There’s never enough time in the day to knock out everything on your “to-do” list, especially when it comes to working. Even if you get to your desk before the sun is up, you’ll likely find that those extra few hours didn’t help as much as you had hoped.
Instead of racing the clock and stressing each minute of the day, there are other things that you can do to get more done with the time you have. Here are five ways that you can make your days more productive so that you can go home feeling more accomplished.
- Mornings Are Important
If you’re like most workers, as soon as you get to your desk you’re checking your email and listening to voicemails. But, making this your first task of the day automatically means that you’re focusing on what others need versus focusing on your own list of things to do.
Get a head start on your work days by taking an hour in the morning to figure out what you need to complete in the next 8-10 hours. Set your own daily agenda and map out your objectives so that you have a plan of attack for the day. Then you can focus on helping others.
- Prioritize Your Tasks
If you’ve got a list of tasks you need to complete, one of the best things you can do is to prioritize them. It can be overwhelming to know that you have so much to do but don’t know where to start.
One of the best ways to figure out which tasks you need to knock out first is to look at when each task is due. You’ll also want to take any dependencies and the consequences of not completing a task into consideration.
Obviously, you’ll want to complete tasks that are due the soonest. There’s nothing worse than missing a deadline and having to hear criticism from your boss or coworkers. You’ll also want to identify any dependencies so that you can track which tasks need to be done first in order for others to be completed.
By prioritizing your tasks, you can better manage your deadlines and have peace of mind that you aren’t late or falling behind.
- Track Your Time
Do you know how much time you spend in meetings? What about how much time you put into checking and responding to emails throughout the day? Chances are that you spend more time than you think! With a time tracking app, you can see how much of your time that you allocate to certain clients, projects, and tasks.
By tracking your time, you can:
- Improve productivity
- Better prioritize tasks
- Be reminded when you’re idle for too long
- Set a schedule
With improved time management, you’ll find that it’s much easier to get more tasks done throughout the day. The more efficiently you use your time, the less you have to worry about missing deadlines or having to ask for extensions.
- Choose the Right Form of Communication
We live in a world driven by text-based communication. Everyone loves to send a text, a chat message, or an email. But the fact is that sometimes these forms of communication don’t get the answers you need, as quickly as you need them. In order to be more productive at work, be sure to choose your method of communication wisely.
Need an answer ASAP? Pick up the phone! Have a task that requires input from multiple parties? Send an email. Choosing the right form of communication can have a huge impact on how much work you’re able to get done throughout the day.
- Take Breaks
All too often when we’re behind or in a crunch for time, we tend to stay at hour desks for hours on end. The more time you have to focus on completing the work, the more you’ll get done, right? Wrong! Studies have shown that taking breaks throughout the day is more beneficial than staying at your desk for hours on end.
Not taking breaks has a huge impact on cognitive performance. Even just getting up from your desk and walking outside for 5-10 minutes can have a huge impact. Breaks sharpen focus, boost energy, and even improve your mood. This way you’re not fatigued once 3 PM rolls around.
Taking breaks also improves your physical health. Sitting for too long can lead to eye strain as well as neck and back pain. So don’t be afraid to get up, walk around, and stretch throughout the work day!
Conclusion
No one likes to wake up at 5 AM in hopes of getting more work done. If you want to be more efficient in the workplace, keep these five tips in mind so that you’re able to be productive and successful each day.
