Work-A-Holic’s Day: Tips to stay proactive and maintain a good work-life balance

Do you often feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day? Or maybe you’re having a hard time staying productive and focused? Maybe you feel a little bit of both.

According to a Gallup Poll report, the average work week has extended and continues to grow past the traditional 40 hours. The report states that people in the U.S. work an average of 47 hours or more per week.

While Americans are working more, many are also finding it harder to stay focused throughout the day. All of our different devices, social outlets, and lest we not forget, emails pull our attentions away from the task at hand. Not to mention, everyone does not have the ability to work long work weeks, due to personal responsibilities or family matters.

Time is valuable and companies, as well as individuals. want to use their time wisely. But sometimes even the thought of being more productive can be stressful.

So in honor of national Work-A-Holic’s Day, here are some tips on how to increase productivity, get the most out of your day, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Prioritize tasks and create a schedule

Organization is a must when it comes to staying focused and productive. Set aside blocks of time for certain tasks or projects and schedule your most important work first. Listing out all of your activities at the beginning of the week and scheduling out time for each item can help you focus and narrow down key assignments that have to be finished first. It will also save you in times of crisis when last minute items pop up. To help you stay organized, check out some of our recommendations for the best project management tools of 2016.

Always start with the end in mind

It’s one thing to get organized, but it is another to have a plan for how you organize your tasks. Executing a game plan puts you ahead of the competition and keeps you focused on the direction and goal.

Learn to say “no”

No one wants to say no to a coworker or disappoint someone because you can’t help with a request. But, the reality is that not everyone can do everything all the time. Most likely, it is physically impossible to try and do every request that is asked of you. Sooner or later, tasks will pile up and everything will fall apart. Begin practicing saying “no” and weighing out your availability to take on other items, along with your own workload. Keeping that in mind and sharing that with coworkers will help you eliminate unnecessary tasks.

Learn to delegate tasks

Another way to improve your workload is by delegating your tasks. It happens to the best of us: we try to take on everything, even if we don’t know how we are going to do it. Unfortunately, that way of thinking can set individuals, and companies, up for failure. As deadlines move up and more tasks come in, the responsibilities can become agonizing. Admitting that there were some things you’re not good at and delegating to others who know better, can make a huge impact. Not only for your own productivity, but for the company as a whole.

Find time to unwind

Besides managing your time and tasks more efficiently, it is important to find time to relax and shut down. Be open to your own needs and what your boundaries are. Allow some freedom and turn off all of your technology when you are finished at work and be present. When things begin to get overwhelming, take some time to exercise or meditate.

Overall, managing time is all about minimizing distractions, getting organized, and valuing your time. Effectively managing time and staying productive is the key to being truly efficient at generating results and maintaining a good balance in life.

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