by Andi Miles

Are you feeling overwhelmed with your workload and unsure of how to make the most of your time at work? You’re not alone! Planning, prioritizing, and allowing for flexibility are key to ensuring a productive workday.

To start, take 10-30 minutes to plan out your day. Identify what absolutely needs to be completed today, what would be nice to complete, what needs to be done this week, and what can be done to set up for next week. Clearly define the end result for each task so you know when it’s complete.

Be realistic with your time budget. Trying to cram 10 hours of work into 8 will lead to mistakes and wasted time fixing them. If you need to be reactionary, factor that time into your day and structure your schedule accordingly.

Prioritizing tasks is crucial. Start with critical tasks that ensure the core functions of your job are met. Then, look for ways to simplify your work now and in the future, followed by executables for the week. Delegate tasks that can be done better by someone else or that free you up to tackle more valuable tasks.

Finally, identify tasks that can be ignored if they are solved by your work on higher priority items. Work through your list from highest to lowest priority and when you’re done, you’re done for the day! By following these simple planning and prioritization steps, you can not only be efficient, but also proactively solve problems with your time and maximize your productivity at work.