The 4-hour Workweek : 10 Productivity Tips to Shorten Your Workday
· There are many people who prefer checking their emails no sooner they get up from bed. Make sure you don’t follow this league. In fact, avoid starting your computer until you have enough time on your hand!
· Chalk out a plan and proceed with the things accordingly. To be more specific, pen down in an organized manner the list of things that you plan to do that day. There can be nothing more convincing than going through the completed list of items.
· Make sure that you prepare your list as per your priority. The things that you wish to do early in the morning should be noted first followed by the rest that can be accomplished in late afternoon or evening. This is the best possible way that can enhance your productivity and eliminate procrastination.
· Ensure attending the difficult calls first so as to overcome the hump. Managing the hard calls first can help you in creating a sense of accomplishment and allow managing the easier calls with greater efficiency.
· After accomplishing the steps included above, you can log onto your computer so as to check your mails. Move onto the inbox and address each and every email that has accumulated since the last time you checked your inbox. You can delete, file or respond to the accumulated emails. If needed, add new items that are created to your task list.
· Ensure blocking non-productive and time consuming websites from your computer. There are innumerable ways through which you can take up this step. For instance, you have the leach block software that helps you keep off from time consuming websites. The 4-Hour Workweek suggests going in for this or other similar software so as to help continue with your job without any scope for interruption.
· Ensure changing your email settings. With Microsoft Outlook you can determine the frequency at which fresh emails are delivered to the computer. You can change the settings so as to receive emails at a definite frequency of four hours. In case you are expecting any emails you can always count on the send and receive button for instant delivery.
· There are times when water cooler conversations seem rarely possible in an official environment. At this hour, you can close the door so as to accomplish the job and move out of your office in time. Avoid getting deep sunk into these sorts of conversation. It is true that involving in water cooler conversation at times is essential for creating as well as maintaining relationships with the company, but then, you cannot compromise on your work for the same. Hence, what you can do is join the conversation for a couple of minutes and then bow out by giving an excuse of a pressing issue. When you are engaged in a conversation with multiple people sliding back is pretty easier. Don’t go in for time consuming conversations. Be friendly when you are walking past somebody in the office, ask them about their well being without showing any intent to slow down and start off with a conversation. What is intended out here is that you need to be focused on whatever your intended action was. They will come to know that you were focused on a job and not mistake the friendliness for the beginning of a conversation.
· Keep off from office gossip as this one amongst the biggest time drains. Try keeping yourself from gossip conversations. If not, just nod your head while providing the good points about the people when possible
· Maintain a proper time for moving in and moving out of office. After implementing the aforementioned steps and increasing your productivity, ensure leaving the office on time. This will help you find ample time for your friends and family members. (The Business of The 21st Century – Kiyosaki)That’s the point right? There are times when we shirk around throughout the day finally starting off with your work after lunch and staying late so compensate for the time wasted. But then isn’t the right approach, instead, make sure to come on time, accomplish your job successfully and leave for home on time. After all, your boss wants a result, that’s it!
Most of the ideas pen downed above are included in Timothy Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek.
