I need to more productive, but there aren’t enough hours in the working day!
It’s a common cry. Everyone from sole traders and entrepreneurs, through to busy execs and company directors, at some point feels the pressure to get more done in the day. And anyone who works for themselves understands the fear of losing productivity due to tiredness, inefficiency and stress.
But the trick to defeating the doldrums and using your time more productively and efficiently, isn’t just about getting up earlier, or working later, or plying yourself with evermore cups of coffee. It’s about doing the right things at the right times and in the right places, to make your energy and self-control last as long as possible through the day.
Here’s five easy steps you can take to help you get the most from your working day.
Eat breakfast
No, seriously, eat breakfast! Forget those people who boast about being too busy for breakfast. It’s not the 1980’s anymore! Eating a decent breakfast puts you on the front foot. It kicks off your metabolism, which means that you are more likely to function better and quicker, giving you energy, improving short-term memory and helping you to concentrate for longer periods.
On top of this, people who eat breakfast are less likely to be obese, they have more stable blood-sugar levels and they tend to be less hungry over the course of the day.
At Ourworx, breakfast is included and available every day. So you don’t need to worry about being missing out on the most important meal of the day.
Start the day with a tidy day
Have the same order of events each day when you get into the office. It might be a pain to begin by clearing the clutter off your desk, but it helps you concentrate.
It’s the same with your email inbox, and social media accounts. Prioritise the backlog. Knock out quick responses and referrals, so other people can start working on tasks. Then schedule any of the bigger tasks and delete the stuff that isn’t valuable or important.
You can also try writing first thing in the morning to warm up your brain and clear out the cluttered thoughts.
Prioritise those daily goals
Sometimes you can’t have a productive day because you just don’t know where to start. Having some specific daily goals helps. It gives confidence, and a feeling of control.
Prioritise your goals based on importance and urgency. Then narrow your goals down to a few achievable ones that can easily be broken down into steps. Don’t be vague with your goals either, it’s counter-productive. Always include how you are going to achieve each goal – “I’m going to finish this presentation by writing it in four sections and spending no longer than an hour on it.” Now, you have a way to achieve it, which will help you get things done.
Keep to your timings
If you have your goals prioritised, and made sure they are time bound, stick to the timing! It’s so easy to get carried away with a task, and then run over, with the result that everything else in your day becomes a rush.
Meetings can be the biggest time wasters and can ruin an otherwise productive day. A simple meeting can drag on forever if you let it, so make sure you have a schedule and goal for each meeting, then stick to it. If you inform everyone attending your meeting what the schedule is, it will motivate them to be more focused and efficient. Keep your meetings on time and your entire day will stay on track.
Ourworx delivers the support you need
At Ourworx, we do our best to make sure your work day is always productive. From the inclusive breakfast, free tea and coffee, well appointed office space, business lounge and inclusive meeting room booking, we provide everything you need to keep you work day productive and on track.
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