Maintaining constant focus can be a challenge throughout the work day, and sometimes we find ourselves working late just to catch up or stay afloat.
With only so many hours in the day, we have to be clever about how we manage our time and energy levels. And while we can’t control how much time we have, we can control how to manage it to boost our productivity.
Here are five tips to help manage your time and boost your output at work.
BREAK UP YOUR TO DOS INTO SMALLER LISTS
It’s easy to overwhelm yourself with week-long to do lists – dividing your tasks into smaller segments will make it seem like you have less to do (and you won’t get caught up biting off more than you can chew).
You will find as you break down your tasks that you will feel more accomplishment throughout the day as you’re constantly ticking things off, which will keep you positive and motivated to chip away at your remaining tasks.
DO THE MOST CHALLENGING TASKS IN THE MORNING
Providing you have had a good night’s sleep, the morning is the most productive time of the day. Schedule in the most difficult tasks first thing so you can tackle them with a clear head and full stock of energy stores.
Schedule things like responding to emails or team meetings for the afternoon so your most challenging tasks are out of the way.
EXERCISE REGULARLY
“But I don’t have time to go to the gym” isn’t a good enough excuse. Some of the most successful business people have a strict exercise routine to keep them mentally and physically sharp, and they all find time to break a sweat.
There are numerous studies that show regular exercise helps to improve mental wellbeing and cognitive function, which helps to clear your head and get you fresh for a full day of tasks.
GET A STANDING DESK
The hype around standing desks is legitimate – while there are numerous physiological benefits of standing as you work, there are also positive effects on your energy levels and productivity.
Standing desks can help to improve your mood as they offer an alternative way of working at your desk that requires you to be more mobile and upright, which also does well to keep you focused during the afternoon blues.
SET A DEDICATED TIME TO RESPOND TO EMAILS
Being glued to your emails will suck hours out of your day and reduce your overall focus. To avoid being caught in the trap of responding to unread emails, set aside an hour of your day that’s dedicated to your email tasks.
With this plan in place you can spend a whole, undistracted hour addressing your inbox, which will help to increase the amount of time you have to spend on outstanding tasks.
Want to find out more about how to improve your work performance? Contact us today for a tailored consultation with one of RdL’s experts.
