How to be Productive: 8 Productivity Tips to Get More Done

Being productive isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing the right things, at the right time, with the right focus. Most people have no shortage of tasks; what they lack is a clear system for deciding what deserves their attention and protecting the time to act on it.

The difference between a productive day and an overwhelming one rarely comes down to which apps you’re using. It comes down to habits: how you prioritize, when you focus, how you manage your energy, and whether you pause long enough to make sure you’re working on what actually matters. These eight tips on how to be productive cut through the noise and focus on what consistently moves the needle — for individuals and teams alike.

1. Organize everything

It’s essential to impose order in what can otherwise be a chaotic workplace. As Slack CEO Denise Dresser recently put it, “We’re in a world where we’ve never had more messages, more information coming at us at one time.”

That rapid escalation in noise makes having a central tool for connecting projects, tasks, and conversations a necessity. Centralizing workflows and collaboration can cut down on back-and-forth, reduce context switching, and surface visibility for both short-term and long-term goals. A simple prioritization framework — like sorting tasks by urgency and importance — helps ensure you’re not just busy but working on the things that move the needle. Listing your top three priorities each morning is a small habit with outsized impact.

In fact, one study found that three-quarters of IT professionals lose 15–38 percent of each week (6–15 hours) simply navigating tool sprawl — switching apps, remembering where data lives, and bouncing between platforms. The solution? A shared, structured workspace to act as the backbone of productive collaboration in the workspace.

2. Dedicate time for deep focus

A 2023 study by Microsoft and CHI Work on protected “Focus Time” slots found that when organizations encourage employees to block off dedicated focus periods, both productivity and well-being improve.

This kind of uninterrupted time matters for the company’s bottom line. If workers are constantly interrupted, they struggle to sustain momentum and depth in their work.

To create dedicated deep-focus time, carve out daily blocks (for example, one or two hours) with no meetings, no chat pings, and no internal distractions. Over time, these protected zones allow you and your employees to move work forward in more meaningful, concentrated ways.

3. Turn off your tech and look at the big picture

Digital distractions are one of the easiest productivity losses to underestimate. As former Google CEO Eric Schmidt put it in a recent interview: “You can’t think deeply as a researcher with this thing buzzing.”

After years in an industry that helped build the notification economy, Schmidt advised a simple strategy: turn off your phone to reclaim focus.

That doesn’t mean cutting off technology entirely; it means choosing when to disconnect. Suppliers, leaders, and teams can periodically turn off devices or silence them in blocks (20, 30, or 60 minutes) to allow deeper thinking or strategic reflection.

When you step away from the pinging noise, you make room to ask questions like: Which tasks actually matter over time? Which levers move the business the most? Doing that kind of reflection often gets crowded out by constant connectivity, but it’s precisely what turns routine execution into direction.

4. Think inside the box

Timeboxing — or deliberate scheduling of when each task gets attention — can significantly reduce interruptions and boost clarity. Rather than letting tasks ramble or interrupt one another, you create a structure in which each block has purpose.

Trivago’s CEO, Johannes Thomas, describes how he reserves early blocks for deep work before any meetings: “I just focus on a problem, think it through, and really go into deep thinking.”

Meanwhile, David Tedaldi, CEO of Morgen, emphasizes planning around interruptions and balancing the importance of tasks: “We help people create the template for their time … design days that align tasks with their energy levels.”

The idea is straightforward: assign each chunk a role. For example, block the first 60–90 minutes for high-cognitive tasks, afternoons for meetings or collaboration, and buffer time for unexpected issues. When each block is intentional, you reduce context switching and make it easier to “enter the zone.”

5. Remember, your internal clock is just as important as your timer

Everyone has windows of peak focus. Chris Bailey, the well-known Canadian author, speaker, and productivity expert, refers to this as your Biological Prime Time: the daily period when your energy, clarity, and productivity are highest. He encourages aligning your most cognitively demanding tasks to that window.

Concurrent with this methodology, in a 2023 study, “Rhythm of Work,” researchers from Cornell University found that many knowledge workers hold clear preferences for when they feel most effective (cyclical preferences), though sometimes their actual schedules often don’t reflect those preferences.

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei proves how keeping in time with his internal clock pays off. He starts his day between 4:30 and 5 a.m. to capture hours of uninterrupted thinking and writing before the demands of the day set in.

The implication for individual contributors and leaders alike: figure out when you perform best, be it morning, midday, or evening, and then prioritize that window for your most important work. Guard it. Protect it. Let other tasks flex around it, rather than the other way around.

6. Take purposeful breaks to recharge

It may sound counterintuitive, but stepping away from your desk can sometimes be better than powering through. Research shows that short, regular breaks improve focus and reduce decision fatigue. Whether it’s a quick walk, stretching, or a five-minute chat with a teammate, breaks give your brain the reset it needs to come back stronger.

The key is to make breaks intentional. Instead of scrolling endlessly on your phone, choose an activity that clears your head and re-energizes you. Teams can build connections together in collective pause moments, even if that’s ending long meetings a few minutes early, to help everyone maintain energy throughout the day. Think of breaks as an investment in sustained productivity, not lost time.

7. Shape your environment for focus

Your surroundings can have a bigger impact on productivity than you think. A cluttered desk or a noisy workspace can make it harder to concentrate, while a well-organized environment helps you stay focused and calm. Even small changes like adjusting lighting, reducing digital notifications, or keeping only what you need on your desk can make a big difference.

For teams, the “environment” isn’t just physical. Your digital workspace matters, too. Organizing conversations in channels like Slack or Microsoft Teams, setting do-not-disturb hours, and limiting unnecessary alerts creates a calmer flow of information. When your environment supports focus instead of fighting it, you’ll find it easier to do deep, meaningful work.

Why adopting productivity tips matters for a balanced schedule

It’s easy to think of productivity tips as just another way to pack more into your day, but the real goal is balance in your schedule. By organizing tasks, setting aside time for focus, and managing your energy, you’re not just crossing items off a list; you’re creating space to do your best work without burning out.

When you and your team build small, intentional habits, work feels less like a scramble and more like a flow. Deadlines become clearer, meetings feel more purposeful, and collaboration happens with less back-and-forth. That balance pays off in the long run: fewer late nights, less stress, and more energy for the projects that really matter.

Slack helps make that balance possible. With one place for communication, integrations with productivity tools, and features that support both quick chats and heads-down focus time, Slack gives teams the flexibility to work smarter together and keep their schedules manageable.

8. Set clear goals and prioritize ruthlessly

Knowing what to do is only useful if you know what to do first. A simple prioritization framework – like sorting tasks by urgency and importance – keeps you working on what actually moves the needle rather than what simply feels urgent. The Eisenhower Matrix is a practical starting point: tasks that are both urgent and important get done now; important but not urgent get scheduled; urgent but not important get delegated; everything else gets dropped. 

Set your top three priorities at the start of each day before checking messages. This creates a commitment to the work that matters most before the noise of the day can redirect your attention. Over time, consistent prioritization builds the kind of momentum that compounds – each well-spent day feeds the next.

Why learning how to be productive matters for a balanced schedule

It’s easy to think of productivity tips as just another way to pack more into your day, but the real goal is balance in your schedule. By organizing tasks, setting aside time for focus, and managing your energy, you’re not just crossing items off a list; you’re creating space to do your best work without burning out.

When you and your team build small, intentional habits, work feels less like a scramble and more like a flow. Productive people rely on systems, not willpower — consistent routines take the decision-making out of getting started. Deadlines become clearer, meetings feel more purposeful, and collaboration happens with less back-and-forth. Building in a short weekly review — even 15 minutes to reflect on what worked and what didn’t — keeps your approach from going stale. Productivity strategies need to adapt as your role and workload evolve. That balance pays off in the long run: fewer late nights, less stress, and more energy for the projects that really matter.

Slack helps make that balance possible. With one place for communication, integrations with productivity tools, and features that support both quick chats and heads-down focus time, Slack gives teams the flexibility to work smarter together and keep their schedules manageable.

A final word on how to be more productive

Stay informed on the best new productivity apps that could help you — and your teammates — learn how to be more productive while regaining some time and happiness along the way.

And remember, choosing the right tools matters just as much as creating healthy habits. Slack is where teams, apps, and data unite. This eliminates the problem of endless tool-switching that drains productivity.

Ready to put these productivity tips into action? Try Slack for free today and give your team the tools to stay focused, connected, and productive.

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