Work Smarter Not Harder: 18 Productivity Tips That Boost Your Work Day Performance

by Timo Kiander

To have a solid foundation for personal productivity, the following blocks must be in place: • Proper mindset • Physical activity • Optimum nutrition • Enough sleep

By learning to get up earlier, you can add more flexibility to your morning and enjoy a better start to your day.

For instance, set two to three time windows with a length of 15-30 minutes per day, when you handle all the communication- related tasks at once, whether it’s calls, checking your e-mails, or interacting on social media.

Understand that sometimes productive work doesn’t always require an office desk, but it can also be done: • In a coffee shop • In a public library • Outside in nature, if weather permits

Implement a habit of planning your day in advance. This way you know exactly what you should be focusing on when your work day starts.

But there are some productivity benefits too. A study made by The University of East London found that drinking water improves your brain performance by 14%.

So how can you define an important task then? Consider these options: • The long-term effect of a task • The short-term effect of a task

Do I have to attend in the first place?

Is it possible to attend virtually?

Is this meeting needed in the first place?

Is there an agenda?

Is it possible to limit the duration of the meeting?

Is it possible to test the meeting technology before the actual meeting?

Instead of peeking into my inbox every now and then, I started batch-processing all the e-mails at once, during pre-determined time windows.

Define your e-mail checking times.

Open your e-mail client only when you check your e-mail. Otherwise,

Turn-off the automatic notifications in your e-mail client (how

Let others know about your e-mail checking routine,

Once you open your inbox, scan any messages that you can delete or archive right away.

When you open an e-mail message, take a look at it and reply to it at once.

If you suspect that replying to the message will be too time-consuming, call the person instead.

If the message contains an assignment, put it on your task list and schedule it

make sure to document your work steps with enough detail so that the other person can actually complete a task with success.

take a test drive of those instructions,

define the deadline

have a regular follow-up on your task

keep improving the delegation process on a continuous basis.

even if you leave your workspace, your brains still keep working on the solution, offering it to you when you least expect it.

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

Obviously, when you handle a task like this as soon as possible, you free up your mental energy and you can put your focus on something else instead.

prepare mentally for the thing I’m supposed to do.

I’d imagine how I would feel after I had dealt with the situation.

spent my first day catching up with everyone else and processing e-mails. In other words, I had a smooth transition back to work, without having to hurry or stress about anything.

when I start my work week say on Tuesday, the first week back goes by much quicker.

Split the task into smaller, manageable pieces.

Control the distractions around you as much as possible.

Learn to say no

“Yes I can do it, but only after I have finished this other task first.”