Are you feeling stressed out by your vast workload? Has the COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase of work in your professional and home life? Do you feel as if you’ve got more things to do than time in the day to do them? 

You’re not alone. In a 2013 study, the American Psychological Survey reported that one-third of employees maintained chronic stress. While more recently, Business Wire announced in April that one-third of US workers are losing two hours or more of productivity per day from increased stress. 

But there are solutions and behaviors to impact this positively! By organizing your tasks and focus, you can start using your time more effectively, concentrate on what’s in your control, and, ultimately, shift your mindset for success. My tips will help lower your stress levels and ultimately put you on an upward spiral to success in your work and life. After all, happiness makes you 31% more productive and three times as creative, according to the London School of Economics.

Time and mind-set management are skills, and like all skills, it takes a while to nurture and develop. Everybody’s different, so what’s ideal for one person may be a nightmare for another. But I still think my five time-efficiency and mind-set suggestions are worth exploring and experimenting!  

Prioritize Tasks

This revolutionized my routine! At the start of every day, make a list of the top three jobs that need your immediate attention. We often get overwhelmed with less critical tasks, spending much more time than we need to distract ourselves from the bigger jobs ahead.

That’s why I always start my morning identifying the top three items and getting straight into more challenging tasks when I’ve got the most energy and can maximize my focus. 

Prioritizing the top three tasks also supports identifying what is in your control. Check-in with yourself at the end of each workday, so you don’t deviate from your top three.

Create a Schedule

One great way to divide up your tasks is to put everything into a planner or notebook, which you can tick off as you go along. This process also helps to get you out of your head and into action. Not only does it make things clearer when you see it set out on paper, but you’ll get immense satisfaction putting a giant tick next to every job you complete. 

Be realistic too. If there’s one big task that will take you a whole afternoon, don’t add any other assignments into that timeframe. If you know you’ve got a busy evening, give yourself some time off the morning after. You’ve got to be flexible.

Don’t Multitask

That brings me to my next point. Try and avoid juggling two jobs at once. Most of us think that multitasking will improve efficiency. However, according to Entrepreneur Magazine, it causes more stress and weakens your memory! When you think about it, why would you want to put 50% of your attention into two jobs instead of putting 100% of your time and effort into one?

By focusing all your interests into one task, you’ll get it done quicker, to a much higher standard, and with less stress.

Take a Break

Whenever you feel yourself beginning to tire, stop, and take a short, 15-minute break. Experts are yet to determine an ideal length of time in which the body can stay productive, but they think it’s between 50 and 90 minutes.

After an hour and a half, your body’s productivity starts to slump. That’s why I like to schedule short and regular breaks into my day, so I never feel too overwhelmed at any one time. I’ll take a walk, listen to some music, grab a healthy snack. Literally, anything that’s got nothing to do with the tasks I’ve got lined up. It really works!

Hire a Transformative Coach

Sometimes you just need an accountability partner to help you through it. I support individuals in reaching new growth levels, achievement, and success with Transformative Coaching, Neuroscience tools, and experience in a thoughtful and reflective way. Every individual is unique, and this process is highly collaborative to support your ideal professional and personal life.

Transformative Coaching champions’ self-reflection, strengthens healthy boundaries, and supports defining one’s unique life purpose. I’ve helped my clients find their next career, advance in leadership roles, take their business idea to market, and have more fulfilling relationships. They’ve reached higher levels of success and satisfaction – and they’ve had the energy to master the complexities of their work and life. Are you ready to partner? 

Check out what I can do for you, and let’s start working together!