Easy ways to add structure to your day
From the moment we are born, we enter a routine: eat, sleep, wash, repeat. As time goes on, these routines adapt, but even though ‘routine’ itself becomes almost instinct-like, our productivity can still suffer.
Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your time in the office or wherever you call ‘work’.
Allocate time
You may find that breaking up your day into time slots helps you define a purpose for each portion and, therefore, pushes you to complete the task at hand. This can be done through either separating your mornings and afternoons for different kinds of work or allocating each hour to a specific task. Whatever you do, plan your day first thing in the morning so you know exactly how your day should go.
Take short breaks
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that teaches you to “work with time, not against it”. By using a timer (usually one shaped like a tomato, hence the name ‘pomodoro’), the technique teaches you to break down work into blocks, usually by 25 minutes at a time, with each being separated by small breaks. The idea is to avoid burnout by working for too long, eliminate distractions by giving yourself short breaks and create a better work/life balance by enhancing your productivity at work.
Comfort is key
Feeling comfortable in your own skin is empowering, and what you wear influences how you feel, both physically and mentally. Some jobs have strict dress codes, but if you can find a way to adapt your outfit to something a little more ‘you’, then you might feel more at ease and therefore more productive.
Treat yourself
For some people, simply getting through tasks and crossing things off their list isn’t satisfactory enough when powering through work - sometimes we need a little bit more. If you can afford to, consider treating yourself at the end of the day, or week, or even per task. It doesn’t need to be anything huge. If bribery is what gets you through the day, then so be it.
The power of ‘no’
Sometimes a heavy workload just comes with the job, but even so, you should really look into what is piling up and decide if that’s really your job or not. If you can delegate, do so, and if assignments or tasks keep coming your way that you probably won’t get to, or perhaps you think someone else would do a better job of, then say so. The power of ‘no’ can sometimes be bigger than the power of ‘yes’.
No time to waste
Arguments over a four-day work week have had a neat little place on business blogs and news reports for a while now, but despite the well-put reasoning around “less time equals more productivity,” they haven’t quite caught on yet. There are certain sectors that these conditions work really well for, but unfortunately, not for all. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t adopt the idea behind it to work for yourself. It’s pretty straightforward to understand that the less time you have, the less you will waste, so give yourself shorter time slots to do each task, and you might find yourself speeding up and knocking jobs out the door.
Set the scene
A little technique that some chefs use to organise their stations before getting to work is called “mise en place”, or “putting in place”. Laying out your “tools” for the job before you start sets you up for success, as everything you need is to hand, saving time and clearing mental fuzz.
Create a visible plan
Having a visual aid for the work you have ahead of you not only kicks your butt into getting things done as it stares you in the face, but it also acts as a clear guideline of everything you need to do. Just like various studying techniques, drawing out a list of tasks helps clear your mind as you can focus on one thing at a time without trying to remember everything else.
Concentrate on the task at hand
We all have various ways of working, but jumping from one task to another without completion can create mental fuzz and stagnate our work. Focus your energy on one task at a time, and you might find it helps you get through things quicker.
Start small
One way of easing yourself into the day is by focussing on smaller tasks first.
By doing this, you don’t have to worry about small housekeeping tasks between larger tasks, removing distractions and allowing you to be efficient with your time. Also, if you start making headway through easier tasks first, it means you don’t spend time thinking about how large or daunting the next task might be – it’s psychological really.