Productivity is a buzz word when it comes to management consulting. Businesses want to get more done with less. It’s the best way to grow in any market. And we all want to know how to be more productive with our time.

The problem is, most of us are unwilling to take the steps necessary to become more productive, even when they’re presented to us. So my only hope is that this advice does not fall on deaf ears.

The first thing to do is to admit to yourself that some of the things you do each day don’t have to be done. You may have gotten into certain habits that are difficult to break. You may want to do something that you convince yourself you need to do.

For example, I had become accustomed to running specific daily reports that would take the first thirty minutes of every morning. They would tell me at the top level how business was the day before. When someone asked me to evaluate the need for those reports, I realized it was not necessary to do them every day. I pushed them back to once a week on Fridays. It takes the same amount of time, I get the same information, but I opened up two more hours in my work week.

This is where most people give up and say, “everything that I do HAS to be done.” My response is, I’ve never met anyone who didn’t have something that they couldn’t cut from their daily routine to make more time for more important tasks. So be tougher on yourself.

Next, identify things you can automate. What tasks do you complete manually that technology could do for you?

The third and final thing to do is become a better planner. Make daily, weekly, and monthly task lists. Make sure everything you do has a greater purpose, leads to a goal of yours or the business. Stick to your lists, adding tasks that come up out of the blue, and don’t stray. Cross them off the list as you go.

Most employees and workers are least productive when they’re not sure what to work on next. Don’t let yourself reach that point.

The more productive you are, the more money you will make!