Here are three things I’ve implemented to great success this year.
1) I was sick of getting tons of newsletters that I didn’t read but still took up a second of my time to archive, delete, or pass over. My 2016 new years resolution of sorts was to UNSUBSCRIBE to these.
Bonus: https://unroll.me/
2) This next one ties in to #1 and goes well with work, house chores, etc. If it takes less than a minute to do, do it right away instead of putting it off. Something like putting a spare plate that was next to the sink into the dishwasher instead of walking by it or picking up a jacket not hanging up. This does not necessarily save time as much as it improves (at least my) your perception of getting things done and a reduced stress level. Think about having 10 x 30 second tasks you did throughout the day that are now done VS having those ten things suddenly in your face NOT done at the end of the day.
Bonus: http://jamesclear.com/how-to-stop-procrastinating
3) I turned off my social media and email notifications on my computer and phone so I’m not constantly being distracted by them. I try to check messages and notifications in bulk 2-3 times daily and this is far quicker than doing them as they come in. Even if you don’t do them as they come in the notifications are still distracting.
TLDR: Unsubscribe from newsletters you don’t read, turn of message notifications, & if a task takes less than 60 seconds to do, do it asap.