4 Tweaks To Super-Charge Your Productivity At Work

There’s a meeting at 10, that looming deadline at 12.30, the report you need to file at 3pm and a conference call at 5pm, not to mention a billion emails to reply to, and you haven’t a clue how you’re going to fit it all in. First step: stop and breathe. You’ve got this. Here are four easy tweaks to whizz through your workload and get it all done.

Plan it

Ever been told “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”? Well, it’s true. Productive peeps have lists galore and keep to a daily time plan to ensure they get everything done – just ask our editor Kirstie; she jots everything down to stay super organised. The lesson? Know exactly what you need to do and when you’re going to do it. Write a daily schedule for all the tasks you need to complete, and remember to allow yourself a little leeway for the unexpected things that will inevitably crop up.

Take a break

Shutting off for five minutes probably feels like the last thing you wanna do when there’s a gazillion things on your to do list, but the human brain can only retain focus on one topic for about 90 minutes. We’re not suggesting you run off to get a fresh cup of coffee every hour, but fit in a quick goss with your work wife or a speedy stroll around the block when you can. It’ll nix stress and boost your concentration, meaning you’ll get stacks more done.

Do one thing but do it well

Multi-tasking might seem like you’re being mega productive, but if you’re jumping back and forth from one thing to another, it really just means you’re busy getting nothing done. The fix? Concentrate on one project at a time. You’ll feel less stressed and more focused on the task at hand. Bonus: Once it’s done you can cross another item off your to do list. Huzzah!

Keep a notebook

Completed one task only to remember lots more you need to get done? Write it down. Trying to remember all the things you need to do is a major energy zap. Every time a new to-do pops into your head, grab your notebook and add it to your list, along with a rough idea of when you intend to get it done. You’ll feel less stressed knowing that you’ve accounted for everything that needs to be completed.

And if you’re still really stressed?

Talk to your boss. Chances are they know a thing or two about time management, and will have a stack of advice for the best way to utilise your time at the office.

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