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It can feel as though there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. Use these smart tips to reclaim your working time. Work doesn’t have to be so intense that you can’t take a lunch break if you manage your time better.
Give tasks your undivided attention
Human attention is a limited resource. When you try to focus on multiple things at once, you are less able to absorb the detail of all the things you are trying to do. When you’re working on a project, attending a meeting, or on a phone call, limit other distractions, especially email, social media, and the internet. Focus only on the task, whether that’s drafting a newsletter, looking for bog mats for sale, or updating a client. You will get things done more quickly, and be better able to contribute to discussions or learn valuable information. Learning to focus your attention on one task or person at a time can enhance your productivity.
With more people working remotely now, there’s more option to flex your hours to suit your working preferences and lifestyle. If you prefer to get things done first thing in the morning, adjust your working hours to suit that, and start earlier if you can. If you’re more of a night owl, who is most productive later on, see if you can start work a little later and finish a little later. If you’re based in an office, if you adjust your hours, you might also be able to avoid more distractions and be even more productive.
The daily commute is one of the biggest causes of wasted time for most workers. Many people have longer commutes than ever before. As well as being a waste of time, sitting on the train or in traffic for hours every week, the commute can also be a source of stress, and can also be a significant cost for many people. Every minute you spend traveling to work can have a negative impact on your job satisfaction and mental health. Whether you work remotely more often or try to change jobs to something closer to home, try to cut back on your commute as much as you can.
When you have got a lot on your plate and a lot to get done, it’s a smart idea to let technology take over as much of the effort as you can. You can do things like setting up rules to filter your email inbox or automate tasks that take up a lot of time through HR software. If you already have some digital tools, spend some time exploring them to make sure you’re using them to the fullest or checking to see if there are more advanced solutions available on the market that could make a big difference to your workload. Automation can be a very effective time-saver for many tasks.
Give tasks your undivided attention
Human attention is a limited resource. When you try to focus on multiple things at once, you are less able to absorb the detail of all the things you are trying to do. When you’re working on a project, attending a meeting, or on a phone call, limit other distractions, especially email, social media, and the internet. Focus only on the task, whether that’s drafting a newsletter, looking for bog mats for sale, or updating a client. You will get things done more quickly, and be better able to contribute to discussions or learn valuable information. Learning to focus your attention on one task or person at a time can enhance your productivity.
Adjust your working hours
With more people working remotely now, there’s more option to flex your hours to suit your working preferences and lifestyle. If you prefer to get things done first thing in the morning, adjust your working hours to suit that, and start earlier if you can. If you’re more of a night owl, who is most productive later on, see if you can start work a little later and finish a little later. If you’re based in an office, if you adjust your hours, you might also be able to avoid more distractions and be even more productive.
Cut down on your commute
The daily commute is one of the biggest causes of wasted time for most workers. Many people have longer commutes than ever before. As well as being a waste of time, sitting on the train or in traffic for hours every week, the commute can also be a source of stress, and can also be a significant cost for many people. Every minute you spend traveling to work can have a negative impact on your job satisfaction and mental health. Whether you work remotely more often or try to change jobs to something closer to home, try to cut back on your commute as much as you can.
Automate as many tasks as you can
When you have got a lot on your plate and a lot to get done, it’s a smart idea to let technology take over as much of the effort as you can. You can do things like setting up rules to filter your email inbox or automate tasks that take up a lot of time through HR software. If you already have some digital tools, spend some time exploring them to make sure you’re using them to the fullest or checking to see if there are more advanced solutions available on the market that could make a big difference to your workload. Automation can be a very effective time-saver for many tasks.