• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii

3

Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
Productivity

7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Be More Productive in 2017

By
Polina Marinova
Polina Marinova
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Polina Marinova
Polina Marinova
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 20, 2016, 12:01 PM ET
137109899
Studio shot of hands note pad full of post it notesPhotograph by Getty Images/Fuse
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Now that 2016 is (finally) coming to an end, we want to make sure you start the new year on the right note. All of those ideas, projects, and new ventures that you’ve been putting off can get done no matter how busy you think you are. It will just take some slight tweaks to your daily schedule.

We mined Fortune for some of the top productivity tips that experts, psychologists, and entrepreneurs shared with us this year. Here are seven actionable tips you can incorporate in your day starting now:

 

Do this imaginary ‘end of year’ exercise

Laura Vanderkam, author of I Know How She Does It, has a mental exercise to help you get more done in less time. First, imagine that it’s the end of 2017, and you have successfully achieved your professional goals. “What three to five things did you do that made it so incredible?” she asks. Do the same thing with your personal life, highlighting key events that you would share with your family and friends. Now you have a list of your personal and professional goals for the new year. Vanderkam says the next step is to break them down into small, manageable steps that you can tackle each week.

Start your day two hours earlier

As great as it feels to hit the snooze button time and time again, this practice may be killing your mornings. Matt Mayberry, a former NFL linebacker and performance strategist, says you should set your alarm for at least two hours before you have to be at work. “You have daily obligations and adequately preparing for them first thing will help set the tone and mood of the day,” he says.

Keep your email replies short and sweet

No one likes to send long, convoluted emails, and no one likes to receive long, convoluted emails either. So do yourself and the person you are emailing a favor by keeping your responses short and to the point. Squarespace founder and CEO Anthony Casalena says they should be no more than two sentences. “If ever a message necessitates a longer response, I’d rather have a conversation in person or on the phone,” he says.

Be strategic when booking meetings

If you’re about to visit a different city for a business meeting, use your time as wisely as possible. Take the opportunity to meet with potential new clients and make more business contacts. Pick a location, and schedule meetings back-to-back to make it worthwhile. “Your time is valuable,” says Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec. “Be strategic about what you need to accomplish and how to maximize your commuting time.”

Organize your thoughts in a single email

Sometimes one clear email can be more effective than a bunch of one-off meetings. Each week, Airbnb’s VP of product Joe Zadeh sends an email to his team outlining the projects he’s focused on at work and what’s inspiring him outside of work. “It not only forces me to prioritize my week, but the act of writing helps organize my thoughts clearly,” he says.

Do this quick trick to shrink your anxiety

When feeling overwhelmed with worry, here’s a tactic that can almost immediately shrink your anxiety. Maggie Johnson, a clinical psychology postdoctoral fellow, says we experience anxiety when our body’s autonomic stress system kicks in to protect us from threat or harm. This reaction doesn’t only kick in during matters of life or death, but also in situations such as an investor meeting. Johnson says “catastrophizing,” is the mind’s natural tendency to perceive a situation as far worse than it really is. First, she tells her clients to imagine the worst-case scenario. Then, she asks them to objectively look at how bad the situation would be if this worst-case scenario happened. Next time you’re stressed, repeatedly ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” until you understand the root of your anxiety. Much of it is misplaced or exaggerated, she says.

Stop reading and start doing

How much time did you spend reading this article? Adam Grant thinks you could’ve used your time to learn a new skill instead. “Work on increasing your typing speed — or invest in voice recognition software. And then stop wasting time reading productivity tips,” says Grant, a professor of Psychology at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

About the Author
By Polina Marinova
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin Attends ASEAN-Russia Summit
Energyputin
Russians live with fuel shortages and rationing as Putin insists the war against Ukraine will go on
By The Associated PressJuly 3, 2026
2 hours ago
bis
InvestingStock
Global stocks stage a rally as American markets take the day off
By Elaine Kurtenbach and The Associated PressJuly 3, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo: Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner
Environmentjared kushner
Police use tear gas and pepper spray against Albanians protesting Trump family plans to develop unspoiled island into a luxury resort
By The Associated PressJuly 3, 2026
2 hours ago
Kevin Warsh, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
EconomyKevin Warsh
Inside the mind of Kevin Warsh: As told by his former boss Condoleezza Rice, his college friend, and his closest partner during the financial crisis
By Eleanor PringleJuly 3, 2026
3 hours ago
Microsoft’s next big bet isn’t on a model but on becoming the Swiss Army knife of enterprise AI
AIMicrosoft
Microsoft’s next big bet isn’t on a model but on becoming the Swiss Army knife of enterprise AI
By Sheryl Estrada and Sebastian HerreraJuly 3, 2026
3 hours ago
Those bots sending discounts to your email is dynamic pricing in action. Get revenge on those bots by abandoning your cart
RetailConsumer Spending
Those bots sending discounts to your email is dynamic pricing in action. Get revenge on those bots by abandoning your cart
By Catherina GioinoJuly 3, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
2 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
Success
Mark Zuckerberg feeds his cows macadamia nuts and beer to create the 'highest-quality beef in the world' on his $300 million estate in Hawaii
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 2, 2026
18 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 2, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 2, 2026
21 hours ago
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
Success
Americans are escaping the U.S. for New Zealand where house prices have hit a new low—but only wealthy Americans with $3 million spare can invest
By Emma BurleighJuly 2, 2026
20 hours ago
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
Success
Today, Emily Blunt is worth $80 million thanks to her Hollywood career—but she actually wanted to be a UN Spanish translator on $80K
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJuly 2, 2026
1 day ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
16 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.