6 Hacks to Improving Your Productivity
If you want to work smarter, not harder this year, then make this year your most productive yet. Your intentions may have been interrupted by your work routine. You probably find yourself playing online casino with the Caesars casino bonus code.
The biggest mistakes you can make is to use your time for activities that don’t require your time or attention.
To prevent you from making these mistakes, here are six ways to boost your productivity.
Use the 15-Minute Rule
The first thing you should do is create a schedule that follows the 15-minute rule. You should schedule your entire workday into 15-minute chunks. If you work an 8-hour shift, you will need 32, 15-minute work chunks.
A 10-hour workday will give you 40, 15-minute work chunks.
Fifteen minutes gives you plenty of time to focus and get things done during the day. When you have an upcoming conference call, meeting, or project that typically takes hours, you should start at 15 minutes into the hour and end it on the hour.
If you need 60 minutes, you can get work done in 45 minutes or in three, 15-minute work chunks. This keeps you on top of your work and gives you an extra 15 minutes to focus on something else on your to-do list.
Work Until You’re Done
Working on something when you’re done is a time-waster that most professionals face. Instead, work until you’re done. When you’re done, you’re done. There’s no need to continue the project. Once you worked on it during one of your 15-minute work chunks, you can learn something from it and move on.
Remove Distractions
Removing distractions from your life is a great way to increase your productivity. One way to handle distractions is to be effective. If your boss or client keeps asking you questions, simply let them know that you’re trying to get work done. Find out if there’s anything else they need to tell you before you get your work done underway.
If you have a question for your boss but don’t want to caught up in a long-winded conversion, contact your boss a few minutes before the hour. Let them know that you have a demanding project or meeting on the hour and you don’t have time for idle chit-chat. There’s no need to be rude, but you need to be firm with them.
Call Attention to Verbs
Create your to-do list around verbs such as call, draft, prepare, review, and schedule. Each of these tasks can be completed in one sitting and allows you to focus on an even larger task. If you have other verbs on your to-do list such as create, discuss, implement, or plan, replace them with action steps that help you break them down into smaller goals. This can help reduce feelings of overwhelm.
Get Prepared for Bonus Time
If you’re experiencing downtime, this is a good time to get caught up on work. Don’t despair the next time your flight has been delayed or your doctor’s appointment is running longer than it should. If you can bring your work with you, you have the chance of tackling it during these impromptu times. This is a great time to catch up on a phone call or e-mail, or to draft a plan or review a proposal.
Use E-Mail Shortcuts
If you have a smartphone, you can create shortcuts for e-mail. There are several keyboard shortcuts that allow you effectively respond to e-mails. One shortcut called “OL” allows you to populate an entire e-mail with a response to a simple question. These shortcuts are available for both Android and iPhone users and tutorials are available on the Internet.
These shortcuts can save you time from responding to countless e-mails. You can use them to write answers to some of the most common questions that people ask you. It also saves you time from searching your e-mails and copying and pasting the response into the draft.
