We know work life can be busy and finding enough time to complete your daily tasks can often be difficult. We’ve put together 5 handy tips to help you make the most of your working day.
1. Don’t rely on emails
Speaking to a person directly can cut time and minimise confusion. Playing email tennis results in missed emails and can simply be avoided by getting up from your desk or picking up the phone. Emails can also be misunderstood with recipients taking time to respond with the right information you need. Engaging in face to face communication can save you a lot of time.
2. Learn to prioritize
Prioritising tasks will help you work more efficiently and ensure that the most urgent tasks are given the time they need, whilst making sure other tasks are not forgotten. Giving yourself realistic time scales and deadlines, as well as creating a to-do list will help you make the most of your day. We use a task management program called Asana (used by over 140,000 businesses) it looks great, is really easy to use and helps you organise all your tasks. It also allows teams to collaborate with one another and makes things run smoothly.
Most email accounts include a built-in calendar which allows you to easily plan your day. You can also set reminders to keep things on track.
3. Create a manageable to-do list
Planning too much for one day may mean that some tasks will not be completed. Be realistic and create a manageable to-do list, whether that is a daily or weekly list. Don’t forget to leave extra time for tasks that take longer and most importantly, don’t always give your full attention to tasks that you favour the most.
4. Don’t plan too many meetings
Meetings can be very time consuming, especially if you have to travel to get there, try to spread them out throughout the week or even limit yourself to how many you need to attend. Ask yourself, could you have a quick chat with the colleague without the need for a meeting?
5. Take breaks, don’t skip lunch and keep hydrated
Taking a break to eat and drink will help you maximise your concentration levels when you return to work - a lack of food means a lack of energy. Dehydration can also have an effect on productivity; your brain is made up of 75% of water, so keep it hydrated!
Try adopting some of these tips and see how they work for you - maybe you do some already. Why not share some of your own tips on organising your time at work on our Twitter or LinkedIn channels.
