By Dlx Admin | Office | 0 Comments
It’s not really about the feel of the Monday morning drag or the anticipation of the nearing Friday afternoon. It’s a matter of brushing off the hovering dark clouds above you, and break away from broodingly walking into the office like the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders. In other words, making most of the hours in between can really be a challenge at the office. Whether we admit it or not, we do tend to procrastinate or labor in an overly stretched daydream. Below are simple ways help you stay focused and increase productivity throughout the day—but stay committed!
Strive to be at your desk at least 15 minutes early to jot down all tasks that need to be completed by the end of the day. Start off with the most important at the top. And stick to it. This should help you keep track of your work and the time allocation. The trick is to not get too detailed or you’ll only get frustrated. You get into the specifics only when there’s one major task to do.
Next move? Frenzy hour! Consume the first one hour to cover as much work as you can. Ideally, the top three should be accomplished. Turn off all notifications and avoid your email inbox, social media, phone, and just get the ball rolling straight away. This pumps up your mood and once you’ve accomplished something in the first hour, that sense of fulfillment should continue to fuel throughout the rest of the day.
Date: | |||
Task | Category | Priority | Status |
1. Update financial database | Internal | High | Completed |
2. Temple mailing lists | Internal | High | Completed |
3. Respond to requests | External | High | |
4. Arrange an appointment with Mr. ABC | External | Medium |
Hang on to sanity by tidying up your inbox especially if you are dealing with numerous email correspondence on a daily basis. Label folders, make use of filters, and endeavor to have a zero inbox as much as possible by the end of the day.
Don’t press the panic button just yet! Put on those headphones and listen to music. Music can help you set the mood to get into the “work zone”, or pulls you back in when you feel that your thoughts already starts to wander somewhere else. Listening to music on headphones can also tune you out from distracting noises in the office without having to snap out at everyone. Make a corresponding playlist for every agendum. This might give you an idea how to set your own:
Classical | Writing/drafting |
Movie soundtracks (instrumental) | Creative thinking |
Upbeat songs for running | Start a task |
Refrain from glancing at your phone. Keep it out of sight or out of reach like inside your table drawer or in the locker. Deal with personal matters during break or lunch to accomplish whatever is expected from you. If you have to deal with urgent matters, do it outside your workstation. It takes discipline but it’s not that really hard to do once you break away from the habit.
Ever heard of the adage “A cluttered desk is a cluttered mind”? There might be a bit of truth in it. Some companies with an office space Cebu or around the country observe this practice of keeping the interiors simple and clean. The environment is stripped down to its essentials only. You see, when you don’t have distractions, you get to focus on the task at hand. Sure, we want to put some trinkets and stuff on the desk to loosen up the pressure but having only the things you need makes you stay focus for as long as possible. Keep your workstation clean and free of clutter except for a pen and paper perhaps.
Here’s a bonus. Prepare your work clothes and things to bring the night before to help you accomplish Step 1.