What’s a lifehack? It’s the term used to describe a strategy or method to increase one’s efficiency. Something each of us can benefit from as mortgage professionals. Is your schedule hectic? Is your anxiety building up? Then try these 10 tips.

Lifehack is one of my favorite go-to sites for inspiration, motivation, and productivity strategies. Something I find valuable when the paralysis of being overwhelmed sets in. A post from Carles Sabarich piqued my interest as it spells out just how to get more ‘stuff’ done each and every day. 

1. Set your priorities. Figure out what’s most important. One strategy I use is the ABC method prioritizing tasks in the order of their importance, A- most important, B- should do, and C- would be nice to complete.

2. Take charge. Take control by time-blocking tasks that require more than 5 minutes to complete. If it takes less than a few minutes don’t write it down, just do it!

3. Ditch procrastination. One way to overcome procrastination is to ‘eat the frog first‘ or tackle the most unpleasant tasks right away.

4. Avoid distractions. Close your door (if possible), put on some headphones, and mute your phone and social media. You can come back to those later. 

5. Make lists. Writing stuff down makes it real. Prioritize, review and mark as complete. 

6. Find a system. Research time management techniques and find one that fits you. 

7. Make goals. Don’t get bogged down in the smaller tasks. Write down your goals for the month, quarter, year, and even a five-year plan if you’re feeling ambitious.

8. Say no. Saying no is not rude. To be successful you must respect yourself enough to set boundaries. Believe it or not, others will actually appreciate it in the long run. 

9. Delegate. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should do it. Free yourself and give others the opportunity to grow by delegating tasks. 

10. No time like now. If a task takes less than 5 minutes do it immediately instead of adding it to a list. If an email can be responded to in less than two minutes, fire of your reply. Action creates momentum.