How To Use Your Zodiac Sign To Be More Productive

Maintaining the high levels of productivity the modern world demands can be a challenge, to say the least. After all, there are only so many hours in a day to work, do chores, cultivate your hobbies, and take care of yourself. Attempting to whittle down a to-do list that never ends — not to mention trying to ignore the magnetic allure of your phone — can lead to an increasing amount of burnout, shame, stress, and anxiety (via Psychology Today). Without the right tools, you may find it impossible to maintain the productivity levels required to meet your personal and professional goals.

For some, astrology holds the key to better productivity. By understanding your astrological sign's strengths and weaknesses, astrologists believe that you may be able to take advantage of the "work smarter, not harder" mentality and reap outstanding benefits. "You can use your sign's specific advantages to optimize your workflow, focus on building the right relationships, and take the right projects that suit you," astrologist and spiritual healer Siobhan Johnson tells Reader's Digest.

This knowledge is also useful for weeding out productivity tips that, though they work for others, might not work for you. Whether you want to increase your productivity to finish a passion project, better your mental health, or simply make more money, harnessing the power of your astrological sign may be able to help you achieve meaningful and high-quality productivity in your life.

Once a Taurus settles into a particular way of doing things, it is difficult for them to change course. Everything they do, they do to the max in their quiet, subdued ways. They are creatures of comfort and stability who want nothing more than to live their lives exactly how they want, regardless of the judgments or opinions of others. This means that if a Taurus decides they exclusively prefer relaxing pursuits over tedious obligations at work or school, they may struggle to find the energy to be productive where it counts or complete necessary projects. Being more productive may be challenging, but it's possible.

Instead of procrastination or outright ignoring the tasks you don't want to do, simply writing them down in a neat to-do list can work wonders for your productivity levels. Start your day with a short list of the items you have to accomplish that day, focusing on manageable goals. This method can help you schedule out your day and foster better time management, and crossing out tasks as you complete them can serve as a visual motivator to finish the rest of your to-dos. Downloading a productivity app to tackle your to-do list may also be helpful. Don't forget to reward yourself with a treat, like your favorite chocolate or a decadent glass of wine, once your to-do list for the day is complete. After all, you earned it! 

Sensitive Cancer strongly believes in taking care of others before themselves. Being naturally giving and supportive of the people they care about is a fact woven into their astrological DNA. However, spending their valuable time worrying over others takes away from time spent on their own projects, sometimes to the detriment of their productivity. Cancers also feel the stress of being unproductive more acutely than other signs as a result of their kind-hearts and intimate connection to the Moon. It is important for you, sweet Cancer, to remember that you can't pour from an empty cup.

If you want to maintain productivity levels at work or home while limiting stress or burnout, you must focus on taking a little time for yourself. Self-care can mean taking a trendy yoga class or indulging in a day at the spa, but it can be simpler than that. Carving out time in your day to workout, read a book, or enjoy a quiet cup of coffee on your porch can be enough to create a healthy, well-balanced, and even productive life. "... Doing this kind of work thoughtfully, in a very planned way, it is absolutely a vital part of us on an individual level being more effective in the world around us," psychologist Matthew Sacco tells Cleveland Clinic. "... It's the oxygen mask on the airplane analogy. They tell you that when you get on, you've got to put it on yourself first, before you help others." 

No astrological sign is as industrious, detail-oriented, or focused on accomplishing their goals quite like a Virgo. Like their Leo counterparts, Virgos are excellent workers and dedicated employees who don't struggle with focus or staying on task. "They're good at excelling quickly within whatever line of work they choose because they tend to be efficient, on time, and so demanding of themselves that they turn in excellent work," astrologer Renée Watt tells USA Today. So how can you increase your productivity if you're already a dedicated and reliable worker? 

You certainly don't need to work more or up the pressure you naturally put on yourself to succeed. Virgo already tends to be judgemental and overly critical at times, so this pressure may only make that worse. You have a tendency to fear failing and are extremely conscious of the consequences of doing so. But you don't need to. Learning to take breaks, exercise regularly, keep your workload manageable, and ask for help when you need it can lessen the pressure you're putting on yourself, making you more relaxed and energized. Seeking balance in every aspect of your life  — work included — is key to long-term success. 

Scorpios are known for being intuitive, courageous, creative, and responsible — traits that help them succeed in whatever they put their mind to. They aren't afraid of hard work and don't usually have problems concentrating on the task at hand. Scorpios tend to shy away from the limelight, preferring to work their magic behind the scenes, but this tends to make the work they produce even more meaningful and substantive. Scorpios aren't immune to distraction or frustration, however, especially when they can't work alone or feel their hard work isn't being recognized. They are also passionate and intense individuals who can be thrown off the productive track if they don't have proper outlets.

Astrologer Shannon Aganza tells BestLife, "The intensity of Scorpio is found not only through the depth of their interactions but also within the probing of what needs to happen." This might mean they end up strategizing how to earn a promotion over a coworker instead of actually working on a project they've been assigned, letting their competitiveness and quest for knowledge force them off track. Implementing a solo morning workout as part of a daily routine is an excellent way for Scorpios to decompress, focus on their true goals, and prepare for a productive day. As a fixed sign, Scorpios value their routines and the stability that comes along with them. They will appreciate the consistency of working out in the morning and how it makes their minds and bodies feel.

Capricorn is one of the zodiac signs ruled by ambition. Known for their incredible focus, penchant for rule-following, and responsible natures, Capricorns make excellent employees, coworkers, and project managers. They reach for the stars and don't often drop the ball on their path toward success, maintaining a consistent and admirable level of practicality, organization, and pure hustle. In their quest for personal success, Capricorns often take on more than they should. They have extremely high expectations for themselves and their productivity, which means they often resort to multitasking.

"That Cardinal energy is going to make them want to just keep going," astrologer Maria Sofia Marmanides explains to Well + Good. "It's like, 'Okay, what's next? What can I do next? What other things can I achieve?' It's not just achievement, it becomes overachievement." Over time, the need to do more and achieve more can lead to distraction and errors, in addition to negative health effects like stress, anxiety, and high blood pressure (via Neurobiology of Stress). To avoid this and maintain a good balance of productivity and achievement, Capricorns can break up their days with self-care activities like walks, an at-home yoga class, or engaging in a creative hobby, all of which may help keep the brain focused on big, important tasks. 

Pisces are the definition of sweet, emotional people-pleasers. They have no problem trading in their needs, wants, or happiness for the needs of others and have a tendency to let people walk all over them. They don't want anyone else to feel burdened by stress or burnout and can often take on tasks they don't have the time or energy for to help others succeed. While this empathetic and unfailing support makes them an ideal friend, business partner, or coworker, the need to say "yes" to every request that comes their way can damper their productivity. 

As a Pisces, the solution to becoming more productive is all about saying no and learning to be protective of your time and space. "Pisces is a sign of sacrifice and they're incredibly empathic, so it's very easy for others to take advantage of them and their time," astrologer Joshua MacGuire explains to Bustle. "With better boundaries and more practice saying 'no' to others, Pisces can check more items off their to-do lists and stop putting others' agendas before their own." Not only will these boundaries make it easier to maintain productivity, but they will also make time to feed your creativity with relaxing hobbies or artistic endeavors that support your mental health long-term.