Do you ever feel that you’re wasting a lot of your time at work and hoping to supercharge your productivity? Here are 5 hacks to help you become more productive at work:
Write Down Your Daily Priorities
There’s power in physically writing out what you need to accomplish in a given day. When you get into the office, make a list of the five (or less) things you need to complete before you can go home. By placing that list somewhere you can see it throughout the day, you’ll be constantly reminded of your priorities and you’ll be less likely to get distracted.
Limit Checking Email
Even if communicating via email is a huge part of your job, if you’re constantly checking it or popping in and out of your inbox, you’re actually being very inefficient with your time. When you read and respond to new emails while also trying to do something else, you’re multitasking and reducing your ability to do either task efficiently.
To fix this, simply set a few dedicated times throughout the day to answer your email. Productivity experts recommend avoiding answering emails first thing in the morning and to check it 2-4 times a day, giving yourself only a set amount of time to read and respond.
Get a Standing Desk
Scientists around the world are warning us, as many studies have shown, that sitting for extended periods of time is bad for our health. But, thankfully, making a simple switch like getting a standing desk is a great way to keep moving throughout the day.
Not only will you have the ability to keep moving, but this New York Times article asserts that using a standing desk even makes you smarter. How’s that for a work productivity boost?
Turn Off Distractions
This is no secret, but it is the most ignored advice given by work productivity experts: turn off all distractions. Remove all of the notifications on your phone, computer, and watch, unless they’re absolutely necessary. If social media is a big distraction to you, you can download programs like Self Control or other time management apps to block you from checking those sites for designated amounts of time.
Simplify Your Environment
If the environment in which you work, whether it’s your own cubicle or your desk in a large office, is covered in memos, notes, mail, old papers, and more, the mess is going to end up distracting you more than you may realize. Clutter actually causes the brain to feel a higher level of stress and causes anxiety. Take a half day, if you need it, to shred and throw out whatever you don’t need. Make sure you have access to the things you use on a regular basis and scan or file away everything else.
