How to create a productive, calm workplace. The result can open the floodgates for inspiration and growth within your business. Ensuring surfaces are clear and everything you need is at your fingertips gives you a sense of control. Visually appealing decor relaxes the mind inviting creativity to flow.
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Spend time prioritising tasks each day
- We make over 35,000 decisions a day. Some of these are conscious, and some are unconscious but either way, its fair to say that it can be exhausting.
- To simplify and improve productivity, we suggest you make your decisions, tasks and projects as visual as possible. The brain can process images 60, 000 times faster than words. Setting up a chart or board that shows the process of your work, using cards or tokens for each task and place it in the relevant column or section. As the task progresses it moves through the different stages. Once you have a visual overview of the job ahead you can prioritise whats the most important tasks for each workday
- We suggest limiting your priorities to a maximum of 3 things per day. This forces you to focus on what is really necessary and not get overwhelmed with an un-achievable list of things to do. If you struggle with limiting yourself to three priorities then we recommend taking 5 minutes to write down everything you need to do. These tasks can be professional and personal. Once the list is complete, choose the three most important jobs for the day.
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Use meeting time effectively
- According to research, the average Australian worker spends 31 hours per month in unproductive meetings. When being asked to join a meeting, or when setting a meeting yourself, perhaps ask whether the same outcome can be achieved via email, text or phone as opposed to a face-to-face meeting.
- If its absolutely necessary for you to meet in person, schedule the time-frame for 45 minutes, alternatively you could suggest that all participants stand during the meeting. This will generally force the meeting to wrap up in 30 minutes.
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Work within blocks of time
- Speaking of time, we endorse you work in 90 minute blocks before taking a break. The mind can best concentrate for this duration. During the 90 minute block, focus on one task at a time and prioritise your most important work for early in the day when your energy levels will be at a peak. To help you concentrate we suggest you turn off all notifications to avoid distractions. Instead allot a time where you purely respond to emails and other communications.
Not everything needs to be done by you. Know what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing, then delegate and outsource the rest.
Finer Details has a range of household services and personal concierge services that will help you become more productive with your time and free up space for enjoying life.
