Some work days can seem longer than others and making the most of your time during a work day is crucial. When you’re looking for shortcuts towards improving productivity it can take a toll on your work. Trying to find results with less time and effort can be hard when you’re looking at how to be productive throughout a day, and what you should be looking for is a way to achieve your goals while actually spending time and energy optimally on what matters.
Managing your time throughout a work day is key to feeling like you’ve successfully maximized your productivity. The majority of people want to finish their work feeling fulfilled and satisfied, knowing you’ve used your time wisely and got everything on your check-list done. Keeping busy and working hard doesn’t mean working longer hours, it means working smarter by focusing more on what matters throughout the day.
Try out these tips for improving productivity flow throughout your day!
- Stop multitasking. We tend to think that multitasking is a skill to help us increase productivity, when it can be quite the opposite. Committing your focus on a single task before moving onto the next can help you use your time efficiently and actually end up completing it faster.
- Batch your emails and shorten your phone screen time. Whether it’s having your email open while working on a project or constantly checking your phone for texts or messages, those side distractions can add up throughout the day. Set aside some time to check and respond to emails during your day, and avoid the constant pings of your mobile device to help keep your focus on your tasks.
- Have flexibility and free time. Taking breaks can actually help improve productivity and work as it’s been shown that short breaks during long tasks help you maintain more focus and concentration. Take a five-minute break to walk around your office or spend 10 minutes for an afternoon snack. Having a tightly packed schedule doesn’t always mean you’re working optimally, try scheduling breathing room during the day to avoid being spread too thin.
- Say no to meetings. Before accepting meetings, ask yourself whether you can accomplish the same goals online (email, phone, Slack, etc.) versus in-person as meetings are one of the biggest time constraints throughout a work day. If meetings are necessary, standing meetings are a great way to increase productivity and with less time constraints on your day.
- Set small goals. Breaking up your overall goal into smaller, bite-sized goals will help a project feel less overwhelming. Having manageable, self-imposed stress can help with focusing and help in meeting end goals. So having small deadlines and sticking to them can help in productivity rather than stressing you out about them.
- Be proactive, not reactive. Putting out fires is important for any job, but finding new ways to work and bringing new ideas to the table will help with your own productivity. Waiting around for tasks or to put out office fires can be a whole day ordeal, but being steps ahead of the game will make sure your energy is well spent instead of feeling exhausted from work and daily tasks.
Every day won’t be a perfectly productive day, but refocusing your energy and finding what works for you will help you increase your chances of improving productivity in the long run both in and out of work.
