If you want to be as productive as possible, you must be extremely skillful at time management. This is a field where anyone can achieve. All you need is a basic understanding of how to plan your time:
- Make a to-do list for each day. Each morning, make a list of priorities (tasks that must be accomplished immediately, on the same day or can wait more) and projects on which you can spend a little more time. Making a new to-do list every morning allows you to refocus your priorities each day, allowing you to balance your workday and allocate time to both short and long-term activities. You might want to make such a list before going to bed. It’s entirely up to you.
- Make an appointment with yourself to check your email. Ignoring email management tactics is not an option for many jobs. You can’t, though, let your email take over your life. Plan to check your email once every hour if you have a task that will take at least two hours. This way, you can keep track of any messages that require immediate response and save others to read later once your project is completed. Using an email organizer is another excellent alternative. Except for writing and sending responses, this type of software can accomplish practically everything related to sorting and cleaning emails.
- Apply the two-minute rule. Take a look at your to-do list after you’ve organized your day and see if there are any tasks that can be completed in two minutes or less. Procrastination is a major source of lost productivity. If you continue to promote the project, you will find yourself thinking about it even when you are not working. Perhaps taking notes from the prior day’s meeting will suffice. It may not be your favorite task, but if it can be accomplished swiftly, do so right now.
- Use software to simplify your digital life. There are a huge amount of apps that can help you in all possible fields. Depending on the sphere of your work you can choose those that will help you the best. For example, if you deal a lot with the marketing, you can use email verification services for validation of the email addresses. It’s a mandatory procedure, but doing it manually will take too much of your precious time.
- Make a schedule for checking social media. Resist the urge to spend the entire day on social media, watching your channels. This will just distract you from the task at hand. Instead, schedule a daily check of your social media accounts. You can, for example, check your Instagram and Facebook sites during your lunch break. Don’t let these activities fill up time that you could spend more profitably.
- Turn off the notifications on your phone. It’s easy to get sucked into the maelstrom with constant notifications on both your phone and your computer when you have a scheduled day that includes time to check social media.
- Remember to take a few deep breaths or meditate every now and then. To focus and think about your day and plans, start your day with a healthy dosage of pre-workday meditation. Each morning, set aside at least five minutes to clear your mind and prepare for the day. Also, find an empty office, close your eyes, and just breathe when you’re stressed. You’ll return to your table feeling revitalized, at ease, and more prepared for the day ahead.
