It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan. – Eleanor Roosevelt
Workweeks can be rough, whether you’re working from home or in the office. Each day of the week seems to present a different challenge to maintaining your productivity and focus. On Monday, you’re looking for a bit of a push to motivate you to start the week and finish it off on a high note.
Well, we understand that no matter what day it is or what your work motto happens to be, achieving your short-term and long-term goals are hidden in your daily routine. Follow these easy steps to get started on achieving your daily goals and monthly targets:
Prioritize
- Remind yourself of your long-term goals and revise them daily to keep yourself focused and going throughout the day.
- Set daily priorities to meet your goals.
- Pro Tip: Keep photos of your family or inspirational pictures nearby for that extra push when the going gets tough.
Make Lists
- Make daily, weekly, and monthly to-do lists of important tasks.
- Review your daily priorities at the beginning of each day.
Calendars and Planners
- Get in the habit of checking your work calendar every day to review your activities and avoid conflicts.
- Write down all commitments in pencil rather than trusting your memory. This helps, trust me!
- Use planning and scheduling forms and software to help you map out long-term projects.
Time Management
- Schedule a quiet time at work to attend to tasks that need extra concentration.
- Always start with your most challenging work when your energy is at its highest (preferably first thing in the morning) and save less demanding work for another time.
- If you tend to procrastinate, focus on the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when the job is done.
- Use commute time to plan your day’s activities.
Task Management
- Assign tasks to others when the task is not on your level of expertise.
- Provide adequate training and feedback on assigned projects.
Organize Mails and Phone Calls
- Sort incoming mail into categories by priority or action.
- Use voice mail to screen phone calls.
- Scan through your emails to see what you can delete. All messages you identify as unimportant should be selected and moved to the trash in bulk.
- Prioritize your phone calls and keep track of your business calls.
Clear Your Workspace
- Keep only the most critical items that you use on a regular basis, and information you need daily, on the top of your desk.
- Put away resource materials you hardly use and toss out duplicate information and materials that will soon be outdated.
- Leave blank space on bookshelves for growth and creativity.
- Keep it organized: organize files by priority, name files, and keep the most important ones within arm’s reach.
- Spend 15 minutes at the end of each day clearing your desk and 15 minutes the next morning planning for your day’s activities.
- Review items one through seven on this list to successfully plan your weekdays and achieve your goals daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly.