Being able to get more done isn’t a matter of having more time, it correlates to how well you use the time you’ve got. Doing 2 hours of highly productive work is better than 5 hours of procrastination and weak effort to complete things well.
Set goals for the day
Understanding what has to get done during the day can give your workday structure and purpose. Having a completed list of to-dos at the end of the day is also a fulfilling accomplishment, so keeping a list of goals is a great way to make sure everything important gets taken care of. Waking up to defined goals for the day will help you jump straight into work without spending time gathering data, trying to remember what has to be done, etc.
Prepare the night before
Prepare your set of goals for the next day the evening before. You should do as much as you can to prepare for the next day during the evenings to avoid decision fatigue, which happens as you make more and more decisions throughout the day. Deciding on your outfit, meals and goals the evening before frees up your time and brainpower to focus on work tasks at hand and get more done efficiently.
Do high priority tasks in the morning
Everyone has a different circadian rhythm, but your mornings set the tone for productivity throughout the entire day. Getting your big tasks out of the way in the morning ensures the most important things get done and paves the way for a smoother day ahead. Mark Twain said “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” The same applies to work; get the worst or most high-level priorities over with and the rest of the day will be easier.
Get things right the first time
There’s nothing that wastes time and effort than doing a poor job and having to go back and fix errors. The best way to save time and be more productive overall is to make sure you complete tasks properly, with high-quality work, the first time you do them. Completing a job quickly but poorly is inefficient, as it will cost time and effort later down the road.
Track your time
Last but not least, track how you spend your time in order to get more done. Understanding how you spend time, where you spend it, and when you’re most productive will help you get more done in your workday, more efficiently and more effectively.
Your turn
What are your tips for getting more work done and increasing productivity throughout the day? Let us know in the comments below.
About the Author: Jocelyn Pick
