Do you ever feel as though there are days at work when you don’t actually get anything done? By the time you’ve made your third cup of coffee, surfed Facebook, responded to some Tweets, had a meeting with a client, and had your lunch, it’s already the end of the day and your to-do list is now double the size it was when you got to the office.
With only 168 hours a week to juggle your work life, health, and social life – while getting enough sleep – it’s no wonder we all feel as though there is never enough time. So how is it possible to be productive in a world of distractions?
Here are a few tips to increase your work productivity and build concentration while managing distractions as opposed to unrealistically aiming to eliminate them…
Redesign your morning
When your alarm goes off, what do you do? Press snooze a couple of times and start the day trying to catch up on time? Starting the day, the right way (for you as an individual) makes a huge difference to productivity and mental health. Your willpower is at its strongest in the morning and therefore it is the best time to exercise, clear your inbox, scroll through positive social media feeds, and make a healthy breakfast (and even prepare for dinner). Plus, a productive morning gives you a head start on everyone else.
Create a workday strategy
First, you need to identify which tasks are urgent or don’t contribute to your long-term vision. Then you need to stop and think about what’s not working or negatively impacts your productivity (e.g., having Facebook open throughout the day). Then write your plan down either with a pen and paper or electronically and execute that plan.
Work more efficiently
Contrary to popular opinion working fewer hours throughout the day can actually increase your productivity as it forces you to be as productive as possible in fewer hours. Often, the more time we have for work the more time we have for procrastination and distraction.
Be ruthless with your priorities
Remember less is more! A great way to increase productivity and focus is to discern what is essential then eliminate everything that is not. It is only by investing your time into things that truly matter you will achieve anything great.
Take breaks to socialise
Thinking to yourself, “If I skip my lunch break, I will be more productive” is in fact counter intuitive. Taking regular breaks to chat with colleagues and get some fresh air is a great way to pause when you are feeling stuck. While chatting to colleagues they may offer advice on how to overcome what is making you feel stuck.
Breathe
As silly as it sounds – always remember to breathe. When under a lot of work stress, it’s very easy to shift to short and shallow breaths that cloud the mind, increase the heart rate, and increase anxiety. Therefore, taking notice of your breath and taking a 5 minute break to do nothing but breathe is a great way to power through any work stress.
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