Do you feel like your working days are draining but still somehow unproductive? We can spend many wasted hours trying to tick things off our to do lists but never achieve everything we want to. Luckily, there are some simple tools we can use to help us get the most from our valuable time – with the bonus of feeling less frazzled as a result.

6 PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

1. Eat the Frog. Tackle the most challenging or least favourite task first thing in the day. You’ll go through the rest of the day with the satisfaction that the worst thing is done and dusted.
2. Time Block. Divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task, or group of tasks, and only those tasks. For example, I will write every day from 9-11am, I will answer emails from 11-12pm. This stops you flitting ineffectively between tasks and helps you make more focused use of your time.
3. Deep Focus. Schedule ‘deep focus’ at whatever time best suits your personal workflow. This means you do not schedule meetings during this time and eliminate menial tasks like answering emails or looking at your phone. The purpose of this deep focus is to complete the biggest and most taxing tasks on your list.
4. The 5 Minute Rule. If you don’t want to do something, make a deal with yourself to do at least 5 minutes of it. After that time runs out, you’ll probably end up doing the whole thing.
5. Brain Breaks. Brain slumps are real and the best solution to this is actually taking a break, even if hustle culture wants you to believe something else.
6. Say No. The most powerful productivity tool ever invented is simply the word ‘no’. We live in a demanding world and have to say no to things to get what matters done.

If you want to find out more on how you and your team can work more effectively, take a look at the following sessions:

PRODUCTIVITY: Organise yourself to get more done

FOCUS: Train your brain to avoid distractions