Daily Archives: July 10, 2008

Getting the Most Out of Your Workday: Part 1 of 3: Stay Focused and On Task

Have you ever left work feeling like nothing was accomplished that day? Is the stack of papers in your inbox constantly growing taller? By maintaining high levels of productivity, you can cut back on stressful times when workloads pile up, as well as boost your value to your employer.

Utilize the tips below to stay on task and get the most out of your workday.

Create a routine for the start of your day.
The way you start your workday can influence your productivity dramatically. To avoid unproductive days, start off by allotting yourself just 15 minutes to settle in for work. Don’t spend more than 15 minutes reading the morning paper, chatting with co-workers, getting coffee, or checking voicemail. Replying to nonessential e-mails can wait until you’ve completed some work. Most of you are freshest and more productive when you first come into work. Getting distracted or starting off slow can hinder a positive morning of work, leaving you with a heavy workload in the afternoon.

Find the best time for tedious tasks.
As much as you want to put them off, sooner or later you’re going to have to work on projects that are monotonous or boring. It’s best to find out when’s the best time for you to work on these tasks according to your nature. Some of you might be most productive at the start of the day and like to work on projects requiring more brain power during this time. Or, you might find that repetitive jobs need less creativity and can be saved for the end of the day, when you’re tired from the workday.

Check out parts 2 and 3 of this series in our next blog posts. Next time we’ll discuss preventing disruptions and planning your workday.