Whether you work a typical office job or you work from home, it can be hard to stay productive. Maybe it’s because it’s starting to feel like summer outside, but I’ve been struggling at work. I thought I’d share with y’all some things I do to help my stay productive and efficient at work.
Keep a Planner
I don’t use my bullet journal for anything work related. I like to keep my personal schedule and work schedule completely separated. While I could use a separate bullet journal for work, I keep things simple and I use a weekly planner. Even if you don’t always have deadlines to meet, I suggest writing out a daily to-do list of tasks you’d like to accomplish. You can always move them to the next day if you don’t get to them, but it’s good to look at the list when you find yourself wondering what to work on. And it always feels good to check things off your to-do list.
Work in Batches
This has been a game changer for me. I have certain things that come in throughout the month that don’t necessarily have a deadline, so I would do them as they came in. But I realized it’s actually more efficient to wait until I have a decent amount and do them all at once. This works for a lot of different things, especially those tedious tasks that have several steps. It actually saves time to do them in batches.
Take Breaks
They don’t have to be long breaks, but every couple hours it’s a good idea to look away from your computer screen (or whatever you’re working on) and take a break. I find the break works the best when I actually get up from my desk and walk somewhere. Whether it’s just walking to the bathroom or to someone else’s office to chat, getting out of my office for a few minutes makes me feel better. Ot’s also good to give your eyes a break from staring at a screen. When I come back to my office I feel like I actually had a break vs. sitting at my desk and staring at my phone (usually doesn’t feel like a break).
Healthy Snacks
Any time I’m working on the tedious tasks that I HATE doing, I usually bribe myself with some kind of snack. My go-to’s are definitely raisins and cashews, but I also like apple slices, bananas, dark chocolate chips, graham crackers, etc. They aren’t always super healthy, but I try to stay away from things like chips and candy (okay, sometimes I do eat candy) because they usually leave me hungry again an hour later.
Go for a Walk
I TRY to walk on my lunch break everyday, but the weather in South Louisiana usually has it’s own plans. So anytime it’s not raining and not 90+ degrees, I try to walk for 10-20 minutes in the area around my office. I feel like it helps get my blood flowing after sitting at my desk all morning, and I come back feeling energized.
Get a Coffee
When all else fails, get a coffee. Sometimes a cup from the office coffee maker is enough, but sometimes I just have to walk to Starbucks and treat myself. You’re going to have those days where nothing seems to wake you up or motivate you and you just need a coffee (or a tea if that’s more your speed).
What Do You Do
So, what about you? What do you do to stay productive and motivated at work? Do you have any effective tricks? Let me know in the comments!
