The van from Black Tie Moving just pulled up, and you haven’t even gotten started on your work tasks for the day! We know how overwhelming and challenging it can be to get out of an unproductive slump when it comes to our work.
We’re offering 4 simple tips to help with productivity at work. Let’s get into it!
Set a Schedule
Schedules are a procrastinator’s worst nightmare. Yet, they are absolutely necessary when it comes to being productive. (How else would you stay on track with what needs to get done?)
If you’re not a fan of schedules, you don’t need to overcomplicate it. It’s not necessary to color-code it and have every detail of your day mapped out. However, it is important to get your “musts” down on paper.
If you create a list of what must get done that day, set aside some wiggle room for when you will complete each task. You need to be sure you hold yourself accountable, and having a schedule helps you to stay focused on what needs to get done.
Clear Your Mind
If your mind is all over the place about events this weekend, what happened yesterday, and how stressed you feel with all the work you have – this will not be your ally when it comes to productivity.
Stress is a completely normal part of life. Yet, there are ways to reduce your stress and increase your focus. This is essential to keep your mind on what’s in front of you.
Some simple techniques could be to journal and practice some mindful breathing. If you’re at work but find yourself stressing over Christmas shopping – write that down! You can return to your Christmas shopping ideas later when you can focus on that. This prevents you from losing focus on what’s in front of you – that article you need to get done!
Clear Your Space
Similar to clearing your mind, it’s also important to clear your space. Make sure that you’re working in an environment that’s comfortable to you.
Depending on your office setup, try and add some peaceful and personal touches to your space. If you have papers all over and drawers filled with trash and 2-year-old reports – it’s time to clean up shop.
Maintaining a clear workspace will help keep you from getting distracted by the mess around you. Not to mention, you won’t be so stressed trying to find that memo you received yesterday, as you’ll have it right where you put it!
Set Realistic Expectations
Many times, our expectations are our greatest enemy when it comes to being productive. If you create unrealistic or incredibly challenging expectations for yourself, you are likely to give up.
You want to avoid pushing yourself to or past your limit when it comes to work. Doing so, you will be much more likely to get done what you set out to do. It’s okay to not get all your work done in one day! Take it slow, take it realistically.