7 things to do to get more work done August 7, 2015
It is not always easy to have a productive day but with these tips you can increase your productivity and get a head start on that to-do list of yours! So here are my top 7 recommendations of things to do to get more work done:
Avoid distractions
Ignore your personal calls, texts and emails! Mute your personal cell phone. You are working and you do not need to be available all the time. Also on this subject: Do not share your personal phone number with business contacts. If possible really separate business and personal phone calls. Some people go as far as having two cell phones! If you do not want that extra cell hone with you, at least make sure to not mix up your personal life and career too much. If you have kids and you need to be available , take the extra time to explain to people that they should not call you at work for stuff that can also wait until you get home in the evenings. WHY you cannot be called during office times on personal matters should be a no brainer for most people.
Prioritize your tasks
Pick out the top two things you need to get done today. Work on those first! If you get stuck on one task, switch between tasks and move on to the next. A lot of people pick three things but many times over that might not work and it is easier to attack two tasks evenly and get them done than working with three tasks right away.
Plan ahead
Plan your entire week ahead! Write everything, and with everything I mean everything, down in your daily planner and plan your day ahead every morning. Just take three minutes every day to see what you need to tackle and what appointments you have to deal with. This way you will save yourself surprise moments and you won’t forget your meetings,either.
Just start somewhere
When you feel like there is too much to do and you don’t even know where to start, just attack the first task you can think of and start. It doesn’t even have to be something big right away but you have to just keep going and your workflow will get kicked off.
Use your time wisely
Make use of all the time you have! Do not think that just because it is only five minutes until you have to leave for a meeting or make a phone call that you cannot make use of that time window. Every minute adds up! Just make sure not to loose track and set yourself timers or alarms if you get distracted easily. This way you will not forget time and you can still stick to the schedule you set for yourself. Also remember to take breaks! Using all of your time doesn’t mean that it is a good idea to skip up on your breaks. You need breaks, too!
Be accountable for your time
Be completely honest with yourself! How much time did you really spend on your tasks? Sometimes it is a good idea to time yourself to get an idea of how you utilize your time. It is also good to see how long it really takes you to do certain things and that lets you plan your day better. You can get more productive if you really make use of your time and avoid procrastinating. If you find it hard to do certain things or you get distracted too easily, make sure you know about those tasks that take you longer and try to find ways to make them easier for you. Maybe you need more time for certain things? Or you realize that your attention span and your ability to focus is worse at certain times during your work day? Notice what it is that makes you procrastinate and make the changes needed to work on it.
Get up earlier
You should consider making it a habit to get up 30 minutes earlier than you usually do. You will gain a headstart on your day and take the stress out of your morning routine. Make sure to do something every morning that you enjoy. Exercise, meditate or read your favorite blog or a book. Have a good breakfast! Even though you are not working yet, if you start your day right and experience less stress on your mornings it will have a positive impact on your entire day.
Whatever strategies you can think of that help you be more productive, try sticking to them. It usually takes a while to get used to new routines, but soon they will become habits that you do not want to miss anymore.
So how do you get more work done? Please share your tips as a comment below this article.
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