Work Smarter

#1: Combine to-do-list and schedule

Always so much to do and so little time. It seems impossible to get everything on your To-Do list done within a five-day workweek. Elevate that stress by scheduling out your To-Do list. Schedule a realistic time for each assignment and include breaks to keep your mind fresh. It will give you a sense of progress with no time wasted on trying to multi-task or worrying about the next assignment.

#2: Plan tomorrow and your next step

“Where was I?” Getting lost in an assignment makes it seem like there is no end to the task.

To save time, try planning your next step before it happens; every time you pause an assignment, make a note to yourself for what to do next. Do this at the end of every day and you will see a difference in the amount of time you’ll save, and more assignments will be completed.

#3: Track bad habits and make them difficult

We all have our bad habits at work, and we all know that we need to stop them. Getting sidetracked by checking social media is the easiest way to lose time. The solution: turn the notification off or put your phone away completely. Once you eliminate preventable distractions, you’ll complete more tasks and save more time. Then, when you can, take a break and catch up on what you missed.

#4: Communicate clearly

You missed one piece of information in the meeting, and now you must chase your co-worker down to get clarification. Or, maybe you did the assignment, but it was incorrect. Listening carefully and speaking clearly effective ways to maintain office communication. When writing emails or speaking with coworkers, stay on topic and prioritize tasks. Keep questions short and precise, so you don’t go off-topic. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you're unsure of what to do. It's better to ask now than wait until it's too late.

#5: Take good breaks

Did you really take a break? Or did you spend it replying to emails sitting at your desk? Breaks are necessary to recharge your brain and get your body moving. Take a short walk outside with co-workers or get up for a cup of water and do some stretches. Getting your blood flowing will not only help your body, but it will also keep your mind fresh and ready to take on new challenging tasks.

#6: Do not multitask - instead: focus!

Losing focus at work? Can’t seem to stay on one task at a time? An unorganized workspace can represent the mind; cluttered and unable to focus on one thing at a time. Take a moment to look around your desk and see where you can organize and clean up. Then, complete one task at a time; so, you don’t lose track and recreate the clutter you just cleared up. You’ll have more completed assignments and a well-stocked workspace.

#7: Get through the difficult tasks first

Got an important and time-consuming project on the calendar? Are you post-poning it if you can? Making it become increasing urgent? With proper time management, difficult tasks become less intimidating and easier to handle. Take time to schedule and structure your day so that difficult tasks are handled in time, and smaller tasks aren’t left behind.