Business / Career

 

Although we have dozens of methods of getting in touch with people, there is still a lack of communication between professionals as far as prioritization goes. We’re all constantly being distracted by notifications of something new, and it interferes with our productivity and our ability to communicate efficiently. With dozens of emails and hundreds of chats coming across our desks each day, it’s tough to sift through the communication and prioritize what needs to get done today, what people say needs to get done today, and what’s just noise.

If you’re looking for a way to be more efficient in your day to day work life, these are a few ways you can set yourself up for success.

Know your communication style.

In spite of the fact that most of us would like to leave high school firmly in our rearview mirror, the business world is a perfect example of how that culture functions beyond the age of eighteen. Although there might be less emphasis on the State Championship game or who’s got the highest GPA, the habits you build in high school often translate into your business approach. Your communication strengths and weaknesses are built on the personality you have in high school and how it evolves as you grow up. Knowing what your style is ane conveying that to your professional partners is a good way to let them know how you plan to communicate with them and what you need from them in return.

Filter Out the Noise

Turn off notifications when you need to put your head down and work. This goes for work communication too! If your team has a chat where they tend to talk all day and it distracts you, you can let them know where to find you and shut it down while you focus. This way they know that whatever it is that they want to interrupt you for, it needs to be important enough to break your concentration.

Look at Your Week as a Whole

Looking at not only what needs to be done today but also what is coming up tomorrow and the rest of the week gives you a more accurate idea of how much time you have to devote to a task per day and how your project timeline will be affected if you have to push out a task. This will help you prioritize your major items each day to make sure you don’t push a task that messes up the rest of your week.

Use a Focus Technique.

For a lot of people, the Pomodoro technique is a good way to help them settle and focus on one thing at a time. For others, they opt for focus apps. Whatever your technique, don’t be afraid to experiment to see what gives you the best chance of getting your projects done on time.

With New Year’s Resolutions coming up, this is the perfect time to adjust your approach and figure out what will make you more efficient and productive in the year to come!