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Step 1
Spot time wasters. Common culprits are instant messaging, web surfing, personal phone calls and chitchat with co-workers. The minutes spent on these distractions can become hours of lost time and lost productivity. Set limits on these activities and find ways to politely end conversations.
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Step 2
Limit distractions and interruptions. Schedule times to review and respond to mail, email and voice mail. If possible, turn off instant messenger programs and do not answer personal phone calls while you work on other tasks.
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Step 3
Organize and prioritize. If you are constantly searching for items on your cluttered desk, set aside time to organize files, tools and equipment. Keep paper and electronic files in labeled folders. On your computer, create shortcuts and favorites to help locate items quickly and easily.
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Step 4
Use a single portable calendar to track all meetings, appointments and deadlines.
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Step 5
Create a schedule to start and complete a given task and stick to it. Begin and end tasks on time. A daily or weekly "To Do" list can also be a helpful tool to stay on track and stay productive.
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Step 6
Be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses and then budget time and tasks accordingly. It can be helpful to do the tasks that you like the least first, since they may be more time consuming and you are more likely to complete more interesting activities.
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Step 7
Write agendas for meetings and stay within the allotted time. Inefficient meetings that go late are a major cause of productivity loss.
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Step 8
Write down all key information such as date, time, attendees, agenda items and action items when taking notes. This may save considerable guesswork later. When in doubt, document.
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Step 9
Learn to use new and better tools to do your work and invest some time in learning to use existing tools more efficiently.
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Step 10
Find a coach or mentor or take a class in time management, organizational techniques and productive business communication.
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Step 11
Take breaks. This may seem contradictory when you in swamped. However, "crunch time" is when it is even more important to remain clear and focused. It is easy to make mistakes and when feeling overwhelmed. Actually schedule breaks into your day if necessary. Even a short walk around the building can clear your head and reduce stress, which boosts productivity.









Comments
acousticgroupie said
on 11/15/2008 Thanks, but I didn't write this one!
vbsql7 said
on 11/15/2008 Great article, Kristen. I linked to it and (applying step 11) created a Wordle from it!
http://besttimetools.com/more-productive-work