Isn’t it amazing how much some people can accomplish each day? We all have the same 24-hours, yet some struggle to cross anything off their to-do list while others cross things off left and right. If you’re struggling with productivity, these 6 tips can help.
1. Block time for your 2-minute tasks
There is a time management/task management strategy that says if any tasks take less than two minutes to complete, you should do it right away. While there is a good principle in that strategy, it could derail your day if you tried to follow it 100%. So instead, try blocking time in your calendar to batch all of your two-minute tasks together.
For example, reserve a 30-minute chunk of time on your calendar to knock out 15 small tasks quickly. It’s easy to let these small tasks pile up because they seem “easy enough” to accomplish, but it’s also easy not to get them done.
2. Make better food choices
When the afternoon slump hits, it’s easy to go for another cup of coffee, piece of chocolate, or that birthday cake sitting in the break room, but resist the urge. When we snack on sweets or rely on coffee or energy drinks, we’re likelier to experience a sugar crash afterward. Instead, work on choosing healthy foods to give you the energy you need throughout the day. The best options may look a little different for everyone, but try to get in a healthy mix of the food groups. Try bringing your lunch from home if you’re working in the office, so you’re not tempted to hit the fast-food line or make other poor choices.
3. Automate tasks
Technology should make your life easier, not harder. Many people have allowed tech to steal more of their time and place more demands on their day, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Technology has created some incredible ways to make life and business easier, so take advantage of them.
Look for apps and software that allows you to automate more of your tasks. For example, CRMs can help automate parts of your sales processes. Zapier can help automate many different parts of your workflow. And there is tech to help automate parts of customer service too. Look for solutions to the tasks you find yourself doing repetitively.
4. Batch similar tasks
It takes time to get in the flow when working on a task, which means you waste a little time every time you switch tasks. Batching similar tasks and doing them at once allows you to save that precious time, and it really adds up. Schedule all your meetings for the same day. Establish a couple of days of the week when you package and ship products. Set aside time to return all phone calls instead of spreading this throughout the day. Group similar tasks together and do them all at once.
5. Have 15-minute meetings
We won’t go into too much detail here because we’ve discussed it in the past, but 15-minute meetings can transform productivity levels. If you follow our suggested format, you waste less time during meetings, and they allow you to know where your team stands. You can answer any questions they have or provide any necessary resources they need to complete projects.
6. Declutter and organize your work environment (physical and digital)
It’s that time of year when spring cleaning is on our minds. There is a lot to be said for decluttering and organizing your workspace. You work faster when you know where to find everything you need and don’t have to sift through stacks of papers and files. The same is true for your digital files. Create systems that will apply to your physical and digital files. When using the same system for both, you save time when working.
Decluttering is also good for your mental health and can help alleviate stress at work. At the end of each day, spend a few minutes tidying up your desk or workspace, so it’s ready for you to be productive when you show up the following day.
How the SPEARity™ app helps boost productivity
We’ve designed the SPEARity™ app to help individuals and teams be more productive and achieve goals. The dashboard helps you set and work toward goals. The to-do categories help prioritize goals that move the needle forward. And the team function allows leaders to ensure staff has the resources they need to be successful. You can schedule a demo today to see how the SPEARity™ app can improve productivity in your business.
