How to Make the Most of Your Time at Work
It’s Monday morning and with coffee in hand you round the corner to your desk. “SURPRISE!”- the work you left from the previous Friday is still there.
You already know what projects have to be completed by when and who is going to be reprimanding you if they don’t get done. Now the only question you have left to answer is how are you going to do it?
Try out the 5 simple tips as you work through your to-do list and you will find that you will actually start making a dent and keep the boss happy!
1. Turn off your phone
If you don’t need your cell phone for business purposes, then stow it deep in your drawer and don’t look back.
The waves of notifications flooding your phone screen will do little (and by that I mean “nothing”) to help keep you focused on the tasks at hand.
Brad won’t mind that the 207th picture of his new dog doesn’t receive your “like” until 5:00, but your boss will certainly mind if you miss the 5:00 deadline.
2. Focus on the important items first
Important items don’t always mean urgent items. Focus on the items that are vital first so that you can return to other, less-important items later when you have time.
In other words, simply attend to the tasks that require the most attention. Everything else will fall into place.
3. Take a break. Actually, take multiple breaks.
Most offices have break rooms, so use them! Get up and take a stroll, eat an apple, or even do a dance.
If you work non-stop, you will only end up feeling burnt out. Take the time to reset your mind so that you won’t be “over it” with half of the project left to complete.
4. Just say, “No.”
Unless you’re the rare breed who enjoys living in a world of constant stress, then don’t be afraid to utilize the word “no”.
If you are asked to take on another project, check to see if you can manage the additional workload before you commit to it.
By explaining how the different project might suffer if you were to take on something else, most managers will be understanding and delegate it to another team member who has the time.
5. Know when you’re going to leave
Often, when employees think about times to “clock out” for the day, they only have two times in mind: the time that they could leave and the time that they should leave.
The problem with this mentality is that you have not given yourself any hard deadlines to complete your tasks for the day. This flexibility may result in working at a slower pace throughout the day knowing that you can finish it after hours.
By setting a pre-determined time when you will leave, you will be motivated to stay focused all day and finish your work at a reasonable time.
Have some more tips on how to be more efficient? Leave us a comment and let us know!
