For some, the workplace can be chaotic. The average office worker spends 28% of their day focused on unnecessary distractions. So how do we best manage our time to complete our daily tasks efficiently and effectively? Dana Rogers, art director at The Communications Group, gave us three tips.
Set the Tone
It is easy to get caught up in email when you sit down to work. That may not be the most efficient way to start your day. Instead, use the time at the beginning of the day for your creative thinking.
During this time, create your to-do list. When creating this list, consider each task and its priority level. As you’re working through your list, don't skip to the easy tasks to check a box. Stick to tasks that are of the highest priority. When working on large tasks, create goals as checkpoints to help ensure that the project is finished promptly.
Pomodoro Technique
One technique that has been proven to help limit distraction is the Pomodoro Technique which consists of six steps to help maximize your time:
- Choose a task you'd like to complete.
- Set a timer for 25 minutes.
- Work on the task until the timer rings.
- When the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
- Take a short break.
- After every four work sessions, take a longer break.
Make Meetings Efficient
The average office worker spends over 31 hours each month in unproductive meetings. To prevent this, create an agenda of what needs to be discussed. Then, before scheduling a meeting, evaluate if you can address the matter in an email.
Provide coworkers with the agenda in the calendar invite, so everyone is prepared and the meeting can stay on track.
By using these three simple tips, you can maximize the time in your day.
Looking for more ways to grow professionally? Read the other blogs in our Huddle Up series.
Huddle Up is a blog series from The Communications Group based on presentations from our bi-weekly Huddle meeting. During this meeting, our account services team gathers to continue learning about professionalism and trends in our industry, so we can continue providing our clients with the best and most relevant work.
