No matter how you spend your time - making sales, housekeeping, or actualizing change (that sounded better than “therapizing”), being productive is important. We all need to get things done, and we all struggle with balancing work, life, and self-care. Here are some tips to set you on your way.

Hey - put down that phone for a minute. We all need to learn to deal with distraction - that’s why it’s first on the list.

Squash those distractions 

Pay attention to what distracts you from work. It may be surfing the web, constant buzzing from your phone, or even workplace noise and chatter. Set limits on your internet use, put your phone on Do Not Disturb, and close your door if you have one (if you don’t, invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones).

If you think you’re not distracted by any of these things...think again. Constantly looking at your phone and surfing the net cuts your productivity greatly. Try turning it off for an hour, and see how much you get done.  

Structure your time for success

If you have an unstructured day, make yourself a schedule. Use the 35/15/10 rule: For every hour of work, spend 35 minutes on a large task that needs undivided attention, use 15 minutes on smaller tasks like responding to emails and phone calls, and take a well-deserved ten minute break.

If you have appointments, make sure to schedule time for those minor tasks, and make sure to build in adequate break time. When I started working at my first job right out of school, I would schedule clients back to back every 45 minutes. It was better for my wallet, but not as good for my sanity. I switched to scheduling clients on the hour, and never looked back.

Prioritize

Here’s a rule for productivity: there will always be more to do than can possibly be done. That means we need to learn to prioritize. Use an important-urgent matrix to help you organize your tasks (described very well in Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). If you find yourself spending too much time on things that are urgent but not important, take a look at your procrastination habits.

If you’ve read this far, you may be thinking: ok, smartypants, I have an important job. What if there are just too many important things to do, and not enough time?

Well then, I’m afraid, it’s time to-

Learn to say no

This is a tough one. Saying no may bring anxiety, guilt, or fear. What if I lose that customer? How can I be relaxing when my family needs me? What will happen to my job if I tell my boss I can’t do everything?

I have news for you: you deserve to have boundaries. And besides, setting boundaries will make you more productive. You’re allowed to be unreachable, you’re allowed to take some time to respond to emails and text messages, and you’re allowed to relax - even when people need you.

Setting boundaries may mean that you will lose some customers, that the laundry will go unfolded, or that some calls will go unanswered. It’s a price that we pay for sanity. I’ll tell you what, though - our clients and our families will respect us more when we respect ourselves enough to say no. For when we say no to quantity, we say yes to quality. We say no to doing too much, and we say yes to doing just enough.

Shimmy Feintuch, LCSW CASAC-G maintains a private practice in Brooklyn, NY, and Washington Heights, NYC, with specialties in addictions and anxiety. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. Contact: (530) 334-6882 or shimmyfeintuch@gmail.com. 

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