In a fast-paced world, it can be challenging to find the time to get everything done.
Whether you’re working from home or the workplace, here are some useful tips to help you increase your productivity and work efficiency.
Get super organised
Getting all your ducks in a row is the most important thing you can do to increase your productivity. It means you can assess what you need to do and when you need to do it and organise everything in terms of priority. Getting organised can be overwhelming, but the sense of clarity and focus that comes, as a result, is so worth it.
Batch task
If your work consists of different types of tasks, batch tasking can be a great way to use your time more efficiently. This means allocating a set time or day or even week to carry out all of the same tasks at once, e.g – Monday mornings for admin, one day a week for content creation, or a whole week for strategy planning. Whatever the tasks are – batching prevents you from jumping from one task to another and never completing things.
Reduce distractions
The fewer distractions you have, the more you can concentrate. If you’re working from home, find a quiet spot to work where you won’t be affected by others or get tempted to turn the tv on or potter about. If you’re in the workplace, avoid excessive chatting to colleagues and put some headphones in while you work if your job allows.
Another good way to reduce distractions is to turn off all social media notifications and even email while you get in the zone to complete a task.
Optimise your best hours
Everyone has a time of the day when they are their most productive. If you’re someone that feels most productive first thing in the morning or maybe you come to life in the evening, this is the time you should capitalise on to do your best work. Make that your power hour and schedule everything else to revolve around it.
Become an essentialist
It’s not about being ‘busy’, and getting more stuff done – it’s about getting the right stuff done. It’s easy to spend a lot of time working on the wrong things, but when you focus only on the tasks that move the needle closer to your goal, you can get to that goal quicker.
When you get clear on what you need to achieve, you can say ‘no’ to things that waste your time and delegate or outsource them to someone else.
Do the most important task of the day first
Often the most important task on our to-do list is the one we keep putting off in favour of other less-important things. By prioritising the biggest thing on your list, you get it out of the way first and essentially win the day.
Take regular breaks
Research has found that taking a break can be very beneficial and improve work quality. Mini breaks, lunchtime away from your desk and taking a walk during the day, have all been shown to have a positive effect on productivity by preventing stress and boosting performance.
Routine, routine, routine
There is no denying the power of a good routine. As creatures of habit, routines do not only improve our health but also allow us to work more efficiently. If you’re stressed about your never-ending to-do list, getting into a good routine with structured sleep, exercise, work and wellbeing time will allow you to cope better.
Get a good night’s sleep
No one does their best work when they’re exhausted, and a productive day starts with a good night’s sleep. This may feel like a challenge but understanding the importance of saying no to an extra hour of Netflix or scrolling social media in favour of getting an early night can result in a whole host of mental and physical benefits.
We’re all wired differently, and we all work differently. Maybe you’re someone that’s super-productive after starting your day with a strong coffee, maybe you’re someone that’s more productive after going for a run – it’s all about finding your groove and doing what works for you.
Can you recommend any productivity hacks that have helped you? Comment below!
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