Productivity hacks: How to get more out of your time at work

Business and workplace expert Amanda Rose shares her top tips for getting more out of your work day.

When it comes to productivity, people underestimate the power of routine and structure.

Where possible, you should put together a structure for your day.

If you just go in and wing it, you will be less effective.

You should also reduce distractions.

For example, in the morning you might clear your emails then not look at them again for another couple of hours.

You can set up a system so some emails alert you and others don’t.

Turn off notifications for social media on your phone and only check it at strategic times during the day.

Be deliberate with your activities.

Don’t be led by social media, emails and meetings. Take control.

Stop going to irrelevant meetings, says Amanda Rose. Picture: Monique Harmer

Meetings have a big effect on productivity.

Ask yourself: what is the meeting about and what is my role in that meeting?

You need to know this before you agree to it because sometimes people mass-invite people and it is totally irrelevant.

I don’t attend a meeting unless there is an agenda.

Then I can question: do I need to be there or can you just send me the notes?

I used to be called “10-Minute Amanda” because my meetings went for 10 minutes max.

If it’s a brainstorm, that’s different.

My advice is not to skimp on IT and project management systems.

Often people say they don’t want to pay a monthly fee, but it could save you three hours a day in productivity so it’s worth it.

I use pen and paper and bullet journaling to organise my time but I also use a project management system because I have a team and run projects and programs.

I love online collaboration tools like Google Docs because I have people working from home everywhere and it keeps things streamlined.

Whether it’s pen and paper or online software, find a system that works for you. Picture: iStock

Even if you have a boss who doesn’t have a routine, you should have one.

Don’t be pulled left, right and centre.

If someone says “Can we have a quick meeting?”, say “Actually, I am working on this but I am free at, for example, 3pm”, then send an invitation.

People will realise you are the type of person they have to book in to see.

The same rules apply when working at home or in the office, but people need to adapt.

Working from home, you need a routine more than ever – for productivity and to schedule in your breaks.

Know what you consider a key achievement then work out what you need to do to achieve that and write it down. You won’t get as easily distracted by filler and everyone else’s problems.

Otherwise next minute, it’s the end of the day and you have achieved nothing.

Amanda Rose is a business consultant, workplace trainer, LinkedIn influencer and founder of six organisations – and now she is tackling your career questions for SMART Daily every week.

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Originally published as Productivity hacks: How to get more out of your time at work