Do you struggle to juggle your work schedule with your schedule? You may feel like you're constantly behind on projects or scrambling to meet on time. If you're heading back to the office, handling these things will only get more difficult if you don't have solid plans. Luckily, there are steps you can take to streamline your schedules, increase your productivity at work, and create better work habits that leave you free to enjoy your time without as much stress.
Optimize Your Work & Personal Calendar
If you have separate calendars for work and personal matters, it's more likely that you will end up double-booking yourself and need clarification. To remain productive at work and home, combining your calendars is crucial. Doing so lets you see your personal and work commitments at a glance. Combining calendars is easier than you think. A range of applications, such as Google Calendar, allows you to connect schedules, color-code your commitments based on whether they are work-related or personal, and even set reminders so you never forget anything.
Build Consistency
When you return to the office, consistency is essential to improve your productivity at work. This means creating a routine and sticking to it. Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning to ensure you're always on schedule for work. When you're at work, create a routine as well. Start the day by checking email and replying to the most important ones, then create a to-do list for the rest of your day. Prioritize two or three crucial things to accomplish and work on those first. Of course, be sure to give yourself time to rest as well. Take your lunch break to eat something nutritious with protein in it. This will help you through your afternoons. Sticking to a routine makes you more likely to accomplish your work tasks.
Keep Your "Hot Spots" & "Not Spots"
Figure out where and how you work best in the office and create "hot spots" and "not spots." You work best in hot spots, such as in your office with closed doors. You'll become used to your office's sights, sounds, and smells, and your brain will begin associating those senses with it being time to work. Think about your "not spots" as well. For example, if you work in unassigned office spaces with other people and know a particular co-worker tends to talk a lot and distract you, do your best to avoid sitting next to them while you work.
Give Yourself Time To Adjust
When you return to the office, the most important thing you can do is give yourself time to adjust. It's been a few years since you've been in the office due to the pandemic, and it will likely take a few weeks to get used to a traditional work situation again. Try to implement only some of your changes at a time. You'll only make yourself feel overwhelmed. Instead, focus on one or two things at a time, such as readjusting your sleep schedule or combining your calendars. Once you're used to those changes, you can work on implementing others until you're at the productivity level you hope to attain for yourself.
Remember, learning to be more productive at work is primarily a trial-and-error process. What works for someone else may not work for you. Try a few different productivity ideas to determine what works best for you. Doing so increases your chances of success.
Comments