No one wants to think of wasting time at work. But being productive isn’t always easy. If at the end of the day you feel like you could have done more, or you don’t know why you still have a pile of work on your desk every day, you may feel frustrated and stressed.
Lack of productivity can arise for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you don’t feel fulfilled at work or you are too stressed. In many cases, however, it is simply a lack of motivation or planning that prevents people from doing more at work.
Fortunately, there are some clever tricks to help maximize productivity and make every workday more perfect. Let’s take a look at some of these simple productivity tips that you can put into practice right away.
1. Write down your most important tasks
One way to finish each day feeling more productive is to write down your three most important tasks when you come to work the next morning. These are the things that mean the most to you and will probably require the most time and effort. But if you can focus your time and energy on these three tasks and complete them, you will feel more productive and successful by the time you leave work. Even if you don’t do anything else during the day, highlighting the three most important things will give you some respite and keep you motivated to do more.
2. Don’t waste time checking emails
You probably don’t keep track of how much time you spend checking your email each day, but it’s almost guaranteed to be more than you think! Whether you check your email every few minutes out of habit or immediately check it as soon as you hear a notification, checking your email without a set schedule can be time-consuming.
Instead, set a certain time during the day to check your e-mail. A good rule of thumb is to check it once in the morning, once at lunchtime, and once before you leave for the day. Chances are you’ll still be able to read and respond to whatever you need to, and you’ll get more done since you’re not spending as much time going through your inbox.
3. Saying “No” is okay.
Some people find it harder to say “no” than others. Unfortunately, if co-workers or even your bosses realize that you are that kind of person, they may take advantage of it. You may be asked to work on extra projects, stay late, come in early, etc.
And if you keep going along with it, you have less time to focus on the work you need to get done. You may have so many tasks on your to-do list for each day that it feels like you’re not doing anything. So, understand that it’s okay to say no, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Say yes to the things you are interested in and passionate about.
4. Limit distractions
In this world of ever-changing technology, it’s easy to get distracted at work. You can start by watching YouTube videos or checking social media, and before you know it, you’ve wasted an hour of your time.
There are several ways to easily limit or even get rid of distractions at work, but they all require some discipline. If you find yourself looking at your phone throughout the day, the best thing you can do is put it somewhere else. Hide it in a desk drawer, keep it in your bag, or just turn it off so you don’t get notifications. The idea of “out of sight” really works. And if your phone isn’t around or it doesn’t light up every few minutes, you’ll be less likely to get to it.
If you use the Internet at work, set a block for the sites you like to visit. Or use a different browser that doesn’t bookmark your favorite websites. This will help you stay on track and avoid wasting a lot of time.
5. First choose the most difficult (or easiest) task.
If you follow a certain strategy each work day, you have a better chance of getting things done. There are two ways to get the job done when you are faced with both difficult and easy tasks on a daily basis. There is no single “right” way. In fact, it depends on what works for you.
For some people, the best option is to start with the hardest thing of the day. Doing that can make everything else easier, so you can get through it quickly. Plus, you’ll feel more motivated because you’ve already achieved something important. Others have more success by starting with the easiest tasks on their list and gradually moving up. This can help if you have trouble gaining momentum throughout the day or if you burn out easily. Again, any strategy can work if you implement it every day and decide to stick with it. You can experiment to determine which one works best for you.
When you finish the work day feeling more productive, you’ll feel less stressed, more satisfied, and more motivated to do it all again the next day. So keep these tricks in mind to increase your productivity and get the most out of each workday.
