It has been proven that people are most productive early in the morning, therefore it is best to bypass reading your emails or delving into any social media before tackling the to do list. There are lots of productivity tools and tricks to keep us on track and on top of what we need to do .
1. Schedule checking your email
Most productivity gurus recommend checking your email a couple times a day. One of the best times to peruse your emails is around midday. That way you don’t lose any of that high quality ‘get it done’ time in the morning. Another good time to check is around 4pm when you are starting to wind down.
It is a good idea to let people know your email checking times, so they don’t expect an instantaneous reply. If a message is urgent, you can ask the person to phone or text you. Most emails are of a non urgent nature and can easily divert us from the task at hand.
2. Managing your to do list
Having too many items on at to do list, can make it intimidating and overwhelming , leaving us clueless about where to start. Try not to have more than three tasks on your daily list -anymore is overload.
3. Break it down
Break down large projects and tasks into three manageable sub-tasks. They will immediately feel less daulting and you will be less likely to procrastinate. If the new three sub-tasks are still very large then repeat the procedure until the tasks look manageable.
4. Eat the frog
‘Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.’ ― Mark Twain.
The chances are you’re more productive first thing. Get the worst job on the list ticked off early and the rest of your day will run smoothly.
5. Use a timer or the Pomodoro Technique
This technique helps you to work in short sharp bursts of 25 minutes at a time. This method was voted the best productivity method by LifeHacker. If you have problems staying focussed for long periods of time, this technique will be especially helpful.
When you know you only have a specific amount of time to complete a task, you make the effort to get the task done before the timer buzzes. I use this technique when I feel like I have too much to do and it definitely works. I don’t feel the need to get the cute Pomodoro timer – the one on my phone or oven work just as well.
6. Autofocus
Mark Forster has developed the Autofocus system - where you write a list of all the chores or tasks you need to do, but only fill one side of a page. As you work on the task, you put a dot next to it then a line through it when it is finished. You are not allowed to start a new page until you are finished with the last one.
Autofocus works well when you are doing chores or a big project that’s made up of lots of small tasks. It is particularly good for physical tasks such as a spring cleaning or planning a dinner party. There is a great feeling of satisfaction when you cross out the finished tasks.
What is your favourite productivity tool? Can you get by with only checking your email twice a day?
{Image: Ian Barbour}
