How To Be More Effective At Work: 13 Ways To Work Smarter

Want to know how to be more effective at work? Then you’re in the right place.

Even if you want to, staying motivated and productive at work can be a challenge. If you change your perspective and approach to work, you can break free from the rut at work.

You can be more productive at work if you organize your responsibilities, stay focused on your work, and take care of yourself.

How To Be More Effective At Work:

1. Create a to-do list.

Controlling your work with a checklist or to-do list can help you stay on track. To avoid getting overwhelmed, limit the number of tasks on your to-do list. Choose the three most critical tasks you need to complete. These are the big, important, and crucial tasks that you need to complete before moving on to the next step. If you finish the most critical tasks, fill the remaining space on the list with less important things to do.

Make a checklist the night before and focus only on the next day.

The checklist should be as detailed as possible, dividing the activities into smaller parts and giving an estimate of the time it will take to complete them.

2. Keep track of how much time you waste.

Analyze your habits in terms of how you spend your time and how you waste it. Do you use Facebook too often? Or do you spend too much time in the break room talking to co-workers? Determine where you’re wasting time so you can stop and become more productive at work.

3. Divide your work into manageable chunks.

It’s hard to succeed when you’ve been working on something all day and still haven’t finished it. Breaking big tasks into small wins will keep you more engaged and productive at work.

If you worked on it all day, think about all the small processes that go into developing a budget for a business. You may have made contact with the business owners, prepared spreadsheets, and determined where money is being wasted by completing a total of three tasks.

4. Develop a daily schedule.

Having a systematic routine will signal to your mind and body that it’s time to get to work. This may mean that you start your day the same way every day (e.g., stretching, drinking coffee, and turning on a stimulating playlist).

Allow yourself to check email at specific intervals throughout the day so you don’t waste time checking it on the spur of the moment.

SEE ALSO: How To Work Faster: 13 Quick Productivity Strategies

5. Make sure you are in touch with yourself.

When you arrive at work, take five minutes to reflect on your day and make a to-do list. Think about how you will fulfill your daily responsibilities.

Every hour, force yourself to refocus on yourself. Review how you spent the last hour and see if it was productive. Promise yourself that the next hour will be productive. At the end of the day, ask yourself how your day went.

Was it productive? What can you do differently to make tomorrow a better day?

6. Know how to do the job well.

If you know how to do your job well (1), you will need less energy. If you know your job, you will be able to thrive in it. Having said that, you should still try to do new things and outdo yourself to improve your skills, contribute to the organization, and avoid boredom.

If you can’t complete a task because you lack the necessary skills or information, seek additional training to help you master the job.

Check that you are meeting your supervisor’s expectations.

Make sure you are communicating effectively about your initiatives.

Try to put yourself in a position where you can contribute to the growth and improvement of the company.

7. Keep motivated to prevent procrastination. 

One of the most common causes of procrastination is the fear of having to do anything. Force yourself to do things in short bursts. Force yourself to start anything, even if it is only going to take five minutes, and then quit if necessary. Once you start making progress, you will be more motivated to keep going and working on something until it is completed.

To prevent distractions that promote procrastination, turn off your phone and organize your desk.

Do difficult tasks before lunch, when you are most motivated.

If you feel uninspired at work due to dissatisfaction with your current workplace, consider looking for a new job.

You may find it easier to work hard at your job if you have a fun life outside of it.

8. Focus on what you have control over.

Focus your attention and energy on the things that are within your control. Don’t worry or stress about things beyond your control. If you start worrying about what a colleague or another department is doing, it will just be a waste of time. If you focus only on the things that are within your control, you will feel stronger and be more productive at work.

SEE ALSO: How To Improve Your Workplace Environment: 28-Step Guide

9. Work quickly and efficiently.

To be successful, you must be an efficient worker. Stop juggling so many tasks. Concentrate on one job at a time. You won’t get anything done if you try to do 10 things at once.

10. Collaborate with colleagues.

Collaborate with others to complete tasks faster and bring fresh ideas to projects. You will be a more productive employee if you collaborate with others and ask for help when you need it.

11. Take frequent breaks.

You won’t be able to be productive at work if you don’t give yourself time to relax. Take a small break from work every few hours (2). To refresh your mind and make it more productive, have a snack, go for a walk or meditate.

12. Set a timer for when you stop working.

You’ll be more productive while working if you force yourself to finish your work when you’re done. Set a specific deadline for completing a task and stick to it.

Plan something fun to do after work that will motivate you to stop working. Designate a way to finish your work, such as taking a walk or keeping a notebook.

13. Find ways to de-stress.

The key to avoiding stress is to maintain a sense of control. It’s a good idea to develop a daily schedule that helps you feel more in control.

To avoid stress, be sure you know exactly what is expected of you at work. Do stress-relieving activities after work (such as reading, watching a movie, making tasty food, or going to martial arts training).

Przemkas Mosky
Przemkas Mosky started Perfect 24 Hours in 2017. He is a Personal Productivity Specialist, blogger and entrepreneur. He also works as a coach assisting people to increase their motivation, social skills or leadership abilities. Read more here