How to Have a More Productive Week

Starting your work week already wanting it to be over is a recipe for misery. It can affect your productivity at work and ruin your mood at home. Fortunately, there’s a way to shift your mindset.

Here are a few tricks to get organized and be more productive at work:

Schedule Your Tasks in a Calendar

Breaking down your work week into chunks with self-imposed deadlines can make a hectic week seem doable. 

First thing Monday morning, make a list of everything you need to accomplish. Order the list from most important to least. Then schedule blocks of time in your calendar for each task, including due dates. 

Seeing your responsibilities laid out in manageable chunks can take the pressure off. Of course, life will happen, changes will need to be made, and that’s fine. Adjust your calendar as you go.

Reviewing past weeks and the changes that you had to make can also reveal patterns, like maybe you’re overloading your plate, or you always forget that Wednesday after lunch isn’t the best time to schedule something that needs top focus.

Minimize Interruptions

Not all of us get the luxury of an office with a door. Working in an open environment can lead to constant interruptions. And it can take up to 30 minutes to refocus on a task once interrupted.

Chatting with co-workers is a nice way to take a break, and knowing what’s going on around the office helps make working with others easier. But without boundaries, you can lose most of a day from interruptions.

Talk with your superiors and co-workers and develop a system to cut down on unnecessary interruptions. 

Here are a few tips:

• Put up a sign during tasks that require deep focus.
• If it’s work-related and not an emergency, send an email instead.
• If someone just wants to chat, wait until you cross paths away from your desk.

Communicate Changes

Things happen, we fall behind. If someone is expecting something on Friday and you know on Wednesday that it won’t be done by then, let them know. 

Maybe someone else can take it off your plate. Teamwork is one of the top soft skills required for any job and communicating with your team is a huge part of that.

Looking to join a great team?

If you’re looking for work in the High Desert, ICR Staffing is here to match your talent to the right opportunity. Start your job search with us today!