Being more efficient or productive during the day means we get more things done in a shorter time. Who would not want that! In another post I explained why Multitasking is not helping us to become more productive. But what DOES boost our productivity? I have put together 10 good work habits for a productive work day.
1. Establish To Do Lists and prioritize
This helps you to see at one glance what you have to do, which tasks are important and which ones can wait or even be delegated. Should you treat Quick Wins first? There are tasks that can be done with low effort and in short time. According to David Allen whatever can be done within 2 minutes should be done immediately. This makes sense, however if you exclusively apply this technique every day you might end up doing lots of quick wins but never getting to the big projects.
Ensure you are prioritizing based on the importance of the tasks and not only based on how fast you can complete them. Here also comes the Eisenhower Matrix into play that helps you to not forget about long-term priorities. A good mix of quick wins and working on important long-term goals is probably the right solution.
2. Planning
Especially when we are talking about mid- or long-term goals or projects, it is important to implement a proper planning. Cut those larger goals down into smaller tasks and milestones so you are sure to stay on track and not push them too far. For daily task planning, it makes sense to block your calendar with the tasks you want to get done to ensure you really reserve time for the different items.
3. Adapt to your working preferences
Whenever you have the possibility, adapt to how you work best. When you can organize your work yourself, ensure to take your preferences into account. Are you most efficient when working from home without being disturbed or do you prefer the bustle of the busy office where you can ask for your colleague’s input while having a cup of coffee? Do you prefer getting up early to get things done or do you rather sleep a little longer because your brain just needs a good long rest to get up to speed in the mornings? Do you prefer to work with your headset on and listening to music or do you need absolute silence to concentrate? Think about when you obtain the best results and try to stick to those routines whenever possible.
4. Communicate efficiently
Does this sound familiar to you? Ping-pong emails going back and forth, possibly with a big distribution list (and probably you don’t know half of the names), misunderstandings and everybody throwing in another opinion (possibly off-topic) … and you don’t get anywhere close to a decision. Best is to reduce the distribution list to the people that really HAVE to be in there and if the topic seems complex or sensitive, or you see it is ending in a discussion, it might make sense to set up a call instead of having a never-ending email chain.
Also important: Write your mails in a clear way so people understand what you need from them AND read thoroughly the emails you receive. There is nothing more annoying than people asking the exact same questions that you already answered in the mail you just sent them.
5. Reduce calls and meetings
When setting up calls or meetings, think twice how much time you should reserve and whom to invite. Be sure to have a clear agenda so people know what is expected from them and if they need to come prepared. If required, be sure to send out meeting minutes afterwards so everybody is clear about the discussed topics and any To Dos. In case you are invited to a meeting you are not sure is relevant for you, ask the organizer beforehand if your attendance is really required and don’t be shy to direct them to the right people if you feel you are not the right person to join.
Also: Try to be on time for meetings. We all agree there can be circumstances that prevent you from joining on time but try to show your respect to the other participants by connecting for the start of the meeting as otherwise you might miss out important points or the meeting might take longer than scheduled.
6. Avoid distractions
We all know that from the homeoffice: Postman is knocking on the door, a friend sends a message, the laundry has to be done … but even at the office there are lots of distractions: people walking by and stopping for a chat, colleagues talking loud on the phone, … Whenever possible, try to avoid those distractions. When it helps you concentrate, put on headphones to listen to some music. Try to get the work that needs most focus done when you have an environment that allows you to concentrate (for example early in the morning when office is not too busy, when you are home with small kids when they are taking a nap…). Put your smartphone away (whenever possible). And, an advice that I really love is to do a “distraction list”, meaning whenever you have a thought that pops into your mind when you are trying to concentrate (for example that you need to call a friend for her birthday or that you need to buy some ingredients for dinner), note it down so you can get back to it later and continue focusing on your work.
7. Have breaks and avoid overtime
Sounds counterproductive, right? Still, experts have found that having short breaks actually allows your brain to refresh and be more efficient. The more time you work without relaxing for some minutes and the longer hours you work, the less efficient you become and the more mistakes you are bound to make. This does not mean that you should have a 15-minute-coffee-break every hour, but getting up from time to time, stretching, taking the eyes from the screen or taking a short walk outside can help to increase creativity and concentration.
8. Disconnect and rest at night
It is not only necessary to take breaks during the work day but also to disconnect once you leave the (home)office. Try not to think of work problems outside of working hours. Do sports, meet friends, play with the kids, whatever helps you to relax.
Also, try to get enough sleep. Most adults need seven to eight hours sleep per night to be fully productive the next day. Trust me, I know how it is to cope with sleep-deprivation, as a Mum of 2 I have been dealing with this for years. However, whenever they let you, try to get as much sleep as possible. If you have trouble disconnecting, you can try different things like yoga or mindfulness. There are also different natural products like RINGANAisi that can help you relax more easily.
9. Learn to say No
Are you one of those people that always take on additional tasks when asked, no matter if you are already completely overloaded? Think twice. While it is great volunteering or offering help when you can afford it, your goal should not be to continuously take on additional work when you actually do not have the bandwidth to cope with it. Think whether your expertise is really needed, if there is somebody else that could help out or simply set the right expectations with your stakeholders by letting them know when you will have time to look at the task.
10. Get help
Whether this means delegating tasks that don’t necessarily have to be done by yourself or asking a colleague how a system or process works, don’t be shy to get help from a person that has the needed knowledge. This can save you hours (believe me!) and if you are working in a friendly environment people are usually quite happy to help out!
Did you get any new ideas? Not everything might be right for everybody. Simply try out what works best for you. Do you have any other tips or tricks what helps you concentrate and be more efficient? Share it in the comments!
