Productivity can mean a lot to anyone’s workday. However, the last hour of your workday is usually a hurried rush to wrap up loose ends before the day concludes. Though it may be tempting to let your workday slip away, ending your day on a productive high note can boost success both inside and outside of the office. If you want to feel productive and accomplished at the end of every workday – and who doesn’t? – turn to these simple, yet effective tips.
Check off small tasks.
Do you often feel drained at the end of the day? In many instances, this is completely understandable – particularly if you often have a lot of meetings, phone calls, or client interactions during the day. When you feel as though you have no more brainpower left to handle bigger tasks, reach for the so-called “low-hanging fruit.” Knock out small, easy projects like answering emails or tidying up your desk. They won’t require much of you, but they’ll probably make you feel a lot better about logging off for the day.
Create an “action” list.
To-do lists are great, but they can lead to dread if you feel like you can’t knock off your to-do items fast enough. Instead of focusing on your to-do list, try shifting your focus to create an “action” list. These lists detail goals you have for the next 24 hours. Maybe you’d like to send an initial email for that huge project looming over the coming weeks. Perhaps you have a personal goal that’s been distracting you from work. Whatever it is, your action list can help you break it down into smaller steps, getting you closer to the finish line.
Clear out emails.
Did you know that the average person spends over three hours per day checking work-related email? That’s a lot of time taken out of your eight-hour workday! Instead of compulsively checking your email, reserve a time to go through everything at once. The last hour of the workday is also a great time to declutter your inbox by unsubscribing from newsletters and organizing old emails into separate folders. Because emails are the lifeline of most companies, you’ll probably surprise yourself with how much more productive you are during the day, if you make it a goal to get your inbox to zero every evening.
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