19 Ways to Improve Your Diligence and Succeed at Work, School, or in Life

Co-authored by Annie Lin, MBA and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: March 31, 2023 References Approved

You’ve got a big project coming up and it’s important to do well. You know you’ve got to be diligent, but how? What does that mean, exactly? Diligence is careful and persistent work towards a goal or accomplishment. Being diligent might come naturally to some, but anyone can learn to be diligent with the proper motivation and some consistent, productive habits. Whether you want to be more diligent at school, at work, or in your personal life, we’ll walk you through the most important and effective things you can do to work more efficiently and get stuff done. If you’re ready to make big moves, keep scrolling!

Things You Should Know

Stay organized, be proactive, and use your time efficiently to work toward your goals. Try not to overextend yourself or succumb to burnout.
Ask for support if you need it—go to friends, classmates, or colleagues for help with prioritizing, developing your self-awareness, and accountability.
Be kind to yourself if your goals change. Sometimes life gets in the way and you have to backtrack. That's okay, and it doesn't mean you can't succeed.

1

Decide on a goal to work diligently toward.

Choose a specific, attainable goal that’s relevant to your work or life. Brainstorm something clear with a deadline like “Finish this report by Friday at 5pm” or “Save $1,000 for vacation by the end of the year.” Make it measurable—you’re more likely to save $1,000 than to just put away “as much as you can.”^{[1]
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- Choose something that’ll be helpful or rewarding in your work, academic, or personal life. You’ll stay motivated and enjoy the benefits more!
- Remember that diligence requires consistent and thorough effort. It may not feel fun at the moment, but the end result makes it worth it.

2

Use a planner or calendar.

Organize your day and deadlines with physical or digital planners.^{[2]
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Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.} Choose a weekly or monthly planner for long-term goals or a daily planner to help you manage short-term or last minute tasks. Fill in important dates and deadlines as soon as you know about them (things like exams, special occasions, work deadlines, or even intentional down time).^{[3]
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- Use your planner consistently. It takes nearly 2 months to build a secure habit, so remind yourself to use it daily.
- Consider color coding your tasks and events with highlighters or sticky notes to keep track of different projects, classes, or commitments.

3

Make to-do lists.

Write a to-do list at night to plan out the following day. Keep your list simple and include only the 3 most important things you must do. Ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I need to get done today?” and make it your #1 priority (and maybe even the only thing on your list).^{[4]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
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- Tackle the biggest, most important item on your list first thing in the morning (after you’re fully refreshed and ready to work, of course).
- If you can’t contain your list to 3 items, make another list of everything you need to do that week, then put it away (this is a brain dump, not a new to-do list).
- Break large tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of “work on paper today,” try “create paper outline today” and “finish first draft tomorrow.”

4

Get a head start on projects.

Look at deadlines and start working before you’re in “panic mode.” Resist the urge to procrastinate—at minimum, check out your calendar and plan out when to work on specific aspects of your assignment instead of waiting until the week, day, or night before it’s due.^{[5]
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- Aim to finish early. That way, you have some buffer time to edit or make adjustments (or finish your work if an unexpected conflict got in the way).
- Talk to professors, supervisors, or colleagues in advance to get an idea of what you need to do if you’re unclear on the details or instructions.
- Try to do early, short work sessions instead of cramming an entire project into one day or week.

5

Remove distractions during work time.

Make yourself unavailable to unimportant notifications or interruptions. Schedule your social media or coffee breaks for after you’ve accomplished something meaningful, and try not to open tabs or apps you don’t actively need for work. Focus on single-tasking rather than multitasking to stay focused and work through your to-do list more efficiently.^{[6]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- Limit your time on the internet, your phone, or in front of the TV to concentrate on your goals.^{[7]
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  Annie Lin, MBA
  Life & Career Coach
  Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.}
- Remove clutter from your workspace and turn off your phone notifications. Try to only check your emails and messages twice a day to avoid getting derailed.^{[8]
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  Harvard Business Review
  Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
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- Complete your 1- to 2-minute “mini-tasks” first thing in the morning to get rid of mental clutter and distractions.

6

Prioritize your tasks.

Push back small tasks and focus on what will move you forward.^{[9]
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Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.} Assign letters to each item on your to-do list—A for the most important, B for the second, and so on. To sort through many items, make a matrix with 4 squares—one for “must dos,” and others for “decide or schedule,” “delegate,” and “delete” (you can always un-delete a task later if needed).^{[10]
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- Consider upcoming deadlines or whether not doing something will have a major impact on your goals or on others.
- If you need help prioritizing, ask a professor, your boss, or a friend to help you decide what’s most important or helpful to get done.
- For example, wait to text back a friend you see all the time while you’re wrapping up a presentation.

7

Use your time efficiently.

Schedule your day by the specific things you need to get done. Estimate how long each task will take and block off uninterrupted time in your day to knock each one out. If there’s something you’re dreading, try doing it in the morning when you’re fresh and less distracted by the chaos of the day.^{[11]
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- Set mini-deadlines for yourself to stay on track. You can always adjust your timeline if something is taking longer than expected or a conflict pops up.
- See if you can cancel unnecessary meetings. If you have to go, stick to the agenda to run things efficiently.

8

Find an accountability partner or group.

Select someone trustworthy to motivate you and keep you on track. Look for friends or family who will encourage you to keep making steps toward your goals, even if your plan isn’t 100% perfect. Check in with them now and then and report on your progress—this will ward off procrastination and help you see what’s realistically doable.^{[12]
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- Look for people who have similar goals. If you’re trying to lose weight, a fitness group could be a great place for you to connect with someone.

9

Surround yourself with hardworking people.

Network and collaborate with those who inspire and motivate you. Work with people who work hard—their passion and commitment will push you to work better each day. Look for people with positive attitudes, too. You’ll get more done and feel better about it if you’re happy and enjoying yourself!^{[13]
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- Chat with people who like to ask questions to help you see a problem from multiple angles.
- Stay close to people who have big dreams for themselves. Those dreams don’t have to be similar to yours—it’s the drive and the attitude that count.

10

Get into a great daily routine.

Create a doable routine geared toward advancing your overall goals. First, decide what needs to go in your routine—do you need more exercise? More sleep? More practice at a certain skill? Then, decide on a few small things you can do each day to accomplish these things. Try out your routine for a week, then evaluate your success.^{[14]
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- Be consistent with your time. For example, if you need to practice more scales on the flute, try doing it around the same time each day.
- Use a calendar or checklist to track your progress. You’ll feel great when you see you jogged every day if more exercise was your goal.
- Reward yourself with something fun once you’ve successfully performed your new routine on a consistent basis.

11

Stay focused on your goal.

Stick to your plan and keep your eyes on the prize to stay motivated.^{[15]
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Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.} Keep your enthusiasm up by reminding yourself how happy you’ll feel or how much better your life will be once you hit your goals. Remember that everything worth achieving requires time, discipline, study, or sacrifice—the journey isn’t always fun, but the destination will be!^{[16]
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Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
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- Use affirmations or mantras to keep your willpower from slipping. Try:^{[17]
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  - “Success comes to those who want to succeed, and I want to succeed.”
  - “My career is in my hands.”
  - “Relax and rejuvenate. A healthy body and mind will always reap superior results.”

12

Reward yourself to stay motivated.

Treat yourself after successes, no matter how frequent or small. Choose a reward that won’t detract from your goal or accomplishment (for example, don’t get pizza and a milkshake to celebrate losing 3 pounds (1.4 kg)). The bigger your milestone, the bigger your reward can be.^{[18]
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- Try something that will relax you or make you feel accomplished, like:
  - Sleeping in
  - Ordering out from or going to your favorite restaurant
  - Taking a day off work
  - Splurging on something nice for yourself (within reason)
  - Spending time with friends and family
- Rewarding yourself will boost your self-confidence and make you feel more proud and excited about your accomplishments and efforts.

13

Encourage yourself to be flexible.

Adapt to changes in your schedule or workflow to keep moving forward. Stop and consider how you can change your approach to get things done when conflicts arise. Reschedule meetings or work time, or try a new work strategy or technology tool to help you move forward without your original plan.^{[19]
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- Sometimes, stuff happens—reevaluate your goals and determine if your plan still works. Be kind to yourself if life gets in the way (it isn’t your fault).
- If something unpredictable like an injury prevents you from meeting a deadline, communicate with your professor or colleagues ASAP.
- For example, if you have to do a mass mailing and normally print envelopes individually, try learning a new program that automates the process.

14

Let go of productivity guilt.

Resist the urge to take on too much work and overextend yourself. Schedule some down time as part of your to-do list to balance out your workload—being diligent doesn’t mean you have to be constantly working. Consider whether additional commitments will let you use your strengths, further your professional, personal, or academic growth, or affect your current obligations.^{[20]
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Edutopia
Educational nonprofit organization focused on encouraging and celebrating classroom innovation
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- Set firm boundaries with your schedule. Try to work more efficiently during work time so you can let loose during your free time.
- Seek help from friends or colleagues if you’re overwhelmed. Muscling through at the cost of your wellbeing detracts from your diligence in the long run.

15

Develop self-awareness.

Be self-critical of your work style, strengths, and weaknesses. Meditate on questions like “What am I doing that’s working?” or “What can I do differently?” Be honest in your self-assessment—these questions can apply to your personal life, school, work, and more.^{[21]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- Ask trusted friends about how you come off in social settings, and seek regular feedback at work to learn how others perceive you.
- Use self-awareness to deal with burnout. If you’re feeling exhausted, detached, cynical, or ineffective, chances are you can’t work diligently.^{[22]
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- Raise your self-awareness to help you work and lead with strong character, authenticity, purpose, and trust.

16

Realize the value of hard work.

Be grateful for and appreciate the benefits of applying yourself. Remember that hard work does not mean working all the time. Rather, it means dedicating yourself and putting your whole self into a task while you’re working. Besides the obvious rewards, hard work has many benefits, including:
- Challenging you to grow and develop as a person
- Benefiting others in your community
- Being a role model for your peers or children
- Keeping yourself occupied with meaningful work

17

Actively participate in your faith (if you’re religious).

Follow your religion's teachings to be spiritually and personally diligent. Make heartfelt choices according to your faith to spread kindness and build community, like volunteering at local shelters or organizing a donation drive. Strive to make selfless choices free from negative thoughts or lies.^{[23]
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- Being diligent in your faith can guide you through difficult choices or decisions in other areas of your life, like work, school, or relationships.
- In many religions, diligence means going all in on the teachings of your gods, holy books, or spiritual leaders. Otherwise, you risk falling into sin or failure.

18

Accept that goals change sometimes.

Be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned. Refocus your attention on your methods or desires—maybe there are other ways to get what you want, or you don’t need what you thought you needed before. Give yourself time to regroup, assess your circumstances, and define your new goals or strategies to fit your current life.^{[24]
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- Take a step backward if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew or run into a dead end. Sometimes, the way forward requires a short detour.
- Create a new to-do list and get to work. Instead of dwelling on what could have been, be diligent and optimistic about the new opportunities you have now.

19

Know when to stop.

Walk away from a goal if it’s risky or goes against your values. Weigh the pros and cons of going forward with your original plan, logistically and emotionally. Take your time because it isn’t an easy decision to leave your old desires behind. Consider leaving your original goal if:^{[25]
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Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- Your goals have changed—maybe you’re not interested anymore, or your life circumstances have changed and your old goal isn’t the wise choice.
- The reward isn’t worth the effort, time, and resources.
- You’ve dug yourself into a hole financially, spiritually, or emotionally and can’t get out.
- The risks to your health, social or romantic life, or finances outweigh the potential benefits of accomplishing your goal.
- Your original goal was unattainable.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How can I focus on what I need to get done?

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com

Annie Lin, MBA

Life & Career Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Try writing the tasks you need to do each day in a planner so you can see everything you need to complete.
Question

How can I be diligent about my goals?

Annie Lin, MBA
Life & Career Coach
Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com

Annie Lin, MBA

Life & Career Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Focus on what makes you satisfied and work towards a bigger vision or goal that you have.
Question

How can I be diligent at homeschooling?

Paul Chernyak, LPC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Paul Chernyak is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Chicago. He graduated from the American School of Professional Psychology in 2011.

Paul Chernyak, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Develop your motivation, accountability and a clear schedule that you can refer to. Make sure to also create a space for work and a separate space for play. Be sure to eliminate distractions while working and avoid working while having fun.