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4 Hacks to Make You More Productive

Are you in a race against the clock? Whether your plate is overflowing or your coworker’s conversation is drawing your attention, the Cape Chamber staff is here with productivity hacks to stay focused on the job.

Clear focus

Clear focus

“Mornings before 7:30 are the most productive for me in terms of details and work related activities that don’t require interacting with the rest of the world.” John Mehner, President & CEO

Not all hours are created equal. Sometimes an hour is enough to blaze through a massive project, and other times all you manage is to tiredly send a couple of unimportant emails.1

Research shows the brain can only focus for 90 to 120 minutes, at which point it needs a short break before you can launch into your next 90- to 120-minute period of focus. You can find your most productive work times and patterns just by paying closer attention to your daily habits, as well as your energy and focus levels.2

 

Read more: How to Find Your Most Productive Hours

 

Calendar

Optimize Outlook

“I use my outlook calendar for everything and make weekly “to-do” lists to keep me organized. I love the satisfaction of checking things off my list!” Kim Voelker, Vice President

Microsoft Outlook is arguably one of the most powerful time-management tools, if you learn how to use it correctly. Did you know you can schedule emails in Outlook? Have you heard of the Quick Parts feature? Take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with some of Outlook’s most popular features.

Read more: 11 Outlook Email Productivity Hacks You Never Knew About

 

Split Screen

Split-screen viewing

“While I have multiple screens, often splitting the same screen between two programs/or files, allows me to quickly analyze and compare data.” Dana Brune, Membership & Events Specialist

Seeing that a large percentage of waking hours are spent at your desk, optimizing your workspace is key to productivity. From split-screen viewing to superb filing there are plenty of ways to set your space up for success.

Read more: How to optimize your workspaces for maximum productivity

 

Time Blocking

Time blocking

“I find time blocking to be especially helpful when I have multiple ongoing projects that need attention. This helps me ensure tasks don’t fall through the cracks when things get busy.” Taylor Laws, Marketing & Communications Specialist

Whether you work a nine-to-five job, telecommute, or stay-at-home with the kids, everyone needs an effective method for managing their day. After all, perfectionism, procrastination, and the myth of multitasking are all very real dangers that can keep even the most productive people stuck in one place.

Sometimes referred to as "monotasking" or "time chunking," time blocking is a time management technique where you block off a period of time to complete a particular task.4

Read more: Time blocking 101: A step-by-step guide to getting the most from your daily schedule

 

 

Resources:

  1. How to Find Your Most Productive Hours
  2. What's Your Most Productive Work Time? How to Find Out
  3. 10 Quick Tips for Avoiding Distractions at Work
  4. How to Use Time Blocking to Manage Your Day