I stumbled across these in The Week! magazine, it's a nice list of tips so I thought I'd share my thoughts on them...
1. Use spreadsheets for lists of things you need to do!
Personally I use TWO sheets, one is for constant changeable items with two tabs....
- the classic daily to do list
- the lower priority but pending over the next month list.
- to buy this month list
- income and expenditure.
Then more perennial lists...
- generic shopping lists
- books to read
- travel lists (things to take with you)
- etc....
2. Create a first things list...
Break larger tasks down into smaller chunks and find the ones you can do immediately, start here, and start ticking them off early on in the day!
3. Map your working days....
Make a note of when you're more focused and more sluggish during the day.
Allocate more complex and brain-intensive tasks to when you're most alert, and more mundane tasks to when you're feeling more sluggish. For me, that means the end of the day for mundane tasks.
4. If you don't need it, work without the internet...
Many working tasks simply don't require you to be online, so keep only those apps open you need, if you are researching online, try to keep windows to a minimum!
5. Try the Ponderoo method...
Work solidly for 25 minutes, then take a 5 minute break. If 25 minutes feels too long, then start with a shorter period!
6. Try if>then thinking.... For example 'if I don't go to the gym, I'll do a 10 minute workout at home'. This helps you when your days are rammed full, and is a useful method to keep everything ticking over!
Productivity tips final thoughts...
It's something we should all be thinking about. I mean, when you are working, it makes sense to crack on with it and power through rather than idling in a distracted state!
May as well make the best use of your working time, so then you've got more free-time, potentially, or more working time, it's up to you!
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