Your work environment can have a dramatic effect on your productivity. Make sure you’re working in an area that’s clean, quiet and without distractions.
Batching can help save you time on repetitive tasks. For instance, creating templates for emails and documents you use frequently so that the same process is followed each time is an excellent way of accomplishing this goal.
1. Create a To-Do List
A to-do list is an effective way of keeping track of all the tasks you need to complete, as well as giving yourself the satisfaction of crossing them off once complete.
Prioritize and add due dates for tasks to help stay focused on what is most essential and to reach goals more easily. Make your list visually-appealing to boost motivation!
2. Get Organized
Organization isn’t something everyone is naturally inclined towards, but it is something anyone can learn and master with practice. By following some basic organizational tips you’ll save both time and feel more productive!
Start making it a part of your routine to always leave your keys, wallet, and cellphone in the same spot each time you leave the house – this will prevent time wasted looking for them!
3. Schedule Your Time
Time management requires understanding how you spend your day. Recognizing which activities are worthwhile allows you to save more time by eliminating time-savers such as social media.
Create the habit of prioritizing your most essential tasks first to start each day off right and achieve greater productivity. This practice is especially helpful for tasks requiring concentration or focus.
4. Set Goals
Setting goals can be the key to successfully managing time. Goal-setting will keep you on the right path and help prevent getting sidetracked with unneeded tasks or procrastination. When setting your goals, ensure to include time parameters that reflect what can be accomplished within one day – this way you will set achievable targets that are both meaningful and effective.
5. Take Breaks
Take breaks during the workday to relax and rejuvenate, plus boost productivity when you return. Breaks can help clear up your thoughts and increase productivity once back at work.
But be sure to take time for yourself that doesn’t involve just checking social media or getting coffee; take a walk or play ping-pong instead!
Some studies suggest committing to working for 60 to 90 minutes before taking a break; it’s up to you to experiment and find what works for you best.
6. Delegate Tasks
Delegating tasks to your team can save time, but it’s essential that you know when and how to delegate tasks – too many assignments could lead to burnout, low quality work and missed deadlines if left without proper guidance and control.
If you’re uncertain how to delegate, start by identifying employees or teams who possess the appropriate skills for completing your task successfully. Once identified, provide them with all the resources necessary for completion.
7. Stay Focused
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Staying focused requires effective planning. Break down larger tasks into manageable pieces you can work on throughout the day, setting personal deadlines to help speed along projects more quickly.
9. Avoid Distractions
However, some workplace distractions cannot always be avoided, such as unscheduled meetings and co-worker interruptions. You may still be able to reduce visual and audio distractions by creating a more conducive working environment – for instance by silencing phones and switching out low lighting for better illumination.
College students typically find themselves distracted 28 times daily, which makes it harder to study for midterm exams or compose research papers. To overcome distractions, try disabling push notifications on your phone and closing time-wasting websites.
10. Create Templates
If you find yourself frequently creating similar documents, presentations, or emails, consider saving it as a template to save both time and mental bandwidth in the future. Doing this could save both precious hours as well as mental bandwidth!
For instance, if you frequently send freelance writers contracts, editing a template would save time compared to creating one from scratch every time.
Project management apps make it easy to create templates for standard processes. Trello (affiliate link) makes this especially simple; simply duplicate an existing project to create its cards in a new version of its entirety.