Devices are a huge part of our lives now, and apps only seem to be becoming  a more and more normal way to do basically anything.

From writing to-do lists and managing projects, to tracking habits and menstrual cycles, and blocking distractions on your phone for a certain period of time.

It’s easy to start relying on apps if you want to get more done, but that only makes you more dependent on devices. Your life might be more organized but you also have more notifications coming in and apps telling you what to do.

If you want to spend some time away from your phone because you’re aware of the bad effects it has on your mental health, then you might consider offline productivity.

That simply means going back to the old ways of getting things done and relying on offline tools only (or no tools at all) to organize your life, work smarter, and manage your time better.

Here are some great ways to do that:

1. Morning Routine

My most favorite thing and which I highly recommend to anyone who wants to double their productivity and win the day is having a morning routine.

That doesn’t need to take a whole hour, include 10 different activities or feel like a responsibility.

Start small. Even waking up earlier and adding one habit to your routine (such as drinking warm water with lemon, stretching or making your bed) can make a difference.

Routines are most powerful because of the repetition. The goal is to do it daily no matter what. Add more habits and optimize it over time, but start small, start now and stick to it.

2. Use a planner

Having a planner and using it daily can be an amazing experience, while it also helps you actually continue working on your goals and track progress.

Have a dedicated time of the day as well as a weekly and monthly session to write in your planner. It could be your morning routine.

How you approach your daily and weekly tasks matters too, it’s not just about writing them down. Prioritizing can help you a lot. And in order not to get overwhelmed, mark the top 3 tasks you’d like to get done each day.

After you’re done planning, get to them right away. This way you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished a lot during the first part of the day. That momentum helps you continue and complete the other tasks planned for that day.

3. Label everything

Another great tool you can use to get organized, declutter and optimize your life is to label anything you use. 

Use a label maker to label boxes, food, items in your closet, and anything in your home office.

A portable one from Munbyn.com allows you to design any label you can think of and print in bulk.

4. Practice mindfulness

Being away from devices still doesn’t mean you’re in the present moment and focused on your current activity. But there are plenty of practices to help you do that.

One is meditation but that’s not for everyone. I prefer breathwork but writing things down (and, in particular, doing a practice like morning pages) can have a tremendous effect on you.

Find what works best for you and make it part of your day. That ensures you will be more productive for the next few hours because you’ll be present and won’t allow distractions to get in the way.

5. Make the most of your prime time

Your prime time is your peak energy time of the day. It could be in any moment of the day and it’s not that hard to figure out when that is.

Once you do, make sure you dedicate those special few hours of the day to your most important work.

You’re guaranteed to get a lot more done in much less time. 

These 5 ways to practice offline productivity will allow you to be more present and satisfied too and you will be in control of your time and day.