Manage your time wisely. If you make sure that your immediate tasks are taken care of in a timely manner when you are not overloaded, you won’t fall behind when something new comes up. Prepare supplies and plans in advance as much as possible. If you can make preparations for something the night before instead of the morning of, you’ll be far more ready for the known and anything else the day might throw your way. [3] X Research source
Make separate color-coded lists with different colored paper or ink for each list. Title them by day, week and month: “Get Done Today,” “Finish This Week,” and “Complete by Month’s End. " Combine parts of your goals for efficiency. For example, instead of writing “get supplies for X project,” “get supplies for Y project” and “get supplies for Z project,” you could write “get supplies ordered for X, Y, and Z projects. ” Limit your list to three items. Many successful people limit to do lists to ensure that they do not try to do too much or become overwhelmed. Consider limiting your list to no more than three items. Make sure that you prioritize important tasks. Larger or more difficult tasks may take longer to complete, but you’ll feel better about yourself for completing these big items. For example, instead of adding “register domain name,” you might add “build new website. ” Write your to do list the night before. That way you can start your day knowing what needs to be done, how and when.
You may be tempted to try and do everything on your own, but that can actually waste a lot of your time, as well as your company’s time when others could to do their part. Teaching your subordinates and coworkers how to share some of the more time consuming tasks you perform each day can free up your time to focus on the bigger challenges. Don’t use your new found free time to surf the internet or take extra-long coffee breaks. Instead, manage your time by planning ahead and focusing on the weekly and monthly tasks you need to complete.
Be specific in creating the end point of your goal. Ask yourself what it is that you hope to ultimately achieve. Make the goal measurable. Consider how you will know when it has been achieved, and how you will measure incremental success along the way. Create steps to meet your goal that are action-oriented. Your goal must have a well-defined strategy for achieving your goal, whether it’s through weekly progress or day-to-day efforts. Consider whether your goal is realistic. Don’t create an unrealistic expectation for yourself, but make sure your goal does push you to work hard. Put a time frame on your goal. You should set an end point that will challenge you while still being achievable, as well as intermittent timelines for minor accomplishments along the way.
Picture your problems being solved, your presentation going well, your promotion going through - whatever it is that you want, imagine it already happening. Use that visualized image again and again. Any time you feel yourself giving up, return to that image and let it motivate you even more.
Take action when you notice yourself struggling to stay motivated. That is the time you need motivation the most. Think about how much more stress you will experience if you put off the work that needs to be done. Remember that procrastinating won’t reduce your workload, and it won’t even really buy you more time. If anything, it will make managing your time more difficult. Try making a calendar and imposing deadlines on yourself. This might help you stick to a schedule and avoid putting off important work.
Try to reframe your mindset about work and effort. See it as an opportunity to increase your confidence and better yourself. Henry Ford took great pleasure in his efforts, even when they weren’t paying off. So do many people who stick to a rigorous exercise regimen, even when they’re not losing any weight. Even if you’re not seeing results right now, you’re improving your skill set, expanding your strengths and knowledge, and making progress towards your goals.
Don’t get sidetracked with distractions when you’re preparing to leave for work or school. Develop a routine and stick to it, and don’t deviate from your route to work/school unless there’s an urgent emergency. Calculate the distance it will take you to get to work/school on an average day, with and without traffic. One way to do this is by using an online mapping service (like Google Maps, for example) to see how long your commute takes without traffic vs. with heavy traffic. Plan on leaving with enough time to take traffic into account. If your commute takes 25 minutes without traffic and 35 to 40 minutes with traffic, aim to leave 45 to 50 minutes early. The worst thing that will happen if you leave too early is that you’ll arrive early and have time to grab coffee. If you leave too late, though, it could cost you your job.
Think about how much time you waste on a given day checking your social media, like Facebook and Twitter. Spending 10 minutes on Facebook every hour of an eight-hour workday adds up to 80 minutes of time wasted online. Distractions don’t just end with social media. You probably spend a lot of time responding to text messages, checking your personal email, and reading articles on your phone or computer. There’s nothing wrong with using things like social media in moderation, but if it’s affecting your work productivity you may need to cut back. Try turning off your phone (including the vibrating feature) so that you won’t get any new notifications. Then force yourself to resist checking your social media, email, or text messages until your lunch break. [11] X Research source
Ignore the little things at work that upset you. These minor squabbles aren’t worth getting angry over, and if you react with anger it will reflect very poorly on you as an employee. [13] X Research source Be more self-disciplined and keep yourself motivated. When you were a child you had your parents to remind you to get back to work, but you won’t have those reminders as an adult. Stay above the gossip that circulates through your workplace. Participating in it or trying to listen in on it will only distract you, frustrate you, and cause you to resent or judge your coworkers. Show kindness and respect to everyone you work with. You don’t have to like everyone, but you do have to show the same basic courtesy to everyone for the good of the company. Make sure your personal attitude is professional, appropriate, and contributes to a healthy work environment.
Your morning routine can help you get motivated, as you’ll learn to recognize that it’s time to switch gears and get productive. Establish some type of mental signal that it’s time to start your day. It might be a morning meditation, a workout session, or simply drinking a glass of cold water. Try getting some light exercise in the morning. If you don’t have time to hit the gym or go for a three-mile run, it can be as simple as walking your dog around the block instead of just letting him out in the yard. Try to leave your home each morning in as calm a mood as possible. Try listening to relaxing music on your drive, if you’re able to do so without distraction. Take a moment to breathe deeply and consciously before you walk from your car or train stop to your place of employment to help de-stress from your commute. Take slow, deep breaths through your nostrils, down into your lower belly, and back out. Focus on the sensation of air passing through your nostrils and your belly rising and falling to shed some of your stress and anxiety. [15] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School’s Educational Site for the Public Go to source
Instead of binge-watching your favorite TV shows at night, try turning the television off and doing something relaxing before bed, like meditation or reading. [17] X Research source Stay off your electronic products at night, or at least keep them out of view. The glare from your phone, tablet, or computer screen can disrupt your body’s natural melatonin production, making it harder for you to get to sleep. [18] X Research source Take the time to do things you enjoy at home and on the weekends. You’ll feel more relaxed, rejuvenated, and ultimately more fulfilled. [19] X Research source Make sure you eat a healthy, balanced diet as well. Eating junk food in excess, drinking too much caffeine, or drinking too much alcohol at night can all affect your mental and physical health, and may affect your ability to get a restful night’s sleep as well.
Try taking a few deep breaths. Make yourself a cup of herbal tea. Visualize a pleasant place for a few minutes. Go for a brisk walk.
Before you start a conversation, put away your cell phone, focus your eyes on the speaker, and pay attention to what the speaker is saying. If you get confused about something the speaker says, it is okay to ask a question. For example, you can say something like, “Can you clarify what you meant when you said ___?”
Making eye contact. Nodding and responding with appropriate facial expressions. Facing the speaker and leaning in slightly.
Being assertive does not require you to be aggressive or mean. The goal is for you to be heard and understood by others. Keep in mind that your opinion is as important as everyone else’s opinion. Don’t be shy to speak up if you have an idea. Be willing to say “no” if you feel overwhelmed or if you just don’t want to do what someone is asking you to do.
For example, you might need to find ways to communicate without using jargon or technical speech if your audience might not understand those terms. You also might need to give examples, make comparisons, or repeat key ideas.
