We all know that there are only so many hours in a day. Which is why what we do with them is so critical. You are likely to be working plenty of hours already, so just working longer hours isn’t the solution. The solution is to be working smarter, so that you can be more productive and more efficient in the time that you are given, rather than just working for longer. But that is all easier said than done, right? Here are some simple, but still pretty effective strategies, for helping you to work harder, not smarter, in the office.

Schedule and Calendar

Having a set schedule for your calendar is going to be crucial for you to be productive. When your day is planned out, you will make the most of your time, and will have deadlines to work to. You are less likely to miss meetings when it is all scheduled in. When working in a team it is even better if you can use IT networking to your advantage, so that you can all be using the same system and calendar. It will allow you all to keep track of what is going on, and avoiding any appointment or meeting clashes, making the time more productive.

Take Regular Breaks

Taking breaks and working efficiently might not sound like something that goes hand in hand. But taking regular breaks can actually help you to be more productive, as long as you stay focused. You are likely to be able to have a constant performance, if you are able to take breaks and then come back and concentrate more. If you don’t take breaks, then your mind can decrease in concentration.

Two Minute Rule

There can be so many small things that can just waste time. Take looking through emails, for example. If you read through them all, but don’t action anything, then you’ll have to read through again to know what you need to do. But if there is something that could be done and will only take two minutes, then do it before moving on. Check emails, reply immediately if it won’t take long, and then it is dealt with, rather than having to come back to it.

Avoid Multitasking

When it comes to multitasking, it can be really difficult to be productive. Many people think that they can be productive when doing this, but there is much less focus on each task. If you deal with thing separately, then it will mean you complete the tasks in a better way, as well as quicker. It can feel good to cross something off your list, rather than just having several half completed jobs.

Turn Off Notifications

There are so many distractions in this world, and if you look down at your phone, you may see several things that you want to just check immediately. But before you know it, time has been wasted. So if you only have a set amount of time to get something done, put away your phone or turn off the notifications. It will help you to stay focused much more easily.