How to organise your working day: 15 useful activities to improve productivity
You arrive at the end of the day completely exhausted, after very long hours at work that proved to be totally unproductive. Do you think that work is the problem? That you are not cut out for your role? Are you on the verge of burn-out?
Have you ever considered that perhaps a better organisation of the day could produce different results?
But how to organise your working day? Not everyone has a multi-tasking spirit. And probably even those who are in multi-tasking mode should change their strategy.
The best tactic is to be well organised to complete your tasks in a smart way.
Find out how in our article!
1. Keeping your workplace in order
Get rid of clutter, unnecessary items and extra paperwork, Post-It notes, staplers, tape and the classic cup full of 50 pens. Make room only for your computer, your e-mail box, your telephone and your to-do list. Your workplace must provide space for you to work efficiently and efficiently.
2. Draw up a digital to-do list
Why a digital to-do list? You are probably fond of your paper to-do list? But how many times have you risked losing it? And once it has filled up with commitments, how difficult does it become to look for a specific task?
A digital list allows you to search specifically: an undeniable advantage over the paper version.
For instance, if you see one of your co-workers arriving at the office, you can type his name into your digital agenda and the tasks you need to talk to him about will immediately appear.
Another situation: you have some free time left over, type the word call into your diary, immediately the list of calls you need to make will appear, thus utilising idle time in a smart way.
3. Carve out 15 minutes at the end of each working day
No, those last 15 minutes at the end of the working day are not for doing yoga exercises before going out. They are to prepare you for another successful day for the following day.
The last 15 minutes of the day are for you to tidy up your workplace:
- file your documents,
- return used items to the corresponding offices,
- think about recycling recyclables or taking care of the rubbish if it is your turn,
- rewrite your to-do list.
This way, you will be able to arrive at work the next morning with a tidy work area and a guideline for the new working day.
4. Schedule time to be well organised
Do not wait until the end of the day to organise everything. If you do, you may need more than 15 minutes to get on track for the next day. During the day, even 10 minutes can make a difference.
So add time to your agenda to organise your working day. When you schedule lunch and meetings, you go, right? Do the same for the organisation time you have to devote each day. Downloading your digital to-do list to your mobile phone can allow you to constantly check where you are in your daily roadmap.
5. Put routine tasks on autopilot
Every job has projects that are repeated at the same time every year and every job has small tasks that have to be managed weekly and monthly. Do not change the internal mechanisms every time you tackle a project that has the same similarities.
In this case, automation tools can be your best friend: prescribed thank-you mails to customers that you can copy and paste will save you valuable time that you can devote to more difficult tasks. If your work is focused on social media, there are software tools you can use to post automatically. Just research the tools that will help you the most and use them as soon as possible.
6. Have a little chat with your colleagues
Having a little chat with your colleagues is also a smart way to start your day at work. Try to share each other's goal and also the critical points that need to be handled on that particular day. This will also motivate your colleagues to work as a team and face various challenges together. So, starting the day with these motivating and friendly talks is the perfect way to banish all worries.
7. Check your inbox but no distractions
You should not get into the habit of checking your e-mail box as soon as you arrive at work, because it can distract you from your goal. According to scientific studies, it has been found that people start watching funny videos, stocks and news headlines rather than checking e-mails. Even if you go through your inbox, make sure you only answer urgent e-mails. You should also not check your inbox too often, but get into the habit of checking no more than three or four times a day.
8. Build a specific routine
Building a routine is also highly recommended to spend the day at work in an organised way. By building a routine, you will not have to make regular decisions on what has to be done next. All your tasks will be completed properly.
9. Set a specific time period to complete a task
You need to make a plan to complete a task within a specific time period. This will help you accomplish the task throughout the day according to your schedule. You can also use unique tools to track your activities in the office. By setting a timer, you will be able to complete a vital part of a specific project in a short period of time. Although this sounds simple, it is highly beneficial for increasing productivity in the workplace.
10. Tackling complicated tasks in the first half of the morning
There are many people who believe that the brain works at its maximum capacity during the morning. So, make sure you start your day at work with the most complicated tasks and try to solve them creatively. You will be able to deal with challenges efficiently during the first half of the morning.
11. Give yourself a small reward after handling a difficult task
Make sure you motivate yourself by giving yourself small rewards after completing a complicated and complex situation at work. For example, make sure you take a coffee or tea break after having a meeting with a difficult customer. You can also have a chat with your colleagues to refresh your mind.
12. Be prepared for interruptions
Even if you have set a time frame, something can go wrong and ruin your schedule. So you must always be prepared to face interruptions.
For example, if you plan to complete a specific task by 09:00 - 09:30 and then start the next task from 09:45, you may find yourself a bit at a loss. Therefore, it is advisable to be prepared for everything and anticipate that not everything will meet the deadlines of your schedule.
13. Don't neglect breaks
Even though it may be one of the busiest days in the workplace, make sure you take a break of a certain length. Spending some time away from the workplace will help you gain a high level of energy to tackle a problem or issue with a different approach. It will also increase your productivity in the workplace.
14. Make sure you use the right resources
Looking for new resources every day to solve or complete a specific task is just a waste of time. It is rather wise to stick to employing a particular resource that works best for the task of the day. This will not only save time, but will also help you to complete your routine work effectively.
15. Get help from your colleagues
Are there many goals you have to realise today? Are you wondering whether you will be able to complete each task in a timely manner? Then it will certainly be beneficial for you to get help from your colleagues. Make sure you look for the right resources in your workplace to achieve your goal effectively.
These are some of the vital points you must follow to realise your goal in the workplace. You must always remember that proper planning is extremely important to improve your productivity. No matter what you are about to achieve, make sure you implement your resources in the best possible way. You must also be aware to manage your time fruitfully and thus achieve your goal efficiently.
Let us know in the comments if you were able to adapt these tips to achieve success in your professional life.
Article translated from Italian