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Think about the last really productive day you had. Didn’t you feel great? It would be nice if every day felt that wonderful, but that isn’t the reality for many of us. Instead, we often feel overwhelmed with the amount of tasks at hand and stare at the clock wondering how it could possibly be 5 p.m. already when it feels like we just arrived to work.
If the latter description embodies what you experience on a regular basis, pay attention to the following five tips and watch yourself become more productive in no time:
Time tracking is a beautiful way to figure out where your time is really going. While there are apps out there to aid in this process, I prefer the old school method of using a pen and paper. The minute I get to work, I start the tracking process by writing down every single thing I do throughout the day. Conference call: 9:15 a.m. – 10:03 a.m. Work on presentation slides: 10:04 a.m. – 10:28 a.m. Grab a bottle of water: 10:28 a.m. – 10:32 a.m. Answer emails 10:32 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. You get the idea.
This process is shockingly eye opening and serves as a wake up call to the amount time spent on activities like water cooler conversations, Facebook status updates, and trolling Twitter for the latest news. I recommend doing this for one day every few months. Especially if you are starting new projects at work, it can be a nice check-in to see where your time is being taken up and by what responsibilities.
In our never-ending effort to put forth our best, many of us focus on perfection. I guard against this. Sheryl Sandberg’s quote, “Done is better than perfect” is one of my favorites and really speaks to the concept of productivity. Try not to obsess over every tiny detail. While it is important to have a passion for doing good work, it is also important to focus on the bigger picture and just get the job done.
Sunday is my favorite day of the week. That is when I sit down and—without any distractions—review activities from the past week. I tie up loose ends and plan ahead for the coming week. Some Sundays I will work for a short time, sometimes for a few hours. I highly recommend others try to find off-business times that work for them. If Sundays aren't an option for you, maybe Tuesday evenings would work better. Try out a few different schedules to see what time helps you maximize your productivity.
First thing in the morning can be a challenging time to get your thoughts in order. That’s why I swear by night-before planning. At the end of every day, I make a list of what I will be doing the next day. This practice not only allows me to see what I have to look forward to (and mentally prepare for), but it also allows me to relax in the evening, knowing that I won’t forget something the following day.
Our fast-paced world makes it nearly irresistible to multitask. You can talk and text, watch TV and check your smart phone apps and listen to a conference call and check email at the same time (never a good idea). I am offering a challenge to you: commit yourself to doing one task at a time. Close your computer when you are on the phone with a client so you aren’t tempted to check your email. Put your phone away during a business lunch. Keep only one web browser up at a time.
When you are doing one thing at 40% and another at 20%, you really aren’t doing well at either task. Focus on one thing at a time and you will find yourself accomplishing it more efficiently and better than ever before.
Yaniv Masjedi is the vice president of marketing at Nextiva (@Nextiva), a leading provider of cloud-based, unified communication services.
Salesforce.com surveyed 25 of the sales industry's top thought leaders on their productivity tips and compiled their answers into one comprehensive look at sales productivity. Download the free e-book now.
