Productivity Hacks

Amanda Davis, Owner Business Solutions by Design

Ever find yourself at the end of a very long day wondering what you accomplished? Most of us can say, more often than I’d like to admit. There are so many things we have on our plates to do in life let alone while running an organization or business. It can seem daunting to say the least. I have run into this myself and found some tips that helped me.
 

• Get organized & start to plan.
  • Anyone who knows me knows that I hate paper. I adore using technology wherever possible and try not to keep things that will clutter my workspace. But I found that I need to use different tools to help me say on task. For this I use a paper day planner. Yes, I know this may come as a shock to some of you but it works for me. Every Sunday I write out my week. The planner shows the week split up into 2 parts. I use the top part of the day to write down my meetings, calls, and times dedicated to other people for that day. I use the bottom part to write down the tasks that I must complete that day. Then I cross them off I as go, as a type A personality this is very satisfying for me.

 

• Even after all the weekly and daily planning, things come up. This can be difficult to manage. When I find myself overwhelmed, it is best for me to stop whatever it is I am doing and start to organize and plan. This may seem counterproductive in the heat of the deadlines and all the noise, but it makes a big difference. I actually put a pen to paper (or hand to keyboard) and walk through the tasks, problems, issues, deadlines. I then devise a strategy for how to navigate through. Once this step is done I feel the weight lift off my shoulders. Now I can execute knowing what exactly needs to be done and in what order.

 

• Turn off distractions. Cliché? Yes, we’ve all heard this one but it remains true. There are so many things in our days, hours, minutes, and seconds that can seem urgent and important. They tend to take our attention away from what we have set out to accomplish that day.
  • E-mail – I am not the best practiced at this one. I do have a habit of keeping my e-mail application open while I am working throughout the day. I know, you should only check on this at specific times in the day. I have not managed to master this one yet, but I do have two tips I’d like to share.
    • First, when I am working on a project that needs my undivided attention I close my e-mail application. That way I can complete the project without distraction and circle back to the e-mails that have come through afterwards.
    • Secondly, I devised an organization system of folders and rules that helps me keep on top of things. If something is important but not urgent I move it to the “today” or “this week” folder as applicable, and I circle back later that day or that week. I also move e-mails into other folders that may need to be referenced later but require no immediate action. And finally, I created rules for certain e-mails that are interesting, but can become a distraction or nuisance. You may want to read these e-mails later when you have a little down time. The rules will automatically move those e-mails into folders once they are received. I never see those e-mails come through the inbox. This has greatly reduced the volume of e-mails I look at regularly.  

 

• Telephone – this is a hard one. I found that I am on my phone so much more after starting the business than I ever did. And with all the things smart phones can do nowadays it is the easiest way to become distracted in the day.
  • Let’s first talk about the noise. For me, I find it best to keep the phone on silent. I wear a fit bit watch band, that is how I know if I have a call. Otherwise there is no noise identifying calls, e-mails, or other notifications. This may sound harsh to you, and may not work for everyone. This way I decide when I will allow telephone distractions in my day. This works out great as well because I never need to remember to turn it off. If I’m in a meeting, a conference, or otherwise should have the phone on silent, it is already done.

 

• As you can tell I am a little finicky about the notifications I allow my phone to deliver during the day. I am very particular with application notifications on my phone. I check my settings to disable all notifications from most apps. Sure, turning the phone on silent does help, but it is probably still sitting right next to you where you can see those visual notifications light up. Are you really going to ignore them? Probably not.

 

• Turn it off and/or leave it in the other room. You need some down time. Yes, we love our phones. They are the lifeline to the outside and digital worlds. This is great, however, if you own your own business and you keep your phone on you, checking it at all hours of the day, when do you get to decompress? My friends find it shocking to find out that I do not take my phone with me to bed. I know, sacrilege! This may be too extreme for most of you but I find it satisfying to know that I can just put it down and walk away. That is how I know I am not on the clock. I get to relax and enjoy my time away from work.

 

• Spoiler Alert: Ask for help. After you organize, plan, and eliminate unnecessary distractions, you will find that you don’t have to do everything yourself. Crazy, right?  But it’s true. Who can help you? Is someone interested in learning that skill or trade? Is there someone who is very skilled at it that you can delegate to? I find that more things get done when I allow others to assist me. Then I can focus my time on other priorities that I do need to do myself. Seems simple, right? Well, there is an art to proper delegation. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are getting help.
  • Set your helper up for success. They may need your support, knowledge, encouragement, and proper tools to do the job correctly and timely. Ensure they have everything they need so you both are happy with the outcome.
  • Check In. You cannot simply walk away after you have delegated. You must make yourself available to your helper as needed. Now, keep in mind everyone works differently. This does not mean micromanage them or the project. It means that you are included in the project’s progression. That way there are no surprises that will blindside you approaching the deadline.
  • After the project is complete you need to measure the results and discuss them with your helper. How else will you know how you both did? This will ensure that you both make the best decisions about working together going forward. 

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