Make a To-Do List
When you have a busy day ahead and at the start of the day, you find yourself procrastinating, pull out your phone or your diary to make a to-do list. If you don’t want to write it down just sketch it in your mind.
Think of what is the first thing you should do and what to do after that and after that. Be creative and find ways to accomplish each task faster and better. Faster does not mean poor.
You have to give yourself enough time to do everything perfectly. If you have to cook and the food takes 30 minutes or 40 minutes, plan on doing something in the meanwhile such as making a call or organizing the kitchen shelves that you are planning to get done today. Incorporate achievable tasks in the to-do list and keep the goals realistic.
Declutter Your Workspace
You cannot be productive in a workspace that still has scattered crumbs from the last meal and the plates are lying around. Declutter the workspace and get rid of the stuff you do not need. Before you begin to work, get rid of anything that might stop you from concentrating.
The physical environment in which we work affects our productivity. You may not be able to change your cabin or room at work, but you are surely able to clean and arrange the desk you are working on. Always take a few minutes to clean up space.
Switch Tasks to Relax Your Brain
The brain never rests, it is constantly busy even when we sleep. To relax your brain switch tasks. If you have been working at an office presentation for the past 4 hours, take a break and go for a walk or do your laundry. A 20- or 30-minute switch can help increase your productivity at work.
Our muscles also get tired of doing the same things over and over again or staying in one pose for too long. If your body begins to feel tired, do some physical activity to reenergize.
Ask for Help
If you are like me, you probably don’t ask others for help. We can spend an hour trying to figure out a way to format an excel file but won’t lower our pride to ask someone else. Some tasks can be very simple, especially if you can get help and save yourself from spending hours doing them by yourself. Next time you are struggling to get something done, ask a colleague or a friend to help you.
