![]() As you scan your email, sort the messages into two groups: those requiring quick responses and those needing thoughtful ones. “Give email your undivided attention when you’re working on it,” she said. Morgenstern, the time management expert said. This could be a few times a day or five minutes every hour, Ms. Set aside dedicated times every day to process email.Here are a few techniques that can help make your email work for you: Embrace the daily challenge of keeping your work life under control by using email as your ally rather than your nemesis. Experts may promote the value of techniques like “Inbox Zero,” where you try to clear your inbox every day, but even if your inbox is empty, your work life – with all its unanswered questions, incomplete projects and challenging problems – will remain full. Starting out with a desk prepared for the day ahead could have a powerful effect on your mind-set and productivity.ĭo you find yourself constantly stopping to check your email? Email is an ideal way to practice structured procrastination - when you work on an easy, unimportant task rather than tackle a harder, important one.Įmail is like life: It is messy, imperfect, full of surprises, and everybody handles it differently. Then you won’t have to start your day with yesterday’s mess, Ms. One of the easiest ways to start to change your work space is to spend the last 10 minutes of your workday readying your desk for the next day. You should also create a space for an “in zone” – brand new things that have just come in – and an “out zone” for things that are finished and need to be distributed. In most cases, keep your desk clear except for the project you are tackling at the moment, along with the equipment you need to complete it, she said. “Every paper on your desk has a task associated with it, and that task is going to take time.” Have you factored in enough time to get it all done? Out-of-control piles of paper may be a sign that you need to delegate, she said.Īsk yourself: Are the piles on your desk the same ones that were there three weeks ago, or are they moving? As long as they’re not stagnant, you’re probably doing O.K. Morgenstern maintains – the rest is tied to time management. In general, only 25 percent of a desk’s messiness is related to organizational skills, Ms. It “can either energize you or deplete your energy,” said Ms. But your physical workspace can have a big effect on productivity. There’s no one right way to organize a desk. Then allow yourself a minute of distraction, as long as you get back on your task for another five or 10 minutes. Work in intervals: Set a timer for five or 10 minutes and commit to focusing on your assignment for that amount of time. A brief walk around your office can lift your mood, reduce hunger and help you refocus. Move: If you find yourself losing focus – reading the same sentence over and over or if your mind continually wanders off topic – get up and briefly walk around, Dr. Work on just one screen: Put away your cellphone and turn off your second monitor. Some workers may need to go so far as to install anti-distraction programs like SelfControl, Freedom, StayFocusd and Anti-Social, which block access to the most addictive parts of the internet for specified periods. Remove temptation: Actively resist the urge to check unrelated social media while you are working on a task. Here are a few small changes you can make: It’s probably not realistic to think that we can block off hours at a time for a single task, but even committing to monotask for five minutes can yield productivity benefits. To the best of your ability, set up a work environment that encourages the performing of one task at a time.
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