How can you change up your work routine in order to get more tasks done during the day? If you have felt yourself slipping into distractions at the workplace, here are 4 ideas to help you have a productive, happy day at work.
Use a site blocker
Avoid the temptation of going on websites that are time sinks. Use a site blocker to block these websites for a small duration of time. Do a short amount of research to find one that works for you and use it to help yourself ease away from these time drains more and more each day.
Take a Break
Just because you have grown up doesn’t mean you don’t need a short recess. When your mind feels fogged up, go for a walk around your office building. If you need to really get your heart pumping find a way to do a short workout. You’ll find yourself more awake and alert when you come back to your desk, which is much better than sitting at your desk for hours struggling to get through any amount of work.
Only 3 Tasks
When starting work for the day, set aside time to fully plan out your day with a small to-do list. Keep your main tasks to only 3 for the day. This will help you stay focused and avoid feeling overwhelmed. This simple practice also prevents you from wasting time trying to figure out what to do.
Small Task Limit
Small tasks will appear throughout the day. Suddenly you might have an influx of emails hit your inbox, or someone may come to you with a seemingly small task. Set your limits. If the task will take over two minutes to complete, then say no or add it to your larger to-do list but add it to the bottom.
We recently wrote another post detailing how to deal with email and administrative tasks while remaining productive.
As a quick takeaway, remember to avoid temptation. Social media services can be great for connecting with others, but you may quickly find yourself mindlessly scrolling through waves of updates. Go for a walk, get some air and stretch your legs. Do not overwhelm yourself with a to-do list of a hundred items; limit yourself to 3 main tasks a day. Lastly, if anything comes up during the day, evaluate how much time it’s going to take away from your primary tasks before taking it on for the day.
