Top Tips to Staying Productive

Posted on August 2016 By Speller International
Top Tips To Staying Productive

​ Being organised and disciplined is the key to being productive. Imagine how productive you would be if you could maintain that sort of concentration level every day. Here are a few strategies you can try.

Put the Pressure on

It’s amazing how the pressure of a deadline can focus the mind. Distractions are easily ignored. The task at hand is all that matters. Put time limits on tasks and manage the tasks accordingly. You will also be surprised how much you can fit into your day!

The quick fix

When that deadline looms you might have strategies you put in place to help keep you on track.

  • You could you turn off your phone (or even better, hide it from view).

  • Don’t open your emails and instead set aside a time to address them.

  • Shut your office door or move to a quiet space away from others.

  • If you’re really in need of a pick me up, ply yourself with coffee or cold water!

It’s great to have high impact strategies, but you can’t apply them all day every day… you’d go crazy!

Start the day right

Your working day actually starts the night before. To be productive your body needs rest – no espresso before bed, no late night fridge binge and no excessive drinking.

In the morning, have breakfast. If can manage it, get in some exercise – even a brisk walk to the train station will help get your blood pumping and clear the mind.

Work with purpose

When you sit down at your desk, work out your game plan for the day. Or even better, do it before leaving work the day before. Set aside times in your day to get certain tasks done, and always plan to tackle more tedious or complex tasks in the morning when your head is clear and your mind is fresh. Make sure that anything that MUST be completed that day actually gets done.

Minimise distractions

The constant bombardment of emails can be a distraction. You can try setting up email ‘rules’ so that messages from certain people are automatically moved to separate folders. Or try establishing a ‘high priority’ folder for emails that relate to your immediate project – then allocate a time in the day when you check them.

If you manage a team, arrange times when they can come and talk to you without it being an interruption to your concentration. Obviously there will always be unforeseeable circumstances when this is impossible, but if generally accepted guidelines are in place you will be interrupted less often.

Reset when necessary

Take a break every so often to clear your mind and refresh your thoughts. Get up from the desk and move around; make a cuppa, walk around the block, or just enjoy a 3 minute daydream. A break can work wonders to keep you focused and productive.

The best rule of all…

Take your holidays in the year! Don’t save them up! If you work in a highly stressful environment, you need a break in the year to be productive. Even if you don’t go away, you can relax at home getting things done and re-charging

When you’re working productively you’re a valuable asset to your company, so it’s in your best interests to be as productive as possible. Try a few of these strategies and you may be surprised at how much more you get done – and how much more valued you become!