Being productive at work requires you to be organised and to implement structure to your day. It is about “being focused and getting through the most important items” in order to meet the deadlines and achieve the objectives of your role.
In order to help you tackle your workload, we have put together a few tips on how to structure your workday effectively.
5 easy steps to a more productive workday:
- 1. Plan your day
- It is important to start your day with a clear idea of what your priorities and main goals are. Therefore, make sure you organise your workday based on the tasks that need to be done, the timeframe needed and allocate the most productive time of the day to these projects.
- Quick tip: As your energy level is usually at its highest at the start of your day it is best to focus on the most important tasks and projects in the morning as they require your full attention.
- 2. Organise your emails
- Nowadays we receive more and more emails and it is easy to get distracted from our key activities. It is therefore essential to manage your email inbox properly:
- Remove the pop ups; it will help you to stay focused on your current task.
- Track all emails on a regular basis; this will help you avoid forgetting things or feeling overwhelmed. Every opened email should be treated, allocated to a project folder or put in a to-do list.
- Read your emails during strategic and planned times, i.e. in the morning, 2-3 times during the day and at the end of the day.
- 3. Set routines
- The human brain likes habits and routines. Try to schedule regular tasks and group similar projects for the same time of the day. This will enable you to complete them automatically as it won’t require any extra attention.
- 4. Take effective breaks
- Do not hesitate to take a break when you feel you are distracted or exhausted. It is better to go away from your desk for a few minutes than trying to fight a lack of focus. An effective break will make your work more productive.
- 5. Review your performance
- Assess your output at the end of each day. Identify what went wrong and how these tasks can be improved going forward. You can then plan the tasks of the following day more effectively.
- Finally, don’t take on too many tasks but keep on maintaining and upgrading your level of productivity.
These tips were provided by Monika Bobrowska, member of the SThree Talent Acquisition Team in Belgium.
You can share your thoughts with Monika on LinkedIn or see all our recent SThree job openings in Belgium here.