Managing your time effectively so that you are not rushing around at the last minute to tie loose ends is essential to having a stress-free day at work. There are certain things you can do to help your day run smoothly and make sure you get the most out of it.
Prepare
This may sound simple but preparing your things the night before can minimise any pre-work panicking. Having your bag packed, your clothing picked out and lunch ready helps cut down your morning schedule giving you more time to relax with a hot drink before commuting into work.
Schedules/Diaries
Keeping a diary or schedule of what is happening each day or week enables you to look ahead. This will also help ensure that you do not miss any important appointments, as long as you keep the schedule to hand. It will also give you the chance to prepare and research any information necessary prior to these appointments.
Prioritising
Work to your deadlines by concentrating on the immediate tasks at hand before starting on any long-term tasks. If your job requires overlapping deadlines it can help to order these deadlines in a list by date and the time each will likely take to complete. Then you can better organise the order of the projects or tasks you approach.
Take Breaks
Even if it is just a five minute breather, taking breaks can help refocus your concentration on the day’s tasks. These can act as a reward for completing a particular task and as a chance to pause before moving onto the next project.
Keep a record
After each task is complete it can be a mood-booster to immediately remove it from the list. At the end of each day or week it is good too to look back on your overall progress. This will help maintain a level of motivation by seeing the tasks that have been accomplished.