There are only so many hours in a day, so making the most of your time is necessary. Here are a few tips to make your days more productive; Trust the small increments You can’t expect to change years of working habits overnight. Small changes in how you work can gradually add up to big changes in productivity. Try one tip to start, and keep adding more as you find the strategies that work best for you. Track and limit how much time you’re spending on tasks You may think you’re pretty good at measuring how much time you spend on various tasks. However, some research suggests that only around 17 per cent of people are able to accurately estimate the passage of time. A tool like ‘Rescue Time’ can help by letting you know exactly how much time you spend on daily tasks such as emails, word processing, apps and so forth. Avoid self-pity You are human: Accept that you are sometimes going to fall, get distracted and have a bad day. It’s more important to move on than to dwell on your mistakes. Be accountable Whether it’s weekly check-ins with a co-worker or setting your own deadlines and announcing them to others, having to answer to someone else can often force you to get the job done. Hold standing meetings Experts advise that if you absolutely must have a meeting, there’s some evidence that standing meetings can result in increased group awakening and improved group performance. The meetings are also used to make major strategic decisions and above all, offer a chance to “go around the room” and get everyone to present their results from the day before. Quit multitasking While some people tend to think of the ability to multitask as an important skill for increasing efficiency, the opposite may in fact be true. Psychologists have found attempting to do several tasks at once can result in lost time and productivity. Instead, make a habit of committing to a single task before moving on to your next project. Take exercise breaks Using work time to exercise may actually help improve productivity, according to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. If possible, build in set times during the week for taking a walk or going to the gym. Getting your blood pumping could be just what’s needed to clear your head and get your focus back. Turn off notifications It is not easy to resist an email, voicemail, or text notification. During work hours, turn off your notifications, and instead build in time to check email and messages. This is all part of being proactive rather than reactive. At the end of the day, it’s how you use your tool. Humans are capable of achieving so much more with technology as their slave, rather than their master. Minimise interruption Interruptions during the working day not only take up your time, they also have a secondary impact – in that they cost valuable minutes as you get back into what you were doing before the interruption. Some workplace interruptions may be unavoidable, but many are not and you shouldn’t feel guilty about reducing your exposure to interruptions as the result will be an increase in your overall efficiency. Unfortunately, managing these interruptions isn’t as easy as closing your office door, so it’s how you deal with them that matters. Be proactive and have some smart strategies to get back on track, and you will be more productive. Don’t be afraid to use some kind of “do not disturb” sign to help deter in-person visitors too.
