Are you hitting a productivity block in your daily work?
Do you find you are being pulled from pillar to post with various requests that you hadn’t accounted for?
In this article, we explore different ways to prevent your productivity being hampered, leaving you to end your day feeling a sense of accomplishment instead of overwhelmed by the number of tasks that you didn’t manage to cross off your ‘To-Do list’.
Switch Off Email
If you are working on a tight deadline, switch off your email so you are not distracted. It will still be there in an hour, giving you plenty of time to respond in good time.
Don't open up your emails unless you have time to respond. Otherwise you will end up reading the email, coming back to it later, reading it again, and then replying. By only reading emails when you have time to respond to them, you'll save time because you won't have to re-read the same email
Schedule YOU Time
With pulls on your time from all angles, it’s easy to find your diary over flowing with meeting requests. Schedule YOU time in your diary to get important tasks completed so that other people are unable to schedule meetings for this time.
Have A Clock In Front Of You
Sometimes we get engrossed in our work and don't realise how much time we are spending on it. Having a big clock in front of you keeps you aware of the time and allows you to accurately assess how much time a particular task takes so that you are better prepared in future.
Most people underestimate the time when it comes to activities and that makes it easier to run out of time!
Set A Timer
Set a timer for 25 minutes and work uninterrupted during that time frame (that includes switching off social media, phone and emails). You'll be surprised just how much you can get done in such a short amount of time.
Take Regular Breaks
Following on from the previous tip, after each 25 minutes of uninterrupted work, take a 5 minute break. I know it seems like it’s the last thing you should be doing when you are run off your feet, but taking regular breaks helps to keep you focussed, reduces fatigue and boredom.
Make Meetings Count
If someone has requested a meeting ask yourself ‘Does this really need to be a meeting or will an email or phone call be enough? If a meeting is needed, make them count.
Meetings are often booked for a longer period than actually necessary and even if it only takes 40 minutes, if the meeting has been booked for 60 minutes, the likelihood is that you still won’t get out of it until the 60 minutes is up. Stick to an agenda and a realistic time limit.
Know Your Project Deadlines
Know when your project deadlines are by marking on a calendar. Then assess the actions needed to complete the project with timelines so that you can set reminders to complete each action and keep you on track.
Use Your Calendar Properly
Use your calendar properly. Everything should go on your calendar – email time, social media time, thinking time, publishing time, everything. If it doesn't get scheduled, it doesn't get done!
Focus On Your Strengths
Focus on what you are good at and don't waste time trying to learn every different aspect of your business. Find other experts to help you with that. Outsourcing particular activities can save you time and money in the long run.
Plan Your Week Ahead
Plan your week ahead on a Friday and make sure it is all set up in your diary with reminder pop ups. That way you can relax over the weekend and you are ready to go on Monday morning.
Your Time Is Limited
Stop doing stuff that isn't valuable. It’s easy to get caught up in the mundane activities that an assistant could do for half the cost. Your time is a limited resource and you should spend time on activities that bring in more money and customers.
Be Self-aware
Take time to become self-aware of how you work at your best. Know when your mind is at its sharpest and work on your hardest tasks then.
We’ve covered 12 of the best ways to prevent the Productivity Block. Can you think of any others that have worked for you? We would love to hear them in the comments below.
If you are looking to offload some of your admin tasks so that you can focus on your strengths and valuing your time, then we are here to help. If you would like to find out how we can ease the daily paperwork burden, call Lyn on 01329 481202 or click on the ‘Request Call Back’ button below.
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