Have you ever wondered how to improve your productivity at work? Well this article is going to lay out a few tips and suggestions on how to utilize your time and make the best out of your work day.
- Cut your to-do list in half
If you know that you have a long list of tasks to complete before the end of the day, it might be helpful to split the list and organize your day. Focus on the most important tasks first. This will give you a sense of accomplishment once completed and also motivate you to finish more items on your to-do list. Tackle your challenging tasks before lunch. That way, you have the lunch break to re-energize and prepare for the second half of your day.
2.Protect your eyes
Consider investing in blue light glasses, especially if you tend to do your work at night or in dim-lit spaces. Constantly staring at screens can cause irreparable damage to your light-sensitive cells. Blue light glasses filter out the harmful blue light and allow you to continue your work for a longer period of time before needing to step away to take a break. For those not willing to buy anything, walking away from the screen or turning your gaze onto something else for a little while during your day may also help you to avoid straining your eyes.
3.Fill the tank — recharge
That means getting enough sleep every night, exercising, and eating healthy. Get adequate sleep the night before you are scheduled to work. Avoid screen use at least 30 minutes before bed because it impedes the production of melatonin. Try to implement foods that promote brain activity into your diet.
4.Declutter your workspace
It doesn’t have to be spotless, but a little organization goes a long way. Find the layout that works best for you. If you use your stapler more frequently than your calendar, then maybe it would be best to place that closer to you or on the side of your desk corresponding to your dominant hand. This suggestion can transfer over to your desktop as well. Organize the applications on your computer to lead to a more productive day.
5.Improve your email etiquette
Create a system for responding to emails. Block out various times throughout the day to respond to nonurgent emails and calls so that they don’t interfere with your to-do list. It’s tempting to respond immediately to keep your to-do list short, but in most cases, it’s better to take time and think out your response.
6.Avoid distractions
If you have a work phone, consider turning off or muting your personal phone during the work day. You can check your personal device on breaks and leave your working hour to dedicate strictly to being productive. If you do happen to check your personal device during work hours, avoid going on social media. We tend to lose track of time when scrolling through Instagram or Twitter.
7.Cultivate deep work
You can’t multitask with everything that you have to accomplish in a day. Some things require your utmost and undivided attention. Make sure you are able to recognize these things when they arise and adjust accordingly. On the other hand, if you are able to multitask and knock multiple items off of your to-do list at once, just make sure that the quality is there as well.
8.Keep a distraction list to stay focused
If an idea pops into your head or you suddenly remember something important but it doesn’t pertain to the task at hand, jot it down on a piece of paper or in the notes section of your device so that you may stay focused and complete the task at hand. This method allows you to stay productive but also remember your distractions so you will be able to cater to them later.
9.Follow the 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule states that approximately 80% of the results will come from 20% of your work. By following this breakdown, you will be able to distinguish between what is most important and focus on those tasks first.
10.Eliminate inefficient communication
When you are emailing back and forth, you are taking up unnecessary time that could be used to do something productive. You can easily avoid this by being clear and concise in your emails to deter the constant back and forth for clarification. This may take you a bit longer to compose each email but in the long run, it will save you time and energy by not sending several emails on the same topic.
11.Set your schedule and stick to it
You may use a third-party scheduler like Calendly to allow your clients to book with you. The nice thing about Calendly is that it syncs up with your calendar and doesn’t allow people to book a meeting with you if you are already busy for that allotment of time. With this tool, you can also set different types of meetings for different types of clients.
12.Plan ahead
Things don’t always go as planned, so you should always have a back-up plan. Think ahead and create if-then solutions to prevent the event of something going wrong and you not knowing what to do. Of course you can’t plan ahead for all things that may go wrong, because you never really know what could happen, but it’s still a good habit to think ahead and plan for certain situations.
13.Get better at saying “no”
Don’t overwhelm yourself by taking on too many projects at once. If you know that your plate is full, let it be known, and don’t volunteer for more tasks until you know you have the time and energy to manage it.
Conclusion
Overall, you want to do what works best for you. Although these are all great tips, you may only find some of them to be beneficial to you. No two people are going to work the same way. So try out these tips and adopt the ones that make you the most productive.
