a pencil instead of your phone. It works for Warren Buffett; chances are, it’ll work for you, too.

Sign out of social media, close all those tabs (that’s what bookmarks are for), and get to work. Or go into do not disturb mode.

If your task doesn’t require you to be connected, maybe even shut off the internet. Yes, I actually just said that.

Don’t Multitask, It Doesn’t Work

Also, do one thing at a time. Multitasking is an illusion. It does not help you get more stuff done faster. It only slows you down, splits your focus, and scatters your brain. Does that sound like a productive state? Not really.

If you do feel an uncontrollable need to check your email for ultra-urgent messages, ask yourself these questions first:

Will my business fail/I get fired if I don’t respond immediately, rather than in half an hour?
Will I lose a client or potential sale if I don’t reply right away?
What other bad things could happen if I don’t check my messages right now?

Answer these questions honestly, and you’ll likely see that you can go off the grid for a while without the world coming to an end.

#3. Batch and Automate

This is another way of minimizing the number of things you try to do each day and how to best use your time to get stuff done and move towards your goals.

Every job involves some repetitive tasks that need to be done regularly to keep things moving. Often, we break them up into bite-sized pieces, doing a little bit each day or several times a day, depending on the job.

However, that often leads to us losing time that would be better used on something else.
That’s where batching and automation come in. With today’s technological tools and AI, there’s a way to batch or automate many repetitive tasks, which will help you free up time.

Examples of Batching and Automating at Work

Here are some examples of batching tasks at work:

Scheduling social media posts instead of doing it every day
Having two set times a day where you write and reply to emails
Editing photos and creating artwork for your website in one dedicated session
Doing research on potential clients you want to pitch
Writing all your blog or newsletter content for the week in one sitting
Recording invoices and expenses in one weekly session instead of as they come in
Filming or recording multiple videos or podcast episodes back-to-back on the same day
Returning all non-urgent calls and voicemails in one block at the end of the day
Planning and outlining your entire content calendar for the month in one go
Doing all your team check-ins and one-on-ones on the same day of the week

“Ordinary people think merely of spending time, great people think of using it.” - Arthur Schopenhauer

Examples of automating tasks at work:

Instant auto-replies to emails telling people you’ll get back to them
Posting to social media (if you scheduled it previously)
Recording expenses by using accounting software linked to your accounts
Sending automatic invoice reminders to clients when payment is overdue
Automatically backing up files and documents to the cloud
Setting recurring tasks in your project management tool
Using canned email responses for frequently asked questions
Auto-generating weekly reports from your project management or analytics tools
Sending automatic appointment reminders to clients before meetings
Setting up a chatbot on your website to handle common customer inquiries around the clock

Depending on your work, there are many more things you can save time on by batching and automating. Examine your workday, find them, and start dealing with them more efficiently.

Using AI to Automate Work Tasks

Even more so with AI tools to help you with every aspect of work.

Using Zapier or Make to automatically move data between your apps, like when a new lead comes in, or Slack notifies your team, all without lifting a finger
Using AI meeting tools like Fireflies or Otter.ai to automatically record, transcribe, and summarize meetings so you never take manual notes again
Setting up AI email assistants to categorize, prioritize, and draft responses to routine messages
Using Motion to automatically schedule tasks and protect focus time on your calendar based on your deadlines and priorities
Using AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to generate first drafts of reports, emails, and proposals, so you’re editing instead of starting from scratch
Using Calendly or TidyCal with automated reminders so you never have to chase a meeting confirmation again
Scheduling social media content in advance using tools like Buffer, so posts go out on schedule without daily manual effort

Examples of Batching and Automating at Home

These productivity shortcuts are not just for you; you can batch and automate at home, too.

Examples of batching tasks at home:

Doing all your laundry on one designated day instead of all week
Running all your errands in one trip by grouping them by location
Meal prepping on Sundays, so weeknight dinners are already handled
Grocery shopping once a week from a pre-made list instead of multiple trips
Paying all bills on the same day each month instead of as they arrive
Returning texts, calls, and personal messages in one or two set windows per day
Batch-cleaning room by room in a single session rather than tidying a little every day
Scheduling all your appointments, like doctor, dentist, or beauty parlor, in the same week each month or quarter

Examples of automating tasks at home:

Setting up automatic bill payments so you never have to think about due dates
Using a grocery delivery subscription on a recurring weekly or biweekly schedule
Setting up automatic deposits, savings, or investment transfers
Using a smart home device or scheduled timers for lights and the thermostat
Subscribing to household staples (cleaning supplies, toiletries, pet food, or diapers) on auto-delivery through services like Amazon Subscribe & Save

This will free up your mind and your schedule, giving you more time to do other things that matter.

#4. Keep Everything in One Place

Practicing minimalism means keeping things simple. A great way to implement that in your work is to manage how and where you store your information, notes, ideas, and anything else you want to keep track of.

Do what works for you here, whether it’s a note-taking app or a physical journal. Research shows that you’re more likely to remember what you actually write down on paper. Either way, write down any new ideas in one place when inspiration strikes.

Make sure all your important ideas have one common home, so you don’t lose track. And you can always go back there to find them later.

Remember, each of these approaches is supposed to help you stay focused at work. By using all of them at once, you’re back to square one with a difficult-to-manage mess of notes, sketches, outlines, photos, and other information all over the place.

Looking for a good place to plan your work and keep all your ideas? Here are some suggestions:

Start a bullet journal
Use sticky notes
Try apps like Trello or Asana
Use your computer’s “notes” app
Create a Notion board

There are many more options, each with pros and cons. Stick with what works for you, and you’ll see how you get more done, simply because you spend less time looking for stuff or learning a new system every other week and more time working.

#5. Buffering…

While having a good internet connection can play a big part in keeping you productive, that’s not what this point is about.

Rather, it’s a reminder to give yourself a time buffer when planning your day, instead of stuffing every single minute with important tasks.

But why not plan to utilize every moment? Because stuff happens, and it gets in the way of you checking off the countless items on your list.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you could land a new client with an urgent project. Or if you have a day job, you might have to work late, which would cut down the time you can spend on your project.

So, since you never know what will happen tomorrow, or even later that same day, make your schedule flexible by giving it some breathing space.

That way, you can deal with surprises, still finish everything on your list, and feel this great sense of accomplishment that comes with a day well spent.

And what if nothing happens and you have extra time? You can get ahead with tomorrow’s tasks or have a little break. After all, if you’ve checked off everything today, you probably deserve a little rest.

That brings us to our next point.

#6. Break It Up

You’ve already narrowed down the number of tasks you want to do in a day. Now you just have to get going and stay productive.

The best way to do that is to break your tasks down into milestones and take a quick breather every time you finish one. Taking breaks gives your brain a chance to relax and refocus, and will do wonders for boosting your productivity.

This is known as the Pomodoro Technique, a popular time management method that breaks work into focused intervals separated by short breaks.

Finding a rhythm that works for you is important here. Some people love working for 25 minutes before taking a five to ten-minute break, others go for 50 minutes of work, and ten minutes of break time. Play around with this one to find what suits you best.

Bonus tip: Not all breaks are created equal. Use them for something truly relaxing. Instead of scrolling through social media or reading emails, do a short mindfulness meditation, some stretching, get a drink of water, or even go for a short walk to clear your mind.

“Productivity is being able to do things that you were never able to do before.” - Franz Kafka

#7. Stretch Time, Not Your Work

Have you ever been given a seemingly impossible deadline for a task? And were you able to complete it even though you were convinced you’d run out of time?

If yes, then you’ve experienced the stretchiness of time. It’s the reason why we often take longer to do something if we have more time to do it. If the deadline is closer, you work with more focus and get things done faster.

Next time you feel your productivity waning, follow these simple steps:

Give yourself a short but reasonable deadline
Plan something important that you can’t postpone right after you’re supposed to be done with your work. That could be lunch with a friend, a call with a client, or anything you would feel uncomfortable canceling or being late for.
Get to work and marvel at how fast you can suddenly get stuff done 🙂

Wondering whether these points will finally help you get more done in the little time you have to work on your project after your day job? Or will it help you become a more productive and less-stressed new entrepreneur?

I know they will.

Productivity Techniques That Actually Work

Beyond the minimalism principles above, there are some specific tools, techniques, and habits worth adding to your productivity toolkit. It also helps to know what habits to drop — this post on what to stop doing to be more productive is worth a read alongside everything here.

Time Management and Time Blocking

Good time management isn’t just about using a calendar. It’s about being deliberate with how you allocate your hours.

One of the most effective techniques is time blocking: scheduling specific blocks of time in your day for specific tasks rather than working from a running to-do list. Instead of asking “what should I work on next?”, your calendar tells you. This reduces decision fatigue, prevents context switching, and ensures your most important work gets protected time on your schedule.

Use the Eisenhower Matrix to help you decide what to block time for in the first place. It separates your tasks into urgent and important categories so you’re always working on what actually moves the needle, not just what feels pressing.

Leadership and productivity coaches consistently recommend blocking your peak productivity hours, typically the first two to three hours of your morning, for your most demanding, focus-heavy tasks. Save emails, admin, and meetings for later in the day when energy naturally dips.

💁🏽‍♀️ Need help finding your productivity window? Sign up for my FREE Time Management Challenge.

Productivity Apps and Tools

The right tools can make a significant difference, but only if you keep it simple. Resist the urge to try every new app every time. Pick one system and stick with it.

Some of the most useful categories:

Task management: Asana, Trello, Notion, ClickUp
Time tracking: Toggl, Clockify
Focus tools: Forest, Freedom (blocks distracting sites)
Notes and ideas: Notion, Evernote, Apple Notes
Team communication: Slack, but use it intentionally. Set boundaries around notifications and avoid letting them become a source of constant context switching

The goal isn’t to use more tools. It’s to use fewer, better ones.

Using AI Tools to Increase Productivity

AI tools are changing the productivity landscape fast. From writing assistance to research, scheduling, and summarizing long documents, AI can take repetitive or time-consuming tasks off your plate so you can focus your energy on the work that actually needs you.

Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Notion AI, and Google Gemini are worth exploring depending on your workflow. Used well, AI is one of the most powerful ways to increase productivity without adding hours to your day. Used poorly, it becomes another distraction. The key, as always, is intentionality.

Your Home Office Setup Matters

If you work from home, your environment has a direct impact on your output. A cluttered, disorganized home office creates mental noise that competes with your focus. Studies show that visual clutter increases cortisol levels and drains cognitive resources, making it harder to concentrate.

Keep your workspace clean, minimal, and set up specifically for work. Good lighting, a comfortable chair, and a tidy desk are not luxuries. They are a productivity infrastructure. If you need inspiration for creating a workspace that genuinely supports your focus, this guide on how to hygge your home office is worth a read. Or try using a co-working space.

How to Increase Your Productivity at Work

The tips above apply across the board, but the workplace context comes with its own set of challenges, like team dynamics, chatting co-workers, meetings, and nonstop notifications. These productivity tips at work can make a real difference when applied consistently.

Protect Your Focus Time

Block out at least 90 minutes each day for deep, uninterrupted work. Communicate your focus hours to your team. Most offices and remote teams respect boundaries when they’re clearly set. Turn off non-essential notifications during this time and batch your responses to messages and emails instead of reacting in real time.

Reduce Meeting Load

Meetings are one of the biggest productivity drains in most office environments. Before accepting any meeting invite, ask whether the outcome could be achieved with a quick message or shared document instead.

For the meetings that do need to happen, push for clear agendas, defined outcomes, and hard stop times. A 30-minute meeting with a clear goal is almost always more productive than an open-ended hour.

Invest in Your Own Training and Development

People who actively invest in their own skills and knowledge tend to work more efficiently over time. Whether it’s a course, a book, or learning a new tool relevant to your role, ongoing training sharpens the habits and instincts that make everything faster and better.

Leadership in most organizations also rewards people who demonstrate initiative in their own development. It signals that you take your work and your growth seriously.

Communicate Clearly and Less

In team settings, unclear communication creates rework, confusion, and wasted time. Before sending a message or scheduling a meeting, take a moment to clarify what you actually need and what outcome you’re looking for.

Clear, concise communication respects everyone’s time, including yours. If you’re balancing work and family on top of everything else, these time-saving tips for working moms are especially worth bookmarking.

Start Working Smarter, Not Harder

Don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself. Give each of these steps a test run for a few days or maybe even a week and watch what happens.

You’ll start finishing what you set out to do. You’ll stop ending the day wondering where the time went. And you’ll finally feel that satisfying sense of accomplishment that comes with a day well spent.

That’s not a pipe dream. That’s what happens when you stop adding more and start doing less, better.

Take the FREE Productivity Challenge

Ready to increase your productivity? Sign up for the FREE 3-Day Productivity Challenge, with daily video lessons and a printable workbook.

The best part? You don’t have to overhaul everything at once. Pick one tip. Start there. Build from it. Productivity isn’t about working more hours; it’s about making the hours you have count. And when you do that well, you might even find you can leave work on time without feeling bad about it.

For more on getting the most out of your time, check out the top ten productivity tips and tricks, and if you’re struggling to get going, this guide on how to take action when you can’t get started is exactly what you need.

So, get started!