Sometimes, it can feel like there just never seems to be enough hours in the day. This can be especially true for professionals in management and ownership roles having to accomplish several tasks throughout the day.
While you may not be able to change how many hours in the day there are, you may be able to create more productive time by doing some of the following things:
Move Closer to Work
If you have already been thinking about making a move, the fact that you need more productive working hours may be the push you need. Start looking at neighborhoods close to your place of business that are easily accessible by public transport or car.
For example, if you work in New York City, you might start looking at property in a desirable neighborhood of the Upper West Side. You can also find out what’s available by consulting property experts.
Outsource Time-Consuming Tasks
Every busy professional has a few things in their day that take up more time than they have to spare. It might be something important, but it may also be causing you a great deal of stress. Relieve some of that stress and save precious hours by outsourcing those time-consuming tasks.
You may be able to delegate them to someone else within your business, hire a new employee, or outsource them to a virtual assistant located elsewhere.
Identify Your Productivity Window
Everyone has a window of productivity – it’s a specific time of the day when you achieve the most with the least distractions. For some people, this window is first thing in the morning, and for others, it’s late at night.
Once you have identified your productivity window, you can assign your most important tasks within it. By achieving the most complex things when you’re the most alert and focused, you may find that you’re able to complete them in less time.
Use Productivity Tools
Not everyone finds it easy to make the best use of their time without help. Fortunately, the digital age has allowed us to make significant gains in this respect. Tools, apps, and resources now exist to help people make better use of their time.
For example, you might be able to use automation software to speed up a particular task or combine many programs into one to merge your daily tasks.
Ask for Help
Feeling like you can’t fit everything into your working day can be overwhelming, but some people feel like they have to manage the burden on their own. Learn to ask for help when you need it, and you may feel more confident to tackle what you have ahead.
For example, you might ask a family member to pick up your children from school or a colleague to make some phone calls for you. Never be afraid to tell someone that you’re overwhelmed and struggling.
You can make a number of changes to give you more free time in your day, such as moving closer to the office, asking for help, and outsourcing time-consuming tasks. Even doing just one new thing may make more of a difference than you first thought.