Making New Year’s Resolutions is something millions of us around the world do every year. Joining the gym…spending more time with the family…cutting out biscuits…all with the ever popular health and lifestyle theme. What about improving your productivity in the workplace? A bit dull, you might argue, but improving productivity during office hours could help you free up valuable time to visit the gym…spend more time with your family…and keep you focused and away from the biscuit tin!
Ah! but how many New Year’s resolutions are broken or simply forgotten once the daily chaos of balancing a busy job and home life kick in? “Just one in 10 of us with achieve our goal, according to a study by Professor Richard Wiseman from the University of Hertfordshire – with most of us scrapping the good intentions as early as January 23rd”. (Independent – 1st January 2015).
We thought we would pass on some more of our tried and tested tips to help you achieve your objectives…and to keep you on track. By taking a few simple steps and implementing the practical tips below, you should find it easier to focus on your priorities and be more productive in 2015:
- Turn the beep off in your email (tools / options 2007, file / options 2010 & 2013)
- be tough on yourself! Read emails only 3-4 times a day
- Identify your ‘big ticket items’ (4 or 5) which you simply must focus on at all times. Create colour categories for them within your calendar. Colour code your calendar as per these strategic responsibilities. Are you spending your time in the right meetings? This method will very quickly tell you if you are, as you can see it at a glance
- Use the 4D’s principe: Decide, Do, Delegate, Dump with everything that pops into your head or when managing email
Do these 4 things and it will keep you focused and minimise your procrastination! This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of tips on personal productivity and Working Smart. If you would like to learn or proven to work ‘Working Smart methodology’, which is currently being used by over 2 million people worldwide, please get in touch.