We all know that feeling after work sometimes…when you leave feeling you weren’t able to accomplish most things you planned on. You have your to-do list, goals, etc, but by the end of the day, your list only gets longer! Being productive can be hard. However, time management is a skill that takes time. Where do you start though!? No matter who you are, you need to be on point with how you’re spending those 24 hours each day. Try incorporating these tips on how to work smarter, faster, and more efficient.
Stop Multitasking
Throughout the day, small, easy tasks tend to build up. The natural thing you’d want to do is bang them out quickly and be done with them – however, this is a huge reason why workflow slows down as time goes on! Taking your mind off main goals, projects, and tasks in order to do smaller jobs only drives us crazier in the end. We’re fooling ourselves when we say that we can juggle all those tiny tasks at once! Focus on one task at a time and above all make sure to prioritize, and you’ll actually get more things done faster. Remember, quality over quantity!
Take Breaks
Working longer doesn’t mean we’re getting more done. It’s a proven fact that after every few hours of work, our brain starts to go into overdrive – making us less efficient unable to accurately retain information. Taking a break doesn’t make you lazy. Taking a break helps you work at 100% for a longer amount of time on a workday. Besides, we never work as well when we’re burned out. So, on that note, take a 5-minute break. Go get coffee, take a walk, etc.
Set Small Goals
We all tend to set aside big goals throughout the day. We don’t feel confident enough to dive in and start working on them and end up filling our day with smaller, more simple goals we know we can get done. The problem is, by the time all those small goals are done, there’s NO WAY we’re going to attempt that bigger goal. We’re too tired, too burned out, and lost motivation. Take time in the morning to look at your big goals and break it up into smaller sections. Rather than saying “Finish that project”, write down a to-do list of all the small steps that are required! Most importantly this will not only keep you on track, but it’ll help you from getting overwhelmed.
Implement the “two-minute rule”
Make the most out of your day with the two-minute rule. In between tasks when we’re contemplating what to do next should be filled with more immediate tasks that can get done in that short amount of time…instead of waiting around. This is called the “two-minute rule”. Finding and immediately completing tasks that take two minutes or less actually saves you time. After that, you can keep your focus on the more daunting tasks without any distractions.
Above all, you should remember that you’ll have better days than others. Not every day is going to be as productive as we’d like…we’re human after all. Try refocusing your energy, staying self-motivated and finding that sweet spot. You’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll be able to get done both in and out of the office.
Now excuse me, I have a 5-minute break to attend to. You should take one, too.