Businesses are always trying to be as productive as possible, but the truth of the matter is that productivity is not a constant state of getting things done. It is perfectly natural to have ups and downs throughout the week that ultimately contribute to any progress made on tasks. The question then becomes one of how can you make progress toward goals for the workday. Here are four tips that might help you get more done throughout your day-to-day duties.

Set Goals for the Day

Everyone has to start somewhere, so for those who are just starting to take their productivity to the next level, starting with a day-by-day approach might not be a bad idea. Take some time at the beginning of your day to review what must be accomplished by day’s end. You can then move forward with intention.

Outline Your Priorities

Once you know what needs to be done during your day, you then need to decide how you plan to prioritize these tasks. Are there any with deadlines? If so, these should be at the top of the list. Otherwise, we recommend starting with something small to start the day off with a win, then segue into some of your more challenging tasks. You don’t want to burn yourself out early on, rendering you unproductive for the rest of the workday.

Set Boundaries

Productivity happens when you can focus long enough on one task to make meaningful progress on it. If you constantly jump back and forth between tasks, you might wind up with a list of half-finished tasks that all need your attention at a later time. Completing tasks one by one means that you can focus on each of them to the best of your ability, thus giving them your undivided attention and best effort.

Plan the Next Day Out

If you take some time at the end of each day to outline tasks that you need to accomplish during the next, you can start the workday the right way; with direction. Plus, taking some time at the end of the day gives you a moment to review and reevaluate your progress.

Ultimately, it’s important to remember that, again, productivity is a state of getting things done, also known as making progress toward a goal. It is not necessarily being as productive as possible—nobody can sustain that level of productivity forever without feeling like they are getting burnt out. Instead, try measuring productivity in terms of a “net gain,” or how to make sustainable progress toward an end goal.

What tips do you have for how you can be more productive throughout the workday? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe for more great tips, tricks, and strategies to optimize productivity.