Tomorrow’s Productivity Starts with These Actions Today

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on July 3, 2014

Picture this: it’s the final hour of your work day. You’re looking at the piles of work still looming on your desk, and you’re feeling decidedly glum. Anything you don’t tackle today has to be tackled tomorrow – but with just an hour left before you go home, you can’t really accomplish anything worthwhile, can you?

You can!

By spending the last hour of your workday on a few simple tasks, you can maximize your productivity in the morning, when you’re well-rested and ready for another round of work. To kick off tomorrow on the right note and accomplish more than you dreamed possible, try ending your work day with this mini to-do list:

Leave yourself a note. Make a list of the top three things you need to accomplish tomorrow, and place this note where you’ll see it as soon as you walk into your workspace. Start the next day by focusing on these tasks. For an extra motivational boost, list them in the order you find them most difficult, and start with the hardest thing on the list. Once that’s over, you have the rest of the day to do work you enjoy more.

Clear your space. Tidy up your work area, toss your trash in the bin, answer any lingering emails that require your attention, and organize your folders. An organized workspace will help you clear your mind at the end of the day and help you greet tomorrow’s work in a more relaxed, upbeat frame of mind. Moving email to the end of the day also helps you avoid using it as a procrastination tool.

Reflect and share. Check in briefly with coworkers and staff to discuss the day’s work, what major (and minor) projects need attention, and how well everyone accomplished what they set out to do. Answer employees’ questions and help them generate ideas for handling tasks and conflicts better tomorrow.

Set a “clock-out” time and stick to it. Pushing yourself to accomplish “just one more little thing” at the end of the day can lead to overwork, stress, and burnout – plus, you’re not focusing on these tasks when you’re really up to the challenge of doing them well. Tell yourself that you will walk out of your office door by X o’clock, and do it. If there’s just too much on your plate, practice delegating, or talk to your staffing partner about finding the qualified help you need.

At TERRA Staffing, our experienced recruiters can help you find the people you need to keep productivity high and make every work day a fruitful one. Contact us today to learn more.

Categories: Employee Engagement Ideas, HR and Management Advice

Tags: How to Increase Productivity, increasing company productivity, Management Advice on Productivity, Management Advice to Follow, Pacific Northwest Recruiting Services, Pacific Northwest Tips for Managers, Productivity Strategies

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