What is the secret behind productive work days? Is it a long to-do list or a litre of coffee to keep you going? Is it focusing on getting more things done?
Tony Wong, a project management and productivity expert shared some secrets behind a truly productive day. Here are some tips which could help you accomplish more during the day:
Start your day by focusing on yourself.
Instead of checking your phone for missed calls or texts upon waking up, why don’t you keep still for a moment and be thankful for another day of life? Forget about those emails first and prepare a hearty breakfast which you could eat before heading to the office. You can turn on the radio as well and listen to your favourite music while taking a shower. Focusing on yourself at the start of the day will de-clutter your mind, making you feel so renewed and reinvigorated.
Establish a system of doing things.
Creating a system or process of doing things helps you accomplish more. For instance, instead of checking and responding to long emails all morning, why don’t you allot 15 minutes of your time in the morning, and another 15 minutes in the afternoon for email-related tasks? Or if you need to be updated with current events, schedule the reading of newspapers or journals as well. With a system, you get to have a guide of doing things.
Do the harder tasks earlier in the day.
Instead of procrastinating, deal with the difficult tasks when your brain is still fresh. Take advantage of your “invigorated feeling” by finishing the harder tasks first. Save the “easier tasks” for the afternoon, when your energy levels have already dropped.
Follow the 80/20 rule.
Eliminate the things which don’t really contribute to the accomplishment of your goals for the day. Most of the time, a lot of things you do have minimal effects on your productivity. Learn how to identify those things so that you could focus on the 20% which produces 80% of the results.
Take breaks.
A smart worker takes breaks. Give your brain some resting time by standing up, walking around for a while and grabbing some snacks. This way, you get to clear your head and recharge yourself, thereby achieving greater efficiency.
With this list, it can be seen that being good on yourself and ‘doing less for more’ are actually the keys to productivity. Don’t abuse yourself while working and learn how to identify the really important tasks. Don’t be overwhelmed by the tyranny of the urgent and always remember to work smart. Do these things so that you can accomplish more and get some sense of fulfillment at the end of the day.