How Exceptionally Productive People End The Workday

III) Do someone a favor. Doing something for someone else is scientifically proven to make you happier. Try out Adam's Rifkin's 5-minute favor habit.

1. Tidy your desk, save everything you're working on, and close out of all your tabs and windows.
2. Review your completed tasks at the end of each day.
3. Plan tomorrow's to-do list.
4. Leave open just the one tab you need to finish your Most Important Task in the morning.
5. Leave a quick-win to do first thing tomorrow.
6. Break down the tasks you've been avoiding into smaller, more manageable ones.
7. Keep a firm time for ending your workday by making plans to exercise or meet up with a friends.
8. Forgive yourself for not finishing everything.
9. Thank a co-worker.
10. Do a small favor for someone else.

If you end the workday at a certain time, you will work more efficiently throughout the day.

Research consistently shows that the more hours we work, the less productive we become. Need proof? The graph below put together by The Economist shows the stark negative correlation between hours worked and productivity per hour in OECD countries between 1990 and 2012.

So where are all those extra hours going? Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fit the amount of time allotted to it. For example, if you have 2 days to finish a task, it will take 2 days to finish. If you only give yourself 2 hours to finish the same task, it will take 2 hours.