In an age where so many demands are placed on our time, it can be difficult to become more productive than your current level.
Regardless of where you are on the career ladder, maximizing your productivity is crucial if you want to impress and make further progress.
Most people start each day with the best intentions, but circumstances often conspire against them to make life seem like an ever-decreasing circle.
With that in mind, read on as we take a closer at look at some of the best ways to increase your productivity, starting with a suggestion that does not involve working.
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Get quality sleep
To give yourself the best possible opportunity of increasing your productivity, you need to be completely ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
Getting enough quality sleep is vital, so make sure you formulate a suitable sleep schedule and stick rigidly to it throughout the year.
Create a bedtime routine that promotes relaxation by undertaking activities such as meditating, listening to music or reading a book.
Alternatively, wind down by playing online casino games on your smartphone, but make sure you switch off your device afterwards to stop it emitting disruptive blue light.
Don’t multitask
Many people make the mistake of thinking that undertaking several tasks at once is the best way to make themselves more productive.
However, by trying to juggle too many plates at once, you run the risk of some of the task being neglected because you are not giving them your full attention.
Research by neuroscientists found that multitasking leads to more mistakes, which has the knock-on effect of significantly reducing your productivity.
People are far more efficient when they monotask, so adopt that approach to ensure your productivity reaches the level you desire.
Plan for productivity
Benjamin Franklin said ‘by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail’ and that ethos undoubtedly can be applied to maximising productivity.
Creating a list of the tasks you must complete is a great way to organise what you need to do during a particular day.
Focus on completing important tasks at the time of day you feel most productive – for instance, if you are an early bird, this is the time to do the big stuff.
Do not be afraid to build time into your day to complete a series if minor tasks, as you will gain motivational benefit from seeing your list shrink.
Take time to recharge
Having suggested that getting enough sleep is contributes massively towards productivity, you may be surprised to find we also advise taking breaks during the day.
However, numerous studies have shown that skipping lunch can be extremely counterproductive to your ability to focus during the afternoon.
Make that you take time away from your place of work to refuel with healthy food and drink to ensure you don’t flag as the day progresses.
Fitting some exercise into your lunchbreak is also a good idea as can leave you feeling more energised to tackle more work tasks.
