Whether you work from home, in an office, or have a hybrid arrangement, the need to be productive is the one true constant. Check out the following tips and incorporate them into your daily practice!
1/Maintain a designated workspace, even if you do not have an office. It is a good idea to set boundaries so your mind knows when to be in work mode versus off the clock mode.
2/Have a daily routine. Having a daily schedule is beneficial, especially in our current nontraditional work era.
3/Go out for a walk. When you start feeling the slump of the day, take a break and get some fresh air.
4/Don’t just manage your time, manage your energy too. Decide who and what to engage with, no matter where you are.
5/Exercise. Prioritize your physical health so you are capable of showing up in all the spaces you need to be in.
6/Maintain a master list. Think of it like an all-encompassing to-do list where you track your short- and long-term goals.
7/Each day, commit to some important tasks. Based on the master list, determine the vital few tasks you need to get done every day.
8/Make your list SMART. In order to know how much progress you are making towards the completion of your master list, the tasks/goals need to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.
9/Use time blocking in your schedule. Use a digital or paperback planner in order to allocate your time strategically.
10/Set regular working hours. Employing a start and stop time for work every day empowers you to get the most done in a finite amount of time so you can close the computer and recharge for the next day.
11/Remember your why at all times. Whether you work in Corporate America or own a business, make sure you feel a purpose when you show up every day. You work at least 40 hours every week, so you should not feel miserable at the thought of going to work.
12/Establish startup + shut-down practices. Find the routine that works for you to kick off your day (i.e. recite your daily mantra, meditate, etc.) and wind down your day (i.e. create tomorrow’s important task list, etc.).
13/Implement systems to avoid wasting time. Own your calendar so you can maximize your time every week, i.e., determine which days each week will contain no meetings, etc.
14/Just keep moving. Even if you are tempted to procrastinate, avoid that practice at all costs. Keep working towards your goals, even when you are in a funk, and the excitement will eventually come back!
15/Beat procrastination by thinking of your future-self. You can also avoid the urge to procrastinate by thinking of where you will be once you accomplish the tasks at hand.
16/Use Do Not Disturb whenever possible. Most smart phones have a DND function, so use it strategically (personally, my mobile phone is on DND 10pm-10am seven days a week). When the digital solution is not available, use a physical sign outside your door/work space.
17/Schedule ME TIME regularly. Aim to block out at least a couple of hours each week where you are unphased by everyone and use that time exactly how you see fit or how you need to.
18/Take regular breaks. No matter where you work, you can forget to stop for lunch or a bio break. Even if you take a 5-minute walk around the parking lot or a quick trip to the kitchen to get a cup of tea, walk away at least once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
19/Find an accountability partner. If you are someone who needs an extra push to stay on track, reach out to someone you trust and ask them if they can hold you accountable. They can send you a text once a week, call you on Monday mornings, etc. to ensure you are doing what you need to do.
20/Avoid doing non-work tasks during your work time. As tempting as it is to respond to that social media ping, resist the urge because every time you give a few seconds to a Twitter or Facebook alert, infinite scrolling can occur.
21/Establish a specific cadence to devote to checking email. Based on your work activities, reviewing messages may not be possible for the majority of your day. In order to maintain your sanity and be good at your job, schedule time when you can fully focus on emails.
22/Implement noise-cancelling devices. If you are easily distracted or you work in a loud environment, find a good pair of headphones or earbuds to drown out unwanted noise so you can fully focus on your tasks.
23/Use automation to block unproductive distractions while you work. Let your smart phone be smart for you so you can work smarter, not harder every day.
24/Tap into your maximum productivity zone. Whether you are an early riser or a night owl, schedule tasks that require 110% of your energy/creativity during those hours.
25/Turn off all alerts on your phone and computer. Unless you are waiting on a life-altering notification, strategically silence alerts on all of your devices when you need to really get important work done.
26/Be unapologetically YOU at all times. Trying to be like someone else or tone down your personality takes energy and can be exhausting, which also leads to unproductivity. As Oscar Wilde stated, “Be yourself because everyone else is already taken!”
Do you find any of these productivity concepts challenging? If so, please complete this New Client Questionnaire and schedule time with Evans Efficiency Experts so we can get to know each other AND determine how we can best work together as soon as possible! If you do not personally or professionally need our services, please forward this message to someone – an entrepreneur, a non-profit organization trailblazer, or a for-profit corporation leader – in your network who you think will benefit from an introduction.