Between those moments there are dozens of tasks to do. Remote work has given many people extra time to work on personal to-do lists or take a break.
The return of in-person work means less time to complete tasks. You don’t always finish everything you’d like, which can sometimes make you feel guilty and anxious about the next day. But it does not have to be like that.
As many head back to the office, it’s possible to stay productive without burying yourself under a mountain of incomplete work. Productivity experts shared their most effective tips for conquering goals while reducing your stress.
The first step is to divide your tasks into short-, medium- and long-term goals, said Alejandro Lleras, a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
After that, rank them by level of urgency so you know which ones to do first, he said. This process allows you to focus on tasks that are more time-sensitive while keeping an eye on longer-term goals, Lleras added.
“People can get busy always doing the short things that may not be the most urgent, but are easy to complete,” he said. This is a common trap that leaves people exhausted without completing those bigger goals, Lleras added.
When you focus on the highest-priority tasks first, you also feel less pressure to continue at the end of the day because the items that remain tend to be less important and can be tackled later, said Earl Miller, Picower professor of neuroscience. at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
Discover your optimal work time
Some people can work on important tasks that require a lot of attention, but don’t work on them at the time of day when they’re most productive, he said. This wastes precious energy that could be used elsewhere, Lleras said.
Instead of working on the most important tasks at different times, focus on using the time when you’re most productive and focused to complete items on your to-do list, he said.
If you’re not sure what your optimal time of day is, establish a regular sleep schedule. Then try to work at different times of the day, Lleras said. Whatever time you find yourself most productive, try to protect that time as much as possible so you can get more done, he said.
“It’s important to consider what your strengths are and what your family’s limitations are,” Lleras said.
For parents and caregivers, it can be after they’ve put the kids to bed, he said.
The power of monotasking
Society has instilled in us that multitasking is an important skill needed to be successful, Miller said.
However, when you switch between multiple goals, you’re spending valuable time juggling a series of tasks and constantly rewiring your brain, which requires extra effort, Miller said.
This reduces productivity, so as a result, people are accomplishing less than they would if they had concentrated on monotasking, which is working on one task at a time, he said.
Miller recommended that you start by setting a timer for 20 minutes and work on a single task until the time is up. Over time, he can build up his tolerance for longer periods of time, he added.
“If you do that, you’ll find that the quality of your work will improve, as will your efficiency, so you’ll be more productive,” he said.
Accept that you may not complete everything
There’s so much someone can do in a day, so people shouldn’t push themselves to the point of exhaustion, said Larry Rosen, professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
It’s important to set limits for yourself, similar to how parents set rules for their children, such as going to bed at 9 pm, he said.
Setting out of office hours each day when you’re not at work is another great way to take your mind off incomplete tasks, Rosen said. It helps you set boundaries and reduces worry about unfinished work that others may contact you about, she explained.
For example, you can set up an automated message after you leave work each day saying you’ll respond in the morning, Rosen said.
No matter how many techniques you try to maximize your time, it may not be enough, and that’s okay, Miller said.
“Self-awareness is everything, recognizing that you have less time and you can’t do as much takes the pressure off you,” he said.
Source: www.cnn.com