How to have a more productive work day

So it’s 11.30, you’re sat at your desk with a to-do list the size of your arm, and you’re already feeling that mental fog creep in. Feeling motivated to do work certainly isn’t something that happens 24/7 for most people, and having a productive day often requires the right frame of mind and some thorough preparation. Take a look at these simple tips on the things you can do to ensure you power through that hefty workload in no time.

Get a good night’s sleep

Falling asleep at your desk and surviving on coffee isn’t an ideal way to spend the workday when you’re hoping for productivity. If you’re not getting the amount of sleep you need, then your concentration levels and cognitive performance is going to plummet, causing your quality of work to suffer. Make sure you do everything you can to ensure you’re getting between 7-9 hours of sleep a night. This could include creating a relaxing nighttime routine and shopping for divan beds with a memory foam mattress for an extra comfortable sleep.

Create a good morning routine

Getting up bright and early might not seem appealing, but doing so can work wonders for your productivity. Make time to eat a healthy, filling breakfast and try and fit a small workout in if you get the chance. Doing some form of exercise for at least ten minutes each morning can wake up your body and mind and also lower stress levels, leaving you with a good outlook for the day ahead.

Prioritise your tasks

Having a huge to-do list in front of you can be daunting, so it’s a good idea to prioritise your tasks based on what’s more urgent and what can wait. Create a weekly plan for your tasks in accordance with deadlines and levels of importance. While that huge task you’ve been dreading might not be what you want first thing on a Monday morning, getting the most pressing pieces of work done early on gets them out of the way and leaves you with the most enjoyable tasks by the end of the week – Friday feeling anyone?

Take regular breaks

Aside from your lunch break, taking small breaks throughout the day can be the key to productivity. Try working for an hour or so, and then taking a five or ten-minute break once you start to feel distracted. Taking some time out to make a cup of tea or coffee, chatting to a friend or taking a small walk is enough to give your brain the little break it needs to recharge.

Focus on one task at a time

While you might have a lot of tasks to complete and targets to achieve, the worst thing you can do is try to juggle lots of jobs at once. Manage your time effectively by only working on one task at once, moving onto the next task after a short break. Not only will this make you a lot more organised but the lack of distractions will cause the quality of your work to improve massively, which is good news all round!

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