6 Productivity Hacks To Work Smarter, Not Harder

Life

4. One Task at A Time

Trying to be a multi-tasker not only overburdens you with excess work but also hampers your work quality. According to Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at MIT, toggling between different tasks may feel seamless but actually, consumes a lot more brain energy.

Smart Tip: Do one task at a time to avoid any type of confusion as well as achieve perfection in every work you do.

5. Manage Your To-Do List

Take a look at your to-do list. Does it have a number of works to be done without even necessary gaps? If yes, you need to manage your to-do list right away. Start off by labelling the important works (maximum 3 per day) as the Most Important Tasks or MITs. Then you can put the remaining minor tasks that can be completed with time.

Smart Tip: Make a to-do list a day before so you do not have to waste your time thinking about what to do and jump straight to your first MIT.

6. Set The Rule of Three

The rule of 3, as defined by Chris Bailey, the author of The Productivity Project, states, "At the beginning of each day, before you start working, decide what three things you want to accomplish by the end of the day. Do the same at the start of every week." With the rule of 3, you know what the most important three things for your day are and you know you have to set priorities to complete them.

Smart Tip: Implement this rule of three not just for a day, but for weeks and months too.

Working smart does not end with these 6 tips. There are many other smaller things that you can incorporate in your daily work-life to increase your productivity. Anything like stacking similar tasks together, switching off the notifications, delegating work, using various shortcut tools and above all, constantly reviewing everything that you do can be your way of working smarter. Try them for yourself and when, at the end of a month, you'll reflect back at the results, there'll be a big smile on your face accompanied with a deep sigh of relief after achieving the higher productivity levels.

Author Bio:
Ankit Gupta manages one of India's largest B2B portals. He has always been interested in enhancing the productivity of the employees and his write-ups are the doorway to his knowledge and years of research on the same.