Christmas is long gone and the new year is here. You want to hit the ground running in January but you might find it difficult. Weather is dreadful and daylight is scarce.
You might think the dreary conditions would cause us to throw ourselves into work. Not so, January is actually our least productive month. Instead of simply bundling up and waiting out the slump, here are a few productivity tips you can use to boost yourself.
#1 Set goals on a daily basis
In the past, I’ve always had an ongoing to-do list that can sometimes get really overwhelming, but now I create a daily list each morning. Creating a daily to-do list will help you identify the most important tasks that you can complete throughout your day, and saving your list allows you to track your progress as you check things off.
How many days have ended with you thinking that you’ve not accomplished much at all? Sometimes, using a daily to-do list will help keep you on track and motivated since you’ll be able to take the day one thing at a time, rather than being overwhelmed by a huge list of tasks in no particular priority order.
Next step? Start with the hardest task.
#2 Review your week every Friday
Many of us go to bed with a mass of thoughts rushing through our minds. We hardly have any time to process what we’ve just accomplished simply because we’re too overwhelmed with what’s next.
We’d recommend taking some time at the end of each week to think about these three questions:
- Did I achieve what I wanted to?
- Did I personally need to be there for everything I attended?
- Could I have achieved the same in a shorter time frame?
This is a great tactic for figuring out whether you’re really spending your time wisely.
#3 Identify your most productive time of day
Everyone has a particular time of day when they tend to get an extra burst of focus and creativity. For me, that’s straight after lunch and also first thing in the morning.
Once you’ve figured this out, you can make sure that you’re keeping those times of day free. For example, make sure you don’t schedule meetings at your most productive times of the day.
#4 Start with just 5 minutes
By starting a task you’re avoiding with the mindset of “I’ll just do five minutes”, you’re just getting started. And more often than not, by the end of the five minutes, you’ll be so into the task that you’ll end up carrying on and finishing it.
#5 Set boundaries
Everyone knows the feeling… you write your daily to-do list and then you sit down ready to get going, only to find yourself answering random Slack messages or emails for hours.
Then it’s lunchtime, and you’ve picked up and dropped so many tasks. Even more frustrating, none of these tasks were on your daily to-do list.
To reduce these unnecessary interruptions and distractions, make sure you set boundaries with your coworkers or team members. Setting boundaries will help manage expectations and allow you to complete your own tasks.
#6 Don’t waste time on emails
Email is an effective workplace communication tool, but long, detailed responses are often a waste of time. Keep your emails concise and to the point. Eliminating email fluff not only saves time, but it also ensures the recipient reads the entire email and recognises the main takeaways.
Responding to emails in a timely manner can also prevent the stress of a full inbox, which is overwhelming and difficult to sort through.
Stay productive in the new year
Going into the new year with these productivity tips means you’ll be able to achieve so much more in the same amount of time, feeling less stressed and more accomplished.