How can you become mega-productive with your working time?
PRODUCTIVITY.
It's probably one of the most talked about buzzwords of the 21st century. There always seems to be a constant stream of great productivity strategies that people can't live without. However, the tips that work for one person may not work for another. So you shouldn't stress yourself out when you try new productivity strategies that don't seem to work for you.
The best way forward is to create your own set of effective strategies that work for you and stick with them until they become second nature. Many people say that forming a new habit can take up to two weeks of consistent practice.
You should strive to find the productivity techniques that suit you best and repeat them until they become second nature. Never forget to allow yourself enough time for them to be effective and become routine. Some techniques are effective, others less so.
If your workload is getting a little too much for you, take a look at some of these strategies we've found over time that have worked well for us.
1: Make a morning to-do list
This is not a list to do in the morning when you start work. You'll have too many distractions to get through it.
Instead, you should draw up your morning to-do list last, at the end of each day. Summarise what you want to achieve the next day and prioritise the tasks at the top of your list that you haven't managed to complete today.
Cross out each task on your list with a large red felt-tip pen. That way you'll have a visual record of the day's achievements that you can be proud of!
2: Reduce your procrastination time
You know those horrible or very boring tasks that you know you have to do, but don't want to? Yes, those tasks that you end up stopping yourself from doing every day. If you stopped putting them off and used your time to do them, you'd be a lot more productive.
When you're faced with one of these daunting tasks, give yourself 3 seconds to put an end to your procrastination. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Count backwards from 3, 2, 1, open your eyes and do it!
This 3-second countdown will effectively reduce your procrastination time to zero and leave you more time to concentrate on the other tasks on your list.
3: Do your most difficult task first
You'll have a few tasks on your to-do list, but it's wise to put your most difficult tasks at the top of the list. After all, you'll be able to tackle these tasks when you're fresh and full of energy and concentration.
It's much more effective to tackle the most difficult tasks first than to leave them until the end of the day, when your energy and concentration are flagging.
4: Cut important tasks into small pieces
There's nothing more exhausting or energy-consuming than trying to tackle a huge task head-on. If you do too much at once, you'll find it hard to move forward effectively. This can lead to procrastination and a lack of enthusiasm for completing the task.
By dividing the work into small tasks, you can set yourself small, more achievable goals that you can complete step by step. By taking regular breaks after each small step, you'll have the energy you need to see a gargantuan task through to the end.
5: Write down your problems
You know when you're solving a problem in your head and something happens to break your train of thought? Yes ? It's annoying, isn't it?
Difficult problems that require a lot of thought can be solved better if you get those thoughts out of your head. A good way to do this is to verbalise your thoughts.
You can do this by discussing the problem with someone else, a work colleague for example. However, if you work alone, you can record your conversation and play it back to yourself.
Verbalising a problem can be a very effective way of solving something that requires a lot of thought. Try it the next time you need to think about something.
6: The post-it tip
Using post-it notes, a whiteboard or an online tool such as Trello to jot down your ideas and possible solutions is a great way to get things out of your head and visible so you can focus on them. This can be used as a reminder.
You can do the same with new tasks as soon as they come to mind or appear in e-mails. At the end of the day, you can go through all your notes and reorganise them into a list of priorities that will form the next day's to-do list. It's a great way to clear your mind.
7: Don't feel guilty
Although this article is about improving your productivity, you can't be expected to be 100 % efficient all the time.
Don't expect perfection all the time. Give yourself room for manoeuvre. Don't feel guilty because you didn't manage to finish everything on your to-do list today. We know you may feel a sense of failure in achieving your goals, but no one is setting those goals for you.
You set your own targets, and if you can't cope physically and mentally with your current workload, you're likely to worry and torment yourself to such an extent that it can affect your mood, your ability to recharge, recharge and sleep.
Look at what you've achieved today and be proud of your accomplishments. Eliminate any outstanding tasks from your list and simply carry them over to tomorrow's list.
In the end, they'll get done - and done well - if you allow yourself to let go of the guilt and recharge your batteries enough to meet tomorrow's challenges.
8: Get enough rest
Don't neglect your rest time in favour of extra work. Too many people get up earlier in the morning so that they can work an extra hour or two before their colleagues arrive.
While you may feel good about how much work you can get done by giving yourself more time, you'll lose it elsewhere in your life. This usually means less sleep, rushed meals or giving up coffee breaks.
The problem is that when you return to your normal schedule, your productivity drops. You will then feel obliged to continue reducing your rest time in order to increase your productivity again.
Many budding entrepreneurs substitute sleep for work, but soon find themselves exhausted and unable to function properly.
If you need 8 hours of restful sleep, don't try to get by on just 6. Over time, you won't be at your best for most of the day. This can have a negative impact on your productivity levels, as you won't have the energy to concentrate and complete your tasks effectively.
9: Establish a personal care routine
One of the most effective ways of maintaining your productivity levels while giving yourself time to recharge your batteries and clear your mind throughout the day is to use a Pomodoro timer.
This practical time management tool plans regular 25-minute sessions to focus on your work, followed by a short break. You should take these breaks away from your work to give your body and mind time to recharge.
Shake out your tired, tight muscles with a five-minute walk around your building, get out for some fresh air or do five-minute mini-workouts to save time in the gym. Go for a coffee, chat with a colleague, practice deep breathing or meditation in a quiet corner away from your workstation.
Your actions during the break don't need to be huge or profound. Just focus on a few minutes of self-care to clear your mind and stretch your muscles. Doing this deliberately and establishing a routine will help you refocus your mind when you return to work.
10: Reserve a slot for social media
Everyone knows how time-consuming social media platforms can be. It can be very tempting to check your Facebook news feed or catch up on your tweets, only to find yourself completely engrossed in your news feed as precious work time slips away.
Reserve your social media catch-up for a specific time of day and resist the temptation to quickly check throughout the day. This can mean turning off alerts on your phone and storing it in a drawer on your desk during working hours.
Conclusion
Try these productivity tips to see which ones work for you and adopt them for at least two weeks to make sure they stick and fit into your work routine.
You'll see your productivity increase and your procrastination decrease, while giving your well-being a boost!
You can also save a lot of time by outsourcing your day-to-day administrative tasks. This will free up your valuable time to devote to more important tasks that you need to complete.
Make good use of virtual services such as professional call answering, mail sorting and forwarding or a complete virtual office service that includes everything you need.
