Sometimes we struggle to manage our time at the workplace. If it happens to you, here are a few smart tips to help you maintain focus and energy and manage your time at work more resourcefully:
Ask Yourself The Right Questions
We often get so preoccupied with doing everyday, “tired” tasks that we forget to allocate time to the projects that truly matter. At each instance, ask yourself, “Am I using my time in the best possible way right this minute?” If the answer is negative, quit whatever you are doing and begin another task with a greater reward.
Keep The Door Shut
If you keep getting uninvited guests at your workplace, it is okay to shut the door to avoid unnecessary interruptions until you have completed an important task. This does not mean you isolate yourself from everyone all day long. However, closing your door for a few minutes can help you focus on what you are doing
Manage How You Use Technology
Many people spend too much time responding to calls and e-mails, which drains their energy levels and reduces work efficiency. You might have to direct your calls to voice mail and switch off your e-mail notifications to focus fully. It is best to spare time in the morning, after lunch, or a few minutes after the close of business to read your messages. That way, you will manage your correspondence better and know how to prioritize the e-mails and assignments you need to respond to first.
Get Rid Of The Clutter
A messy workstation or environment with heaps of disorganized paperwork and files undermines your ability to pay maximum attention to your work. Tidy up your working space by getting rid of all the clutter on your desk and other surfaces. You will eliminate items likely to draw your attention away from your assigned tasks by doing so.
Note Things Down
Writing down tasks in a notebook helps organize your thoughts and plan for your day well. Noting important things down on paper is particularly helpful when thoughts of all the things you need to do suddenly overwhelm you, and you begin to lose focus on the task at hand. By writing the assignments down, you achieve mental calmness, knowing you will not forget to attend to all your pending duties.
Appropriately Plan For Your Pending Tasks
Instead of stacking all your paper documents in one in-tray, arrange your action files or folders in a certain sequence on your office rack or desk, with each action file or folder detailing what you need to do for each task. You can label one of the folders as “to file,” another as “unread,” and another “to respond” to whatever arrangement works for you. This means you take time to sort all the paper documents you receive according to their appropriate folder and the next step you need to take.
Schedule Your Tasks And Activities Well
Many people are good at preparing their to-do lists but rarely complete most of the tasks and activities on the lists. To address this problem, ensure you actually plan for the job, exercise, or event beforehand and allocate a day and enough time for it. We can massively improve our productivity by ensuring we plan well and commit to getting things done. Sometimes over time is essential, however it should be monitored using an over time tracker. This will help to keep an eye on workloads and if there is too much for one person to take care of themselves.
Can I Do It In 30 Seconds Or Less?
Different tasks and to-do lists require varying amounts of time and effort. For instance, you can complete tasks like bookmarking a website, adding a business card to your Rolodex, or saving an important contact on your phone within no time. If one itemized task crosses your workstation, ask yourself if you can handle it within 30 seconds or less. If you can do it, then attend to it immediately. After all, you will have one less task to worry about.
Consider Postponing at Times
As an extension to the previous tip, you do not have to spend your time taking care of any to-do item that comes across your desk. Allow the routine duty items without a deadline to stack up a little, and then address them together.
All The Routine Activities Come Together
Many people waste plenty of their time juggling activities while trying to be effective at the same time. For instance, it is futile to file one document, then rush to make a call before sending an important email, and file a few more papers. This is because your brain struggles to refocus after all the unnecessary interruptions.
To maintain full mental focus, it is best to finish all tasks of a similar kind before starting a different activity. That means you set separate times for making calls, filling out documents, and sending emails. That way, you will get a lot more done in a shorter time, sustain your focus, and increase your work productivity.
