Too often, many of us go through life racing from one day to the next. We go to meetings, respond to emails, and attend to whatever it is that the world needs from us at that moment. While all those things are great, they often don’t lead us to a place of growth and advancement. Sure, they keep us busy, but if there’s anything we’ve learned this year, it’s that busy doesn’t always equal productivity.

Fortunately, there are some simple tricks you can implement into your hectic schedule to go from busy to productive. Below are five ways to feel accomplished at the end of each day.

Have a plan

Before you start your day. Brainstorm a list of things you’d like to accomplish before the day ends. These items should be bigger and more meaningful tasks, that, if completed, will move the needle and create momentum in your workflow. Keep this list short but meaningful, not exceeding five items at a time.

Time block

If you only take away one thing from this list, let it be time blocking. If you’ve never done it before, it’s designating time in your schedule to completing specific tasks. Like scheduling a meeting, this time would remain unavailable in your calendar, so you’ll have some uninterrupted time to get the task done.  

Overcome resistance

Every time you feel you’re losing interest in the task in front of you, regather your energy and get to work. Overcoming resistance is as simple as doing whatever you can to ensure you stay on track and focused on the task at hand. The next tip is essential to overcoming resistance and feeling accomplished at the end of each day.

Avoid distractions

Nowadays, distractions come in many forms, shapes, and sizes. Whether it’s your homeschooling kid, buzzing phone, or messy desk, avoiding distractions is key to productivity. There are many ways to avoid distractions. Silence notifications, organize your workspace, and noise-canceling headphones are just some of the ways I avoid distractions throughout the day.  

Celebrate your wins

If you want to feel accomplished at the end of each day, it’s important to acknowledge all the tasks you completed. Take a few minutes at the end of each day to celebrate yourself and what you got done. Those tasks may seem small now, but over time, they snowball into big and meaningful accomplishments.