Sales reps never seem to have enough time in their day, but with a few habit changes you can get more done during the day by working smarter, not harder.
1. Complete Your Least Favorite Task, First
This bit of advice comes from a tongue-in-cheek Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day” (click to tweet this) While Mark Twain may have been simply predicting a future where clickbait articles get their inevitable satire equivalent, his advice actually serves as a great metaphor for work life.
Namely, identify the worst task in your day — the thing you dread doing most. By completing the your least favorite task before starting on anything else, you can then move on to other tasks that need your attention with peace of mind, knowing the worst task is already out of the way. Doing so allows you to focus on other tasks with undivided attention, sparing you the dread that accompanies procrastination. As Michael McDevitt of Forbes writes: “You have to eat the frog, or the frog will eat your whole life.”
2. Squeeze More Time Out of Your Mornings
Between Netflix, social media, and the aforementioned clickbait, we often tempt ourselves up to stay up late and make the most of our weeknights. The only problem is that nights spent on the couch aren’t that great! You are much better off going to bed early so that you can wake up well before work and get more out of your day.
If you take the time to wake up and exercise, for instance, you can get through your “foggy” period early and actually have more energy throughout your day. If you take the time to prepare a more nutritious and tasty breakfast, you won’t run out the door with a danish in your mouth that will have you feeling hungry again by 11.
Focus on beneficial, positive, self-care activities in your mornings to feel better about your whole day, even if it means cutting out the activities you like to do at night to get there.
3. Resist the Temptation of Time Wasters
Many of us get tempted to check our email when we first get in the office as a form of procrastination, but this sets up a chain reaction where you have trouble focusing for the rest of your day.
Instead, put off distractions like these until around lunchtime. Spend more of your morning getting the most out of what may be your two most productive hours of the day, such as completing mentally taxing projects such as writing or strategic planning.
4. Prepare Yourself for Your Next Day Before You Leave the Office
Before you log off your workstation or grab your briefcase to head out the door, stop and do two things:
- Write down your most important tasks for the morning on a to-do list
- Tidy up your workspace
These two actions ensure that you arrive in the morning knowing exactly what you need to do and without office clutter in your way.
What Are Your Work Smart Hacks Productivity Secrets?
We want to hear what gets you up and moving in the morning or what helps you stay productive throughout the day! Tell us your secrets by filling out the quick comment form below.
