How to be Productive at Work

Are you ever working at your desk and can’t seem to focus on one task? Or, lose track of time and realize you didn’t work on that one press release your boss needs by the end of the day? Or your coworker finishes the same project in half the amount of time and can’t seem to figure out why it takes you so much time? Have meetings back-to-back, but need to write and publish three different marketing deliverables within 30 minutes of free time? Maybe it’s the way you set up your day? Going into work with no game plan may be your downfall. However, taking time to prep your day may help you remain productive.

Here are some tips to prep your day for successful productivity:

1. Schedule your Have-to's first

Whatever type of scheduling method you use (digital or handwritten), schedule your top priority items first. These include team meetings that have been already scheduled and projects/deliverables that are due at the end of the day or week. However, take into account the length you think or wish to work on these projects within your schedule.

2. Schedule your Can-do's Next

After the Have-to’s are accounted for, schedule your secondary projects or tasks that you can do in the free time you have. Secondary items can include tasks that can be done over time, such as long-term projects that span over time and coincide with quarterly goals. Only schedule these items if your schedule allows it. Always prioritize your Have-to’s first.

3. Adjust your Schedule Throughout the Day

Don’t schedule things too tightly. Emergency meetings, meal breaks, and even collaboration on coworkers’ projects happen, and you need to be able to add that time in each day. Jobs nowadays don’t consist of sitting at your desk all day and working independently. This generation is all about collaboration, so don’t assume you have all the time in the world to work on your own projects.

4. Pick an Organization Tool that Suits your Needs

There’s an infinite amount of organizational tools you can use to keep yourself on track. Here are a few to get you started:

Google Calendar

Many companies use Google Drive to store and share files, so why not use Google Calendar to schedule meetings with one another, block out time to work on personal tasks so others can’t book you, or even use it for time management. For example, if I need to write a press release that needs to go out by the end of the day, I will block out an hour during my day to write it. A great thing about the Google Suite, is all you have to do is log into your Google account regardless of the computer you're using.

Google Tasks

If you’re using Google Calendar, you can connect Google Tasks to your calendar page. This tool allows you to make different lists that consists of different tasks that can be scheduled based on time and date, along with subtasks. Once you schedule a Task, it shows up on your GCal. When you finish the task, you check it off as Completed. I like to use Tasks for smaller items that usually take one or two actions to complete and do not require more than 15 - 30 minutes to complete.

Slack

Slack is a great communication tool for companies big or small. This instant messaging software allows team members to post in a public channel and private messages. It’s much more effective than emails. Slack notifications allows team members to see a message or post instantly, whereas emails are only noticed if the window is opened. Instead of cc'ing people, you can tag names, just like you would on social media to get someone’s undivided attention to a specific thread.

Asana

Asana is created and owned by the same company of Slack, but Asana is a project management tool. This can be useful to track the progress on projects, which team member is in charge of each step of the project, and when you wish the final product to be finished. You can also comment with concerns, questions, and advice for each step of the way.

Virtual Sticky Notes

Some people like the physical sticky notes on their desk, but those who do not want the clutter of them, but still want their usefulness, can use apps that create digital notes right on your computer. Apple computers already come with Sticky Notes that can be color coordinated, but there are other apps such as Post-It Notes for desktop or Memo for iOS, which opens like a notepad and then saves each note as a sticky note to your desktop. You can use sticky notes to remind yourself of meetings, information, projects that needs to get done, etc. Since they are virtual, they save to your computer and you never have to worry about losing the paper.

Harvest

Harvest is another time management tool that tracks the time it takes for each task you’re working on. Just hit the timer whenever you start a new task and you can get a better idea of how long it takes you to complete an assignment. You can analyze your time to see if it’s taking you too long to do a specific task. That way, you can challenge yourself to complete the same task in a shorter amount of time.

The Power of Handwriting

If these tech-savvy programs are not what you’re into, than opt for handwriting your schedule and tasks. Grab a planner, notebook or sticky notes and divide your day up using the tips explained above. Make a list with Have-to’s and a separate list with Can-do’s. Remember to still jot down the time you think it will take to complete each task. Just remember to stick to those times. If you feel you need more time then continue to adjust your schedule.

No matter what tool you use to manage your time, as long as you understand which tasks are Have-to’s and Can-do’s, you will increase your productivity and amount of deliverables you complete. With a better grasp on time management, you won't feel as flustered every time you start your day and will learn to reduce your stress of getting work done.