Tips to Make Your Day Productive

Arrive early to the office.

Those ten minutes before you officially clock in can be crucial to your productivity. You can check messages, prioritize tasks, and meditate without interruption. This leaves just enough time for you to mentally walk through the day and think about what can be done to make it go smoothly. 

Fully complete tasks before moving forward.

There is always a temptation to multitask, but studies have shown that this can cause productivity to plummet. Block time to complete your duties and isolate yourself if necessary to work without interruption. Plus, there is no better feeling than checking something off your do-to list knowing the best effort was put forward. 

Say no.

As long as you are considerate in your approach, kindly refusing requests can help you stay on track. Of course, this is not to say that you cannot be a team player, but it may be of use to complete your duties before the tasks of others. 

Limit your availability.

Answering every text, email, and message will certainly be convenient for the sender but will hinder your ability to complete your top priorities. Consider the 3-a-day rule by only checking your notifications three times a day and only responding during that time. There are obviously some exceptions for time-critical responses, but there must be a balance between what you accomplish for yourself and for others. 

Take breaks but stay stimulated.

There is no harm in stepping away from your desk to regain your focus.  However, it is healthy to remain stimulated so you are ready to work when you are finished. Try to learn something new, read a short story, or run through some quick exercises. 

Be meticulous the first time.

Having to circle back on a project because of mistakes will take large amounts of time without gaining any more traction. Remaining detail-oriented ensures errors are limited and allows more time to move on to the next task.