Being able to get the most out of your working day is important.
Why?
Well, nothing feels better than having a productive day… no matter what your job entails.
Here are four tips to make the most of your working day.
Create a Schedule
A schedule can be helpful in making sure you get everything done that needs doing for the day. If you’re relying on everything being stored in your head, then you’re going to need a pretty good memory in order to do it. It’s always best to get anything that comes to mind written down. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Capture everything, regret nothing.
When you get a task out of your head and into somewhere you can refer to later, you can schedule each task into a specific time frame – perhaps even aligning those tasks with specific days or times of days (both examples of “theming your time”). That way, you’re ensuring you get things done but also that you’re doing them within a reasonable time that will allow you to move onto the next task. There are plenty of ways that you can create a schedule, whether it’s simply writing it down in a paper planner – such as Productivityist’s own FREE Daily Driver downloadable planning sheets – or using a task management platform like Todoist, Asana, or the multitude of other option s available..
Do the Hard Tasks First
No one likes doing the more complicated work, but it needs to get done. So why not do it first?
Whether you have to figure out a design for a new toy – like some Kettering students did recently – or you’re having to plan out a big project brief, get the things done that are going to be challenging for you. There’s a lot of satisfaction that can come from getting those hard tasks done first because that leaves you with the rest of the day to do the easier stuff – or if you’re a night owl like me, the stuff that you can make happen with the highest level of energy and attention you’ve got during your day.
It’s always good to be able to end the day on a positive note, rather than having slogged in work for the final few hours on something you didn’t want to do and were avoiding.
Take Regular Breaks
Taking regular breaks is critically important. We all need to reset our batteries and step away from the work that we’re doing. It can get boring and monotonous for some tasks, so having a break from the work can certainly help with your productivity.
Assess what you’re doing right now with your current break periods. If you’re eating lunch at your desk, change that. You need to spend time away from your working environment and allow yourself to enjoy a bit of time for yourself, however long you have available.
Have a Positive Mental Attitude
A positive mental attitude is something that is going to help keep you going throughout the day, even if you’ve woken up on a Tuesday and you’re really not feeling it.
Put things into perspective and get excited about what your working day could do for you in your career both now and in the future. Keep yourself positive with your outlook as much as possible and you might find that you make the day a little more productive than you would have if you wallowed in negativity.
Making the most out of your day can be done very simply by adding the tips above to your arsenal. Take regular breaks when you can, do the hard tasks first, and stay positive. Make those things happen and your productivity – and your future self – will reap the rewards.
