With all of the visual stimuli readily available for us on the internet, it’s easy to get distracted from your priorities. Poor time management can also lead to higher stress levels when we find ourselves stuffing all of our work into the final hours before an important deadline. But don’t fret!
There are simple and effective techniques you can start sneaking into your daily routine that will significantly improve your productivity.
When developing a new habit, you need to remember that consistency is critical. Try incrementally adding these steps into your day to see mind-blowing changes in how you tackle your workflow.
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Create a Schedule
You don’t need a fancy planner to write down your daily to-do lists. A simple planner or notebook, or even a sheet of paper, is perfect. Starting the day off by writing everything you need to do is an excellent way to start you on the right track. You can, of course, do this for your work goals, but try splitting it up into three different categories to make sure you don’t neglect tasks that aren’t work-related.
Try creating a separate list for personal errands as well as home errands. Make your tasks attainable as well. Don’t create an over-saturated list full of tasks you’re realistically not going to get to.
Start Working Earlier
No circadian rhythm is created alike, but statistically speaking, you’re likely to be more productive and more satisfied with your day than if you wake up late.
A study done by Amerisleep found, “Early risers earned an average of $14,917 more every year than those who slept in. Again, the aforementioned 4 a.m. wake-up reigned supreme with the absolute highest average income. On average, 4 a.m. risers earned $48,582 per year. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the lowest earners didn’t get out of bed until noon, and they earned just $22,689 annually.”
Not only do you have more earning potential, but you also open up your day to include more time for pleasurable activities leading to less dissatisfaction with work responsibilities.
Do One Task at a Time
Many people are under the impression that the ability to multi-task is the hallmark of a good worker, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Multi-tasking is a surefire way to overwhelm yourself and end up being less productive than you initially wanted to be.
Proper time management involves doing one task at a time well; this way, you lessen the possibility of small, unnecessary mistakes. When you make your to-do list in the morning, prioritize your most important tasks, and get those out of the way first.
Take Breaks
When you’re on a roll, it can be tempting to postpone your breaks to get your work done as fast as possible, but this might be hurting your productivity. You’re giving your body undue stress and making yourself more vulnerable to burnout soon than you would on a more regulated schedule.
If you feel too overwhelmed, consider taking a 10 to 15-minute break. If you don’t have a break schedule already made for you, try creating your own. This can even help you fight boredom or lack of motivation when you know you have a break to look forward to.
Analyze When You’re Most Productive
Earlier, we discussed that the earlier you start, the better when working. However, it’s not wise to pigeonhole every person because not all of us were born to be early birds. If you find that starting work at the crack of dawn is doing less for your productivity than you’d like, then maybe it’s time to embrace the fact that you’re more of a night owl.
Whatever the case may be, next time you’re working, take note of the hours where you’re the most productive. This will give you a starting-off point to slowly begin adapting to your new schedule. When you make these changes, check-in with yourself. How do you feel? Are you getting more done?
Manage Your Stress Levels
You’re not doing yourself any favors if you don’t take care of yourself first. Being a productive worker is great to a certain extent, but avoiding stress signals in your body will only lead you to feel bad and get less done.
Remember to reward yourself for a job well done, take your breaks, and learn to say no. Saying “no” when you’re genuinely unable to take any more work on is vital to keeping yourself sane, and giving yourself future you the bandwidth for a proper work-life balance.
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