The subject of this article really captured my attention. Like most “lists” and tips for anything, the information isn’t particularly new.

But reading this data again and actually trying to formulate ways to implement the suggestions into my daily routine did provide yet another opportunity for me to review my work habits to see how I might improve my productivity – and relieve stress.

The article says we need to forget about our job titles or profession – that everyone is looking for ways to be more productive at work. It advises that it’s time to set down our gallon-sized container of coffee, toss out our three-page to-do list, and put an end to those ridiculously long emails we’ve been sending.

We are reminded that experiencing a highly productive workday can feel euphoric. But contrary to popular belief, simply checking tasks off our to-do list isn’t necessarily an indication of productivity.

Truly productive people aren’t focused on doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If we really want to be productive, we’re told we have to make a point to do fewer things.

The article goes on to advise what one project management and productivity expert does during his work week. Here’s the list:

1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished during our workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the sanctioned eight hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist. Take a less-is-more approach to our to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing things that matter.

2. Take breaks. Know that ache that fills our brains when we’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to our brain using up glucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break.

Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give our brains some resting time. Achieve more productivity during our workday by making a point to regularly clear our heads. We’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.

3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Do we know that only 20 percent of what we do each day produces 80 percent of our results? Eliminate the things that don’t matter during our workday: they have a minimal effect on our overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove tasks until we end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.

4. Start our day by focusing on ourselves. If we begin our mornings by checking our email, it allows others to dictate what we accomplish. Set ourselves in the right direction by ignoring our emails and taking the morning to focus on ourselves, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.

5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out our most challenging work when our brains are most fresh. Save our busy work – if we have any – for when our afternoon slump rolls in.

6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people on emails to get it off their plate – don't be a victim of this action.

This distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish and is a sign of laziness. If we receive an email where many people are CC'd, do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If our email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase our productivity by scheduling a call.

7. Create a system. If we know certain things are ruining our daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do we check our emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing our email. Otherwise, we’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.

8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1 contributor to lost productivity. In fact, a number of time-saving methods – take meetings and emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work. Place our focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The final note is a caution to remember that less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday.

We probably all implement-or try to implement-many of these suggestions throughout our day. The key may be to consistently follow this recommended routine and not get sidetracked.

So right after I post this article I’m going to follow the list and see what I how much more I can accomplish!