Change your working hours – A survey by Microsoft showed that out of a 45 hour working week, around 17 of those hours are unproductive. If your employer is open to flexible working, try turning your 5 day week into four days. It will make you more productive at work by driving you to focus on the tasks in hand and daydream less – plus you get an extra day off to do what you want!
Up and at’em! – Our brains are most active in the first 2.5 – 4 hours after waking up. That’s when you need to tackle the meaty jobs for the day. Write that proposal, brainstorm and strategize – save the small stuff for later on!
Do not disturb – If you’re in the middle of something complex – wear headphones. People will think twice about disturbing you if you have them on. You don’t even need to be listening to anything. If it’s something important, they can email you or come back later.
Don’t take the Mickey – speed up your mouse. By changing your settings so your mouse moves more quickly, you can save up to an hour a week!
Food for thought – We spend about 40 minutes in total thinking about food each day. That equates to 10 full days a year! The chemicals in chocolate can increase the blood flow to the brain, making you more alert and productive, and it’s been shown that the act of chewing in general boosts cognitive abilities. Treat yourself!
Pomodoro – Pomo-what now?! It means tomato in Italian, but it’s also the name of a technique developed in the 1980s which advises you to break down your tasks into 25-minute sessions, then take a 5 minute break. Give yourself something to look forward to in that break, be it 5 minutes of fresh air, messaging a friend, or having a snack.
Eat the frog first – Mark Twain once said “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” Do the task you dislike most first and the worst is already behind you.
