Are you finding that it is becoming extremely difficult to focus during the workday? While you may begin the day with an organized to do list, goals, and plans to get projects done, you are finding that you are easily getting distracted by other things, or just flat out procrastinating.
Overall, when it comes to productivity during the workday, everyone is totally different in what motivates them and what keeps them on track. While each person has their own unique, personal way that they stay organized and focus on time management, we have pulled together some easy tips that you can implement into your daily schedule to stay as productive as possible.
Check out these tips for your workday:
Keep a to do list.
First, make sure that you are keeping a to do list of everything that needs to get done each workday and throughout your week. This is important to ensure that you do not let anything fall off your plate and that you are staying on top of all your assigned tasks.
By keeping a to do list, you are also able to check off or cross out projects that are completed, which will help you to visually see what you have left to complete each day and will help you to manage your time appropriately.
Take some breaks.
One of the keys to being productive is ensuring that you are not burning yourself out. If you are working around the clock or have a full 8-hour workday with no breaks, you will very quickly burn out which will lead to exhaustion. Make sure that throughout the day you are taking some small breaks to take a walk, refill your water, grab lunch, or just relax and recharge.
If you are finding it difficult to make the time to take small breaks, consider blocking some small chunks of time on your calendar so you are able to hold yourself accountable to these breaks.
Focus on one project at a time.
If you have a long list of projects that are piling up, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed to the point where you do not even know where to begin. Take a look at all your projects and their deadlines and assess what needs to be done first.
Once you assess what takes priority, focus on one project at a time, which will help you to stay focused and cross items off your list. If you are finding that all your projects have the same or similar deadlines, try focusing on the more time-consuming projects first, that way you can knock out the smaller ones afterwards.
Delegate when necessary.
Productivity is not possible if you are drowning in work, and if you have too much on your plate, you will very quickly let things pile up to the point where you are not able to catch up. If you have a bunch of tasks on your to-do list that you are not sure you will be able to get to in time, try delegating with your co-workers or specific team members as long as they do not need you to complete the task.
Delegating is also very important if you are in a managerial role so that you are giving your employees a chance to learn the ropes!
Limit interruptions and distractions.
Do your best to limit interruptions and distractions as best as you can. If you know you must complete a project, try setting your smartphone on “Do Not Disturb” mode so that you will not be distracted or interrupted by any phone calls, messages, or social media notifications.
Whether you work better in an environment that is completely silent, or with some music in the background, place yourself in an area where you know you will be focused.