OK, so you think you could improve your productivity for an average workday? You're right! And the first thing in obtaining that extra-efficiency is actually acknowledging this possibility, which you just did if reading this post. The second is taking action and this is where we step in with these few little tips that, believe us, can do magic to your workflow.
You don't get too often songs that start badly and then throughout playing they just become so much better. Well, the same with your day: If the first thing you do in the morning kind of puts you off and shifts your focus from yourself to others or, even worse, to problems and worries, guess what? You've sealed the 'fate' of your entire day already – it will be set on that frequency and it's not a high one either.
Don't want that to happen? Pretty simple then: start by NOT opening your emails the second you woke up, and just take some time to freshen up, do some exercise, or even meditation, enjoy a healthy (fruit based, eventually) breakfast and visualize a great day ahead of you.
Having a to-do list is a 'must' but having it structured on various sections, well, that is truly professional, definitely a plus in task management. Sections depend on your work routine but basically they could include tasks that need to be addressed immediately, tasks that require completion within days and tasks that can be scheduled for later. It goes without saying that if you're working on more than one project, your tasks will also be categorized as such. Here we also recommend looking into some of the task-management apps available. There are some great choices out there, tuned to everyone's needs.
Just as double-checking to see if you've turned off the stove before leaving home is highly recommendable and can spare you of the 'burning' surprise of finding your house on fire upon your return, reevaluating your workflow and the methods employed in completing your objectives could spare you of wasted time and poor results. It's not about doubting your ways but always be willing to be objective with yourself, self-critical in a constructive way so that you might find the eventual holes in your 'plot' and correct them in time. Plus, it will give you a more in-depth perspective about yourself and of how to get things done.
A moment of honesty: each of us is aware of those little or bigger things that might block or slow down our productivity by distracting us from work: it might be the chat program we leave open while working, the fact that we erratically check our mail or watch video clips on social networks while working. If you want to deal with them in an efficient way, it has to be within a system. Make a plan for this type of activities and you'll be surprise how things will start falling into place in a satisfactory way.
While this might be taken in too lightly, we promise you that the issue is not to be neglected if you want to increase productivity. Just as your laptop needs a rest once in a while, you too are a machine that best operates when allowed breaks regularly. For example, offer yourself a ten-minute break for every hour of (real) work just to do a little stretching and unwinding (especially if your job involves sitting all day in front of a computer). When resuming work you'll feel much more capable and focused.
You are probably familiar (like all of us) with the tendency sometimes to push off those tasks that are the hardest or most dreaded until later in the day. That is wrong. Actually, these tasks are probably the ones you should complete first. Once that burden is lifted from your shoulders for the rest of the day work will just flow like a breeze through willows.