New years day is essentially the ultimate refresh button. We take the bad habits and mistakes from the past year and dump them in the trash. As we look back on this past year, we have to wonder, where did it go? What did we do with all of the time we thought we had? It seemed to just fly by. We are choosing to make 2018 our most productive year yet. No more wasting time at work and no more unfinished todo lists! Check out a few of our favorite productivity hacks for making 2018 your most effective year yet!

1. Turn off alerts! – Nothing is more distracting than your iphone lighting up every 10 minutes with a new email, text message or facebook notification. Putting your phone on ‘do not disturb’ for a while, helps keep you in the zone.

2.  Avoid Lyrics! – We all know that music is crucial to a productive day. But do you ever catch yourself singing along and zoning out? We know we do. Once our favorite song starts playing, the lip syncing begins and out productivity is out the window. This is one of our favorite hacks on this list, try listening to music without the lyrics. Apple Music and Spotify have FANTASTIC lyricless playlists for those days your have too much to check off your todo list.

3. Stop Multitasking – We all know that one person that is gung-ho when starting a project, but never completes it. Is that person popping up in your mind? We all have a tendency to get like that when we multitask at work. Try tackling one task at a time. Put your energy and focus into one project, make sure it’s fully completed before starting something new.
4. Create a Ritual – What do you do when you walk into the office? It will set you up for a successful day if you create a routine for yourself to start every day with. When you stick to a routine, you are less likely to be distracted. You know what you need to do and get it done. Try this tip out and see how it changes your 2018!
5.  Hit the Unsubscribe Button – All of those junk emails – ditch them. They create clutter and distractions! Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe to emails from that store you haven’t shopping at in 8 months. You don’t need those! On top of decreasing clutter, it will save you a few minutes when checking your email. Time that could be used for something more important!

2018 is going to be a good year! We just know it. There are big things in store for you in 2018!  Take these tips and a check out a few more over at INC.com to make yourself as productive as possible this year.

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