There are many of us who feel a 24 hour day isn’t enough. Why is that? One of the main reasons is bad time management. Here are 5 productivity tips which will help you deliver your best within the best time.
#1 Prioritise: Though we use this word many times in our lives when it comes to practising it, we always somehow fail miserably. Jason Goldberg, the CEO of one of the top tech-enabled lifestyle product companies, Fab.com says, “Pick one thing and do that one thing and only that one thing better than anyone else ever could.” If we got to give our best, then we need the best in respect of time and energy, and somehow we fail to realise this when we take up work and so always end up biting more than we can chew. Even when it comes to doing day to day activities, we need to identify the most important task and work on that first, and subsequently move on to lesser important tasks. This way we use just the right time & energy for the right task.
#2 Don’t give in to distractions: When machines started doing some of our work we rejoiced as that meant we could invest less time & energy in manual/menial jobs and focus more of time & energy on things that matter. But seems like technology in many forms nver seems to stop fascinating us and has become one of the most addictive distractions. Allocate screen time and stick to that. Smartphones have the capacity to steal time and they do it well, so make sure you set aside time for phone calls, emails or screen time of any kind.
#3 Avoid office meetings as much as possible: Meetings take up most of our time and though we plan our agenda and allocate fixed time, somehow we end up stretch meetings indefinitely. Many founders & entrepreneurs are today realising that meetings are not key to meaningful work. Less is more-go with that attitude and give your employees uninterrupted work time which allows them to finish maximum work in minimum time. Technology has made communication easy, and so sitting across the table and discussing things physically can be avoided. So, next time you fix a meeting think, “Do we really need to have this meeting?”
** To know about how interruptions at work harm productivity watch Founder & CEO of Basecamp Jason Fried’s, Why Work Doesn’t Happen At Work. **
#4 Set up work rituals: Good systems & processes increase productivity-online tools & platforms which help manage & organise clients details or work. Set communication directives that every department need to follow to make sure everyone’s is always on the same page or make it mandatory to use certain automated tools for internal & external communication.
#5 Start your day early: This can be a herculean task for many people but you can always set an example. Employees who start their day early are less likely to be frustrated at work. They get time for themselves & their family, which increases their happiness index, and if they’re happy their productivity is more. In the long run, an early start will ensure physical & mental wellness and of course productivity!
