5 tips to get more out of your working day

5 tips to get more out of your working day

 

Do you ever get the feeling that there are simply not enough hours in a day to get everything done? That feeling when you make your morning coffee, barely manage to get your admin under control, and somehow its 3pm already. 

Worry no more – we are here to help!

Here are 5 tips to help you become a little bit more productive, work smarter (without longer hours) to get more value out of your working day...

Step 1. Prioritise

Each morning, take a few minutes to go through the list of tasks set for the day, then try and evaluate their priority. These should be based on the urgency of the said task, time they might take, but also on how challenging or complex they may be. Start with the toughest, most time consuming first.

Step 2. Time block

Make sure you set yourself time for each task and try and stick to it. I’m not going to lie, this does require some discipline, but trust me – it pays off.

 

When setting time blocks be realistic and don’t overcommit - If you think a particular task will take minimum of an hour to complete, don’t block less than that, as you end up putting yourself under unnecessary pressure and by rushing, you run the risk of making mistakes.

 

Oh, and I almost forgot, make sure to block some time for a little ‘’you time’

 

        Step 3. is just as important: Breathe and take a break

It is important to remember that breaks play a vital part in the building of an efficient working mind set.

 

Walk away from your computer, grab some fresh air, socialise with your colleagues, or do anything else that you enjoy, that does not involve checking your email every 3 minutes or eating your sandwich by your desk. Recharge your batteries, so that when you return to working you are near a full tank and you have all the energy and brain space needed to finish the day with consistent momentum.

 

Step 4. Complete what you started

This ties in quite well with blocking your time and is just as important. If you start something, make sure to finish it before moving on to the next task. Focus on one thing at a time. Break down bigger projects into time blocks, especially if its ongoing or overwhelming at the start.

 

Step 5. Remove distractions

Some tasks require laser focus, so turn off your email, shut down your Teams, turn your phone on Airplane mode, and let your co-workers know that you will be unavailable. According to a study by Microsoft researchers, it takes the brain 15 minutes to re-focus after switching our attention to something else. So if you’re constantly being interrupted, it’s going to take you a long time to get your work done.

 

What tips would you recommend to get more value out of your working day?