Three Tips on Being Productive in Your Workday
On a cloudy day in Newport, Rhode Island I was on a boat, bouncing in choppy waves awaiting the beginning of a Transatlantic Race. There was tension and excitement in the air. These sailors were going to cross the Atlantic as fast as they could in a nonstop race to England. Days of sailing through all kinds of weather to beat their competitors and hopefully find some fun along the way.
Each boat was embarking on a west to east course that would take them through storms and sleepless nights. One crew member was quoted “It’s (the race) is real life boat handling under pressure.” The crew needed to be focused and organized throughout the race. An unorganized boat could mean disaster. An unfocused team could mean minutes added to their race time. Just like an organized race boat, you need an organized office space and focused time to get things done. You, too can feel pressure and stress from your businesses. Do your days feel like a nonstop race?
Here are 3 tips to staying focused, organized and productive in your office:
- Clear the decks and get your desk organized. With too much stuff on your desktop and everything piling up, work can become distracting. Put paperwork in files. If it’s not on your desk, clutter might be found on your computer desktop. Start filing there too.
- Get clear on what is distracting you. Are you being interrupted by coworkers? Is it the constant ring alert from your emails? Is it hunger and you need to take a break? Having an awareness about what is distracting you can be the first step to fixing it. Consider working outside the office, at a coffee shop or library, so that you can work without distractions.
- Get productive and stay in motion by asking yourself “What is the next action I can take to move this project forward?” Capture that action in your trusted system-your things to do list, 1-31 files, or index cards.
When the race is on and you need to win, use these tips to be more productive.
Margo Crawford is a Productivity Consultant and Professional Organizer with Wave Productivity and works with entrepreneurs, small business owners and business professionals to help them get more focused, organized and productive in their workplace. She coaches by phone nationally and in person in Phoenix, Providence and Boston. If you would to having winning days in your office start Productivity Coaching today. Call 602-677-8275 or email [email protected] for an appointment.