More productive in 2013
It's important to organize your day around your body's natural rhythms. Tackle complex tasks when your energy's at its highest level. For many this may mean first thing in the morning, after you've rested and eaten. Save low-intensity, routine tasks for periods when you're energy regularly dips, like late afternoon. Everyone is different, so it's important to understand your own timetables, she says.
Ways to make your workday more productive is not that difficult, if you use common sense.
1 Have a task list for the day
So why do so many of us skip this step? In my case, it’s because I think I’ll remember everything I need to do. But it’s so easy to get distracted by to-do that sometimes the old ones slip through the cracks. (My particular worst was forgetting to sign and return a report that was due at the end of the day. Oops.)
2. Prioritize list
Everything on your list needs to get done.” But in my case, I find it very helpful. I sometimes have a tendency to assume everything is created equal; but “submit final edit of article” is a more important task than “file receipts for the month.” A priority list helps me remember that.
3. Establish Routine a good idea
Our brains are wired to be very good at executing patterns. Establishing routines around the way you carry out regular tasks makes you more efficient and productive. For example, creating email rules to automate checking email, responding to routine requests and archiving emails. You may create a similar routine for opening, reading and filing physical documents. In the same way, stick to set routines for starting and completing new projects or delegating tasks to others.
4. Maximize your most efficient times of the day
Are you a night owl or a morning person? It pays to know when you feel most motivated and energized, because that’s when you should be tackling the big stuff. Save the stuff that requires less mental energy, such as the aforementioned filing task, for when you’re operating more on autopilot.
5. Get fresh air one or two times a day (breaks)
It’s easy to stay tied to your desk all day and find yourself spiraling into periods of boredom and inefficiency. If your wheels are starting to spin in the mental mud, take a few minutes and go for a walk, preferably outside. Or even grab your laptop and head to a coffee shop (or an empty conference room) for a bit. A change of scene can work wonders.
6. Batch and bulk-process similar tasks (one work at a time)
I’m conducting an e-mail experiment right now in which I’m checking my inbox (and responding to e-mail) only a few times a day. I’m hoping this’ll make me more productive and less prone to distractions. Whether it’s doing administrative tasks, catching up on correspondence, or processing invoices, try to save all the small jobs up and do them all at once during a dedicated time period.
7. Create six Minute task List
When you don't have the energy to start a major task or you find your energy waning, Tate suggests using a six-minute list: A to-do list of easy, low-intensity tasks that you can do in less than five minutes. It might be an internet search, printing out and sorting documents, or light research. Whatever it means for you, the five-minute list can help you be productive even during the times you have difficulty concentrating.
8. Avoid Multi-Tasking
One thing the brain is not good at is multi-tasking, or switching rapidly between tasks. Nothing gets your full attention and you’re more likely to forget things. Instead, it’s better to focus on one item at a time.
9. Do a Daily Brain Dump
Try eliminating "popcorn brain"--the incessant popping of ideas and to dos into your thoughts--by doing a brain dump, where you empty the contents of your brain by writing down all the myriad thoughts, ideas and errands that pop up. Just focus on getting them all out and then connect the dots later, she says.
10. Make your routine work more Fun
One of the reasons people often procrastinate is that they find a task boring and have trouble motivating themselves to do it. But those tasks still need to get done. Making the routine work more fun, perhaps by listening to music or trying a new environment. Have your team meeting in the park or during lunch, for example.
