How to Be More Productive and Reach Your Goals

I’ve always wanted to be one of those really productive people…

You know the type. Their calendar is perfectly organised, they seem to remember every appointment, their inbox is under control, they meal prep, exercise regularly, and somehow still have time to read books and answer text messages (within 2 hours of receiving them).

Meanwhile, I felt like I constantly had fifty tabs open in my brain and was replying to my text messages 2 weeks after receiving them…

What I’ve realised over the years is that productivity isn’t really about getting more things done. It’s about getting the right things done. Priorities matter in this and anyone can get good at it.

I have been wanting to write this post for a while, because I have improved in my productivity and reaching more goals than ever and I want to share with you what has helped me!

***This post might contain affiliate links, but it won’t cost you anything extra. I only recommend products that I know and love.***

The Surprising Thing That Changed My Life More Than Productivity

The funny thing is that most of the big things that have happened in my life didn’t come from working harder. They came from getting clearer.

Moving to Germany is a great example. Years ago, if you had told me I’d be living here, I wouldn’t have believed you. It wasn’t part of some detailed five-year plan. But once it became something we decided on and genuinely wanted, we started making decisions that moved us in that direction. Little by little, one decision led to another and eventually here we are.

I’ve found that most goals work like that.

People often think they need a better planner, a more detailed routine, or some secret productivity hack. In reality, what most people need is clarity.

When you know what you’re trying to build, it becomes much easier to know what deserves your time and what doesn’t.

Why Trying to Improve Everything at Once Doesn’t Work

One of the biggest mistakes I used to make was trying to improve every area of my life at the same time.

Every January I’d sit down with a fresh notebook and create a giant list of goals. I wanted to grow my blog, increase my income, get healthier, read more books, wake up earlier, strengthen my faith, travel more, learn new skills, and probably a dozen other things too.

The list always felt exciting.

The results weren’t nearly as exciting…

What usually happened was that I’d make a little bit of progress in lots of different areas, but not enough progress in any one area to create real momentum. It took me years to realise that almost every major breakthrough I’ve experienced came from focusing on ONE THING for longer than most people are willing to.

The Goal Setting Lesson That Changed Everything

When I focused on blogging, my blog grew.

When I focused on Pinterest, my traffic increased.

When I focused on creating digital products, my income increased.

When I focused on moving overseas, I eventually moved overseas.

The pattern is actually pretty simple.

Focus creates momentum.

The challenge is that focus feels boring. We want to work on everything because everything feels important. But every time we say yes to one thing, we’re saying no to something else. That’s why I now spend far more time asking myself what matters most in this season than trying to squeeze more things into my schedule.

What Blogging Taught Me About Success

Another thing blogging taught me is that success compounds.

When I published my first blog posts, almost nobody read them. It would take me hours to write an article and then I’d get a handful of visitors. The same thing happened with Pinterest. I created pins that barely got any clicks. It would have been very easy to assume it wasn’t working.

But blog posts compound.

Pinterest traffic compounds.

Email lists compound.

Trust compounds.

The things that seem small today often become significant later.

I think that’s why so many people quit too early. They expect dramatic results immediately, but most meaningful goals don’t work like that. They’re built through small actions repeated consistently over time. Then one day you look back and realise that those ordinary little actions completely changed your life.

What God Has Been Teaching Me About Goals

One thing God has been teaching me over the last few years is how to hold my goals with open hands.

I still dream. I still make plans. I still write down goals and create vision boards. But I’ve learned that God’s plans are often better than mine.

The Bible says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” I’ve seen that happen in my own life again and again. Some of the best opportunities I’ve experienced were things I never could have orchestrated myself. Looking back, I can see God’s faithfulness all over my journey, even in seasons where I felt uncertain about what was next.

That’s why goal setting has become less about controlling my future and more about partnering with God. I want to be intentional, but I also want to stay open to where He is leading me.

God Rested Before Anyone Was Tired

Something else that has changed the way I think about productivity is understanding God’s view of rest.

We often treat rest like something we earn after we’ve worked hard enough. But when you read Genesis, you discover something interesting. God rested before anyone was tired. Rest existed before sin entered the world. It wasn’t created as a recovery strategy. It was part of God’s original design for humanity.

That changes everything.

Rest isn’t laziness.

It’s wisdom. It’s a Gift.

Some of my best ideas have arrived when I wasn’t trying to force them. They’ve come while walking, travelling, journaling, sitting with a coffee, or spending quiet time with God. Sometimes stepping away from work is actually the most productive thing you can do.

What Productivity Looks Like for Me Now

These days my approach to productivity is much simpler than it used to be.

I focus on a few meaningful goals. I try to spend my time on things that actually create results. I make room for rest. I spend time with God. And I remind myself regularly that freedom isn’t built in a day. It’s built through small decisions made consistently over time.

At the end of the day, I don’t really care about becoming the most productive person in the world.

What I care about is building a life I genuinely enjoy.

A life with time for God. Time for family. Time to travel. Time to sit in a beautiful café in Germany with a coffee and a notebook. Time to help people. Time to create. Time to enjoy the blessings God has given me.

For me, that’s the real purpose of productivity.

Not being busy.

Not hustling harder.

Freedom.

Now I genuinely get so much more done than I ever used too. I reply to texts (most of the time) within 2 hours! I get my priorities done first and I do them well, and then everything else falls into place.

How to Figure Out What Your Priorities Actually Are

Priorities are *sooo* important. There are some things that are more important for you in this season than for your best friend. So it’s essential that you figure out what they are for YOU.

Before I learnt to focus on my priorities I thought every area of my life was a priority. The way I discovered what my priorities were for the season I was in, was to ask myself a simple question:

“If I made significant progress in only three areas this year, which three would have the biggest impact on my life?”

For me, the answer has been different in different seasons. Some seasons I knew god was telling me to rest, and not work on any side hustle, but instead to immerse myself in Community and in the Word. Other seasons I have felt a grace to hustle and work hard.

Your priorities will change in different seasons too. Therefore, it’s important to pause every now and then and ask God if our season is shifting, or if we continue with the priorities we have now.

Take a few minutes and write down the major areas of your life. Then identify the top three that need your attention most right now. Those are the areas that deserve the majority of your time and energy.