The Top 5 Ways to Manage Your Day

Improving efficiency and productivity should be on the top of your daily To-Do list. Having to deal with a mountain of tasks, other people and bouts of procrastination can slow down your progress considerably. Being well-armed with positive ways to tackle any obstacle will enable you to manage your day with ease.

Clear Your Clutter

Streamlining your workspace, home or any environment you spend a lot of time in will make a huge difference instantly. Setting up a system that regularly monitors growing piles of paperwork, or other clutter, is a practical and effective way to project a positive, professional image. The tidiness of your desk, office, room or home will create a positive or negative first impression very quickly. If you want to convince others of your productivity ensure you clear the clutter and organize your surroundings.

It is impossible to work effectively in chaos. Having to pause, during a task, in order to locate a necessary item will not only frustrate you but will waste a considerable amount of time. Keeping work surfaces clear, tidying and maintaining order will become a daily habit once you decide to manage your time more effectively.

Process and Organise

If you work in an office environment chances are you will be dealing with a huge amount of paperwork on a weekly basis. Setting up a simple system of processing and organising all the paperwork you deal with will increase your efficiency.

Deal with items as soon as you come into contact with them. If the paperwork is urgent delegate action or manage the process yourself. Once you have done this file the item. If the paperwork is non-urgent place into a pending tray, and ensure you keep a regular check on the documents, so that a pile does not grow. Highlighting areas on documents will also speed up productivity as you will be able to access relevant information more readily.

Getting into the habit of working in this efficient manner will improve your productivity, and free up some of your valuable time.

Stay Focused

If interruptions in your working day are a regular occurrence now is the time to remedy this. Whilst the occasional interruption may be welcome, too many or the wrong kind can be frustrating, annoying and counter-productive. If you are able to screen phone calls. Asking support staff to inform you of visitors, before they interrupt you, is also a helpful measure.

Your time management skills will enable you to work productively, but you will only be able to do so if your have sufficient time in your day to complete all the tasks on your To-Do list.

High Tech

Being tech-savvy in the workplace will help you access information with ease, communicate effectively and quickly and stay well-informed. Utilising emails, phone conferencing, intranets and the internet can free up time and increase productivity. Be aware of the amount of time you spend using technology however, as you can quickly become too reliant on the convenience and actually waste time over-using these services.

Last Orders

Involving other people can help you manage your time more effectively. Delegating with care can achieve impressive results and free up your workload and time. Do not dismiss offers of help and support until you have analysed the possible effect this may have on your productivity.

Remember:

• Tidy desk = productive mind.
• Read, process and file.
• Screen calls and visitors to minimise interruptions.
• Use technology wisely.
• Utilise other people’s skills and knowledge to your advantage.