Tips and Tools to Use Time Wisely at Work

For many people, today’s hybrid work environment allows for greater work/life balance – if they’re able to get the work done. Adding efficiency into your workday can mean more time for family, friends, and fun. Here are some tips and tools to be more productive and efficient with work time, so you’ll have more play time in the long run.

• Organize and prioritize. Staying organized is the best way to perform at your peak. Keep a running list of tasks with due dates and the estimated time each activity will take. Utilize reminders for task milestones to keep them moving. If you have multiple deadlines for one day, set time limits for each task, or schedule time in your calendar so you can shift between tasks effectively.

• Manage deadlines and collaboration with an app. Many apps have a feature to help you manage project flow. Tools including Monday, Forecast, Basecamp, Wrike, and Cflow can serve as guides for the flood of project tasks that need to happen along the way. Each has a different format, but they all notify you of milestones and deadlines as they flow through the various processes.

• Find a messaging platform that works for you. Just like project management apps, there are also many office messaging programs that can help you chat easily with your coworkers to keep projects moving. A few popular options are Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Glip. Find the one that works best for you and your team to maximize communications efficiencies.

• Know your work style. Everyone works differently. Ensure you make the most of your workday by building it around your own work style. If you are most productive in the morning, steer meetings toward the afternoon so you can maximize the morning hours for deliverables. Do you tend to procrastinate? If so, you may need to work with your team to set deadlines for each smaller task, instead of one big one. Are you better working remotely or in an office? For the many people navigating a hybrid structure, knowing what type of work to plan for each environment will be essential to succeeding, both at home and in the office. Understanding your own unique working style, and leaning into it, will help you be more productive.