Use time blocks to increase productivity.

One of the key complaints employees have about their workload is that they do not have enough time to get everything done. We only have 24 hours in a day, 7 days every week, and 52 weeks in a year. Fitting more time into a day is impossible. What we can do instead is find a way to get more done in less time.

The first step in weight management is to keep a food log or diary. Writing down everything you eat is a great way to quickly see what is considered too much food in a given time frame, and what is healthy or not. Time management at work can be just as easy.

Keeping a task log for a set amount of work time, such as a week or month, and listing what was done during that period of time, is a great way to get a feel for what is actually important and what is eating up your time. Include in these activity audits, a quick note or symbol for how each task felt. If a task at a certain time of day was energizing, take note! If something was sucking the life out of you, also take note. Perhaps not having enough time to do a particular job is just your body and mind telling you that you should not be doing it at all!

We talk about time blocks often at work, because we know for a fact that concentrating on a same type of task for a set period of time, without interruptions, works wonders for time management! It is very effective and efficient, regardless of the tasks or types of roles and responsibilities. Those who abide by time blocks find that they prioritize their days; they do the most difficult tasks first, and then ease into the rest of the day. The time block believers also don’t ask for extensions on projects, and always set achievable goals, rarely making excuses. Some employees spend a great deal of time interrupting other employees. Managing those interruptions effectively will open up minutes or even hours of time. Somewhere on your task log, add a column or symbol for distractions or interruptions!

Once you analyse your task log, you may find that you do have enough time to handle the workload. It is much easier to say no to people who bother you unnecessarily, when you have a log in front of you. Just be sure that the distractions are not important, not a critical part of your job, before you start cutting them out. Finally, set a time of your work day or week for “free” catch up time. Time block a spot for clean up, catch up, employee face time, and social interaction. We all need to create a free space for the non priority human part of work life. I use Friday afternoons as my time block for clean up, usually from 2-4, when employees, vendors, and clients can catch me. I clean out my emails, messages, and desk! I get to go home for the weekend with a clear head, and be prepared for the upcoming time blocked week! No complaints here.