No doubt modern people are increasingly focusing on meaningful self-improvement, especially when it comes to the workplace, and with good reason. With jobs becoming more of a commodity, it’s natural for people to focus on ways to make sure they’re as valuable as possible to their employers.

With that said, the first order of business is to examine ways to be more productive as workers. Productive employees are valuable employees, and cultivating a greater degree of productivity in one’s work life involves learning to combine focused efforts for improvement with precise planning. Let’s take a closer look at how you can do just that.

Know when to ask for help.

Too many modern professionals feel that asking for help is a sign of weakness. As a result, they end up trying to do anything for themselves. One of the first orders of business when it comes to meaningful personal improvement at work is learning once and for all that it’s not only okay, but necessary to ask for help sometimes. Surround yourself with employees and colleagues you know you can trust when you need help with your projects. Also, understand that people don’t usually volunteer to help, so it’s important that you also learn how to ask for help.

Start making to-do lists.

To-do lists have been a staple of productive people for many years, and it’s not hard to see why. They help us organize our time and keep us focused. They’re easy to follow and even simpler to make… so why don’t we use them more? Get comfortable with the idea of ​​using to-do lists to maximize your own work time. If you don’t already have a system in place, you might want to consider one of today’s best free tools: the amazing suite of apps that Google has to offer. You’ll have a to-do list, calendar, email, and more all in one place!

Eliminate distraction.

It has become the best of us. We will sit down to work, excited about being productive, just to distract ourselves. Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Pinterest, and even our own email inboxes can easily become time-wasters that affect the integrity of your results over time. “Just five minutes” can easily become the middle of your afternoon! If possible, consider turning the internet off completely while you work, especially when you have tight deadlines to consider.

Learn to take a break.

Being productive and achieving significant personal improvement at work is not about working your ass off. It’s about understanding the importance of being a balanced worker and that means taking regular breaks. Getting up every once in a while to stretch your legs and get some fresh air is more than a great way to relieve pressure. It’s a great way to help preserve your health too. If necessary, you can even try writing regular breaks on your calendar instead of waiting until you feel like taking them. Not only will your productivity levels thank you, but your overall health as well!