Get more done and have more fun? Here’s 4 simple steps.
July 17, 2018 | Posted In: B2B
What if you could work less and be even more productive? Sounds too good to be true, but it all starts with knowing how to really unplug when we leave the office—and if you’re like me, this starts with your phone. Our environment of constant connectivity causes a lot of pressure to answer calls and reply to messages immediately, even those that are not a high-priority.
How many times have we all settled in at home and immediately our phone dings? We think, “This will only take a second to reply” (and of course it’ll be faster on our laptop), and soon we’ve put in even more hours of work without ever getting to relax before bed.
We feel more productive at the time, but we need to take a break! Science has proven it, data supports it, and we all feel it, but we can’t help feeling too busy to slow down. The good news is… we’re wrong!
Here are 4 very simple practices that the highest-performing, most productive business people in the world use to have a happier, healthier life at home and at work.
- Limit your availability
You know what works best for you. Depending on each of our lifestyles, some of us are fine with work communications after-hours. If so, put a limit on it; reserve personal time daily—and, whatever your expectations, communicate them.
Letting coworkers know the acceptable times to call allows you the valuable time you need to de-stress and unwind. It won’t be a big deal; they will respect you for it and they’ll be happy to have your full attention when they call.
- Have a “play plan”
We realize business success takes a work plan, but what about personal success? It’s easy to brush aside an evening without any specific plans. More concrete plans are harder to push away, so give yourself goals to achieve like “watching two episodes of…” and “a chapter of…”. Applying the same planning and specificity to our personal life that we do to work will help ensure that we can truly unplug.
When we allow time to kick back and enjoy some R&R, we give our brains a chance to rest and come back to our work restored the next day. As a result, we’re even more productive than when we work after-hours.
- Get and stay organized
Organization and order improves efficiency, keeps us on top of important work, and prevents us from getting overwhelmed.
First, define what work is critical and what can wait for a response until we’re back in the office. Do this in advance and live by it—you will discover most can wait. Try routinely deleting emails and voicemails that aren’t important to keep track of and respond to the ones that are. Make notes about tasks and prioritize who to follow up with to know exactly what must get done.
- Change your environment
Sometimes it’s hard to avoid work even after a long day and often stressful commute home. We can’t be productive when we’re exhausted—in lieu of getting frustrated staring at your laptop, step away and change your surroundings. Maybe take a short walk to get some fresh air.
This will boost your endorphin levels and decrease your stress so you can return to your work feeling refreshed and focused. You’ll be able to finish quicker and spend more time with family, friends, or have a relaxing night to yourself.