1- Clean up your to-do list
Getting things done during your workday shouldn’t mean fitting in doing as much as possible in the sanctioned 8 hours. Do you really need those 30 tasks on your to-do list? Only focus on accomplishing things that matter.
2- Use your morning to focus on yourself
It’s a big productivity killer to start your mornings by checking your email and your calendar. Start your day out right by ignoring your emails in the morning and getting in a good breakfast, reading the news, meditating, or working out. This will ensure you’ve got the necessary fuel for a productive day.
3- Tackle your challenging tasks early in the morning
Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is fresh. If you have any busy work or meetings, save them for the afternoon. By scheduling your day this way, you’ll be able to create a new and more productive way to manage your time.
4- Set small goals for the task
With every new project or assignment, the scope may seem too large. But once you start breaking it down and realizing what can be accomplished, you’ll notice how each part builds upon the other.
5- Focus on one goal at a time
We just talked about how you should get in the habit of setting small goals for tasks. Now we move on to focusing on one at a time. Hopefully outlining your project ahead of time in the section before lets you know which tasks are most important, but how does your organization determine what’s important? Ultimately its for your team to decide, but you can track OKRs, KPIs, and other metrics to indicate productivity.
6- Take more breaks
The ache in your brain after several long hours of work should be your signal to take a break. Since your brain has used up its glucose, give yourself a moment to refresh by going for a walk, grabbing lunch or a snack, or just meditating. You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.
7- Stop multi-tasking
Stop trying to do 10 things at once! Changing tasks more than 10 times a day drops your IQ an average of 10 points. Get things done more effectively and efficiently by focusing on one task at a time.
Less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday. Stick to the basics for reaching productivity.
8- Group similar tasks together
When we switch between tasks, we naturally create friction. Starting and stopping. Opening and closing. Beginning and ending. All of those small moments add up and break our concentration. The way to cut down on switching between tasks is to group similar ones together. Don’t respond to just one email and then move on. Respond to all of them and then don’t come back until several hours later.
9- Find a method for delegating and following-up
It’s one thing to give your team tasks and projects; it’s another thing to make sure they finish the work and get it done. Then passing it off for approvals is another piece of the pie that you have to tackle. Finding a reliable method for tracking your team’s projects will make your work more efficient
