How you use the first moments of your day sets the tone for the rest of your waking hours. While hitting the snooze button for an extra 20 minutes of rest is certainly needed sometimes, on the flip side, that’s nearly half an hour of time you’ve lost to tackle the tasks ahead of you. Twenty-four hours—well, subtract a proper amount of sleep and we’re at 16 hours—is all we get to make the most out of each day. Are you using your time in the most efficient way possible?
Below, we’re breaking down eight ways to be more productive throughout the day and to ensure your daily routine sets you up for success. Rise and shine and waste no time with our helpful tips.
• If an email chain exceeds 10 back-and-forth exchanges without actionable insight, consider picking up the phone to move the project and conversation along quicker. Inefficient communication is a waste of everyone’s time.
• Throughout your day, track how long it takes to complete tasks so you know where to properly spend your time.
• Block out time to answer emails (with no distractions).
• Delegate when you can—maybe this means getting your groceries delivered every other month to save time, or handing off projects to someone more junior than you, or even staffing up your team if you’re truly overwhelmed by your workload. Friendly reminder, it’s OK to ask for help when you need it.
• Complete priority tasks before noon. If something has a hard deadline or a quick turnaround date, be sure to focus on those projects before you dive into your inbox. There’s nothing more stressful than knowing people are waiting on assets or a deliverable from you.
• If you feel yourself getting sidetracked, step away from your computer or desk and take a brief break to refill your water. On your walk back to your workstation, remind yourself what needs to be completed for the day.
• Check in on your posture. When you sit with your shoulders pulled back and core engaged, you not only burn more calories, you also display more confidence, which will reflect in the quality of your work.
• Figure out your go-to outfit combination. The fewer choices you have to make during the day (even something as menial as what to wear in the morning), the more energy you’ll save to spend on important decision-making solutions.
The content provided in this article is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice and consultation, including professional medical advice and consultation; it is provided with the understanding that Poosh, LLC (“Poosh”) is not engaged in the provision or rendering of medical advice or services. You understand and agree that Poosh shall not be liable for any claim, loss, or damage arising out of the use of, or reliance upon any content or information in the article.
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