An average workday consists of a lot of intermittent activities like untimely calls, emergency workload, coworker squabbles and so on and so forth. It may seem inconsequential to you at that time, but these things can really hinder our overall productivity simply because, when unexpected, the events around us can hinder our flow.
When it comes down to increasing productivity though, the good news is that you have most of the power. If you design your work-day right, you can very well maximize the overall work that you get done at the end of the day.
Here are a few helpful ideas:
1. Plan the week out on Sundays
We don’t mean go crazy on your off-days planning about work but just take a few minutes out from the night before Monday starts, and make a list of all the things that need to be done by the end of the week.
The list does not have to be exhaustive or comprehensive; it can be bullet-point based and you can keep adding to it as you move through the week. It does not matter. The main idea behind this activity is to have a small one-page illustration of what lies in the week ahead, in front of you before the week starts.
When you have a clear image of the work that needs to be done in your mind, it simply becomes easier to get around to doing it
2. Stick to a routine
Again, this does not have to be concrete and fully-planned, because you cannot completely avoid emergencies and unplanned meetings; they are a part of every job. But you can make it less stressful for yourself and make the most out of your day despite those unscheduled tasks.
Wake up at a fixed time, take the same half-an-hour to get ready and have breakfast, sign into the office at the same time every day, bring in the vegetables on Wednesdays for lunch and rice on Thursdays- and so on. You get the gist.
The idea behind this is to make certain aspects of your life that are under your control predictable so that there is a lot of room to accommodate for the unpredictable. When you stick to a routine, you automatically get more stuff down as opposed to always being muddled and in a cluttered headspace.
3. Take it easy!
One of the surprising ways you can maximize productivity is by taking sufficient breaks from work. Fix a couple of minutes after every few hours to relax. Catch up with a friend on call after you have done an exceptional amount of work. At the end of every year, think about going to a new place that you have always wanted to visit. Or simply go to the Bed in a Box that’s waiting for you in your room an hour earlier than you usually do. The choice is yours.
When you refresh and recharge, you get more work done.
