how to boost productivity

Everyone wants to do their best at work, but you can sometimes find yourself staring at the same to-do list day after day after day. Here’s how to keep your productivity levels up at work.

Start your day with the MITs

Make sure to get your most crucial tasks done by separating the MITs (most important tasks) from the other tasks on your daily to-do list. Place your MITs at the top of the list and tackle them as soon as you start your workday. This way, you’ll know you got the most important stuff out of the way and you can move through the rest of your tasks without stressing about your MITs. It’s also a good idea to tackle the tasks that require more focus early in the day, and then concentrate on the easier tasks later on when your concentration and energy levels may be waning.

Eliminate distractions

It can be impossible to get any work done when there’s a bleep from your phone every 15 seconds. To get more done in less time, it’s best to turn off all notifications on your phone. If you use your email throughout the workday for communications related to your job, check your inbox on your computer, not your phone. You can also use an app, like Cold Turkey, to block all social media notifications or any other distractions from your phone while you work.

Take frequent breaks

Studies show that breaks will help you keep your focus and boost your mood. Take stretching breaks every hour or so, go for a jog around the block when you hit the four o’clock energy slump and catch up with your co-workers when you stop for lunch instead of wolfing down your meal at your desk. While these breaks may seem like the opposite of a great work ethic, they’ll actually help you accomplish more in less time when you’re back from a break.

Streamline your tasks

A smooth workday is one that follows a linear process that goes directly from to-do list to tasks accomplished. Racing back and forth between tasks will impede your progress and make you lose focus quickly. To avoid this, chart your to-do list according to tasks that work well together. For example, you can carve out time mid-morning and again mid-afternoon to respond to emails instead of taking breaks from whatever you’re working on to shoot off responses as soon as emails come in. Similarly, if your job entails visits to the office supply room every now and then, try to bulk these tasks together.

Follow the tips outlined above to keep your productivity levels up at work at all times.

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