Research has shown that the way people start their morning can impact their mood and productivity for the rest of the day. These studies suggest that workers may be able to increase their productivity simply by starting their morning off on the right foot. Give it a try by following these productive things to do as soon as you get to work every morning, even if you work at home.
How to increase your productivity when you start work
Create two separate to-do lists
Start your morning by creating two different to-do lists. The first to-do list should be a list of items that you can realistically complete during that workday. The second to-do list should be short- and long-term projects that need to be complete within the next few days or weeks. You may not have time to work on any of these projects that day, but it’s still a good idea to put them on paper so you can keep track of everything.
Follow the two-minute rule before checking emails
To improve productivity, get in the habit of following the two-minute rule every morning when you get to work. What is the two-minute rule? Look over your to-do list and identify the items that you can complete in two minutes or less. Before opening your email, complete all of these small tasks. Checking these items off of your list can make you feel accomplished and less scatterbrained, which will improve your productivity for the rest of the day.
Turn off phone notifications
Having a smartphone can be beneficial in many ways, but it can also be a major distraction at work. After arriving at work, turn off your mobile phone notifications as soon as possible. Hearing the beeps and buzzes of incoming text messages, phone calls, and other notifications can make it difficult to focus on work. Many people experience an irresistible urge to stop what they’re doing to check their notifications, which can cause them to lose minutes or hours of time per day.
Organise your workspace
Believe it or not, how well you organise your workspace can affect your productivity. In fact, the average person loses about an hour every day due to disorganisation. Your computer should be right in front of you with the items you use the most often on each side of the computer monitor. Items that are only used a few times a week should be kept in a drawer instead of on top of the desk.
Personal belongings such as photos and other trinkets can also take up a lot of space on your desk. Experts recommend clearing some of this clutter by keeping no more than three personal items on your desk. You should also avoid the excessive use of sticky notes, which can make the workspace look disorganised and affect your productivity.
Set aside a few minutes every morning to organise your desk in this manner. It may seem unnecessary, but these decluttering tips can have a significant impact on your productivity.
Put on headphones
It can be hard to get things done when co-workers are talking loudly to each other or barging into your workspace to speak to you. Prevent these distractions from disrupting your day by putting on headphones shortly after sitting down at your desk.
Headphones will not only tune out distractions, but they can also improve your focus. Numerous studies have shown that listening to music can improve workers’ quality of work and efficiency. Keep a pair of headphones at your desk and slip them on every morning to start your day off on the right note.
There’s no need to work longer hours to finish your work. These productive things to do before work are guaranteed to improve your day so you can get more done during normal working hours!
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