In the world full of achievable goals, pleasures we can indulge ourselves in endless distractions is hard to keep focus and stay productive. Here are 5 mind hacks you need to stay on your path and accomplish what you want.

1. 80/20 Your To-Do List

According to the Pareto principle, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. In terms of productivity, that means that only 20% of what you’re doing is giving you 80% of your results.

Use that to your advantage by removing most of the items on your to-do list. Leave only what’s bringing you closer to your goals and do more of it.

2. Define Your Productivity Killer

Do you check social media every 30 minutes? Do you end up emptying your inbox every few hours? Do you answer personal calls during your most important hours at work?

All these are productivity killers and you must clearly define them in order to do something about each. Kill your productivity killers.

3. Have a Morning Routine

All productive people have a morning ritual that sets them up for a great day each morning. Beginning the day in the exact same way (with a set of healthy and successful habits) is a fantastic chance for your brain to wake up and get into action mode.

Not just that, but you can be positive, focused and energetic till the evening solely thanks to a routine like that. Keep activities like checking your Instagram or texting with people for the time when your energy span is low, don’t waste your precious morning energy for such activities.

4. Do One Thing at a Time

Do you multitask in order to get more done in less time? That’s a big mistake.

As researchers have found, switching between tasks requires a lot of mental energy to get back to what you were doing, which leads to losing focus and wasting time.

The solution? Work on one thing at a time, give it your full attention and only move to the next task when it’s done.

5. Make Technology Work for You

Not a fan of apps? Maybe you haven’t found the right ones for you, because each can save you hours of planning each week and a ton of trouble.

You can have a to-do list on your phone where you keep track of your tasks for the day and cross items off. You can utilize Google Calendar and use its many functions (here are some you might not know about).

A project management tool can help you organize your ideas and thus generate new ones, as well as work on projects and never miss an important detail.

6. Procrastinate with Purpose

Procrastination is almost inevitable, right? Well, instead of fighting it and stressing over it, why not use it to be productive?

That can happen by working on the second most important item on your list when you feel like putting off working on the first one. Soon, this can become a habit and you’ll end up completing your to-do list even when you’re actually procrastinating.

These 9 mind hacks can help you leave stress behind and instead double your productivity. Start using one today.