Managing your time – summer tips

The sun is shining. The sky is blue. The birds are singing…

Yoga is great, but a walk is good too
Yoga is great, but a walk is good too

And you are sweltering in your office wishing you could be outside..?

If so, here are three top tips for getting the most out of our last few weeks of summer.  Make every moment in the office work super hard for you and you might just get out into the sunshine sooner.

No#1. When you sit at your desk, know what you’re doing there. It sounds obvious, but so often I hear from my third sector clients that they frequently feel unfocused and overwhelmed when they get to their desks. If you make a committed and firm decision about what you’re going to do, exactly what you plan to achieve (and importantly, how long you plan to do it for) then you clear the ‘psychic clutter’ in your brain which leads to fluffy thinking. You’ll be amazed how productive you then are.

No#2. Do the most important thing first. Again, it seems obvious, but it’s so easy to get side tracked once you open your emails. It’s also easy to do the easiest thing first, isn’t it? And then the day disappears, it’s 5.30pm, that key task hasn’t been done- and you need to stay late. So, decide what task will get you the most bang for your buck. Perhaps the one that’s most challenging or you’ve been putting off for ages, or the job that will get another set of tasks rolling. And do it! Give yourself a reward for completing it if you wish, but actually, with that task off your chest, you’ll feel much better about the rest of your day and again, you’ll be more productive than you were before.

No#3. And tip number three? If it’s all getting too much in the office give up and get out. It’s OK to take a break and go for a walk in some of that summer sun. It’s way better than sitting unproductively at your desk and, far from being lazy, is a sensible way to clear a fuddled brain.

And guess what? On your return you’ll feel more engaged and productive. Surprise!

 


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