Do you ever have those days where you feel like you didn’t get anything done?
Yep. Me too.
Productivity can be one of the most challenging things to master and is something we, as small biz business owners, can easily let go by the wayside. All too often we tell ourselves we need to be doing tasks that we don’t really need to be doing – or aren’t necessarily moving the needle forward.
Luckily, I’ve found some tricks along the way of owning my own wedding business that have helped me tremendously when it comes to honing in on the most important tasks and getting the work done.
Whatever your case may be, I hope you find these quick productivity tips helpful in your work life to get more out of your work day!
Tip 01. Set office hours… and stick to them!
Setting office hours not only helps you create a distinct difference of when you need to be working and what time you have to spend with your family, but it also gives clients (and potential clients) an idea of when it is appropriate to expect responses from you. Without these guidelines, you may feel tempted to just reply to a quick e-mail at 10 o’clock at night. But if you start setting clients up to the expectations to expect a response right away, at any time of night, they will expect that of you every. single. time. Make your life (and your client’s) easier and stick to your scheduled hours.
Tip 02. Block your schedule
I absolutely love having a physical planner where I can write down my set schedule. Everyone works differently, though! If writing your schedule down isn’t your thing, you could always go a more digital route. Or, you can even hang up a whiteboard in your office space and write down your block schedule there. However you choose to do it, I highly recommend having your set schedule written down somewhere so you can reference it when you go into a new week. This allows you to have a better understanding of how much time you are devoting to certain things and lets you know when you can schedule random calls or meetings you may have that week.
Tip 03. Tackle your inbox first thing
When you first sit down for your workday, make it a priority to go through all your emails. Organize them so that you know what is done and what you still need to get to. By starting your morning out by going through everything, you can better prioritize what you need to get done today and what can wait until tomorrow. You never know what might come up from emails, so it’s nice to go through in the morning to make sure you haven’t missed something! Plus, your mind will be at ease knowing you have a (somewhat) organized inbox.
Tip 04. Turn off notifications
Alright, listen up! This one can be a struggle, especially to keep off those social media apps, but this tip will really help make a difference in your productivity during the workday. By all means, if you need to take a break and refresh your mind, hop on social media for a set amount of time. But don’t let yourself get carried away and lose track of time. Turning your notifications off and not checking your texts every other minute will help you keep your mind focused on the task at hand so you don’t waste time thinking about the task and just focus on getting it done. This simple tip is sure to save you SO much time and get you on track to being the best productive self you can be!
Tip 05. Take a break
This one can be hard for me, but it is so, so important to give yourself time to step away from your work and take a mental break to clear your thoughts. Give yourself a real lunch break where you step away from your office and have time to eat your lunch without simultaneously replying to emails. Prefer to eat and work at the same time? Totally fine… as long as you’re finding other ways to give yourself a break! Go on a quick walk, throw in a load of laundry, read a few chapter of your favorite book. Whatever recharges you, do it!
I hope you feel motivated and ready to implement some new tactics into your work style that will help with your productivity! If you ever feel overwhelmed, just know you aren’t alone. I still struggle with staying productive at times, but the tips I shared with you have made a world of a difference. Here’s to wishing they help you as much as they did me!
Xo,
Jess
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