You're drowning in a sea of tasks. How can you navigate through to boost productivity?

Start with the task that can be completed the fastest and will require the least effort on your part and build up to the most difficult This gives you motivation to chip away at the mountain of tasks until it becomes a mole hill.

Starting a task is often the hardest part, especially if you are drowning. Prioritise tasks, then start with the priority and spend 30 minutes on it. If you finish in less than 30 minutes, move on to the next task. If you are not finished in 30 minutes, stop and move on anyway. Be brutal about stopping at 30 minutes (even if you think you only have 5 mins to go to finish it!). Within 3 hours you would have started 6 tasks, and hopefully finished some. After a break, or the next day, go back and reprioritise your tasks and complete another 30 minutes on the priorities, or uncompleted tasks. Repeat until the tasks are finished. I follow this simple process when I am overwhelmed and am a lot more productive.

When planning our workday and weeks, we make a list of pending tasks and then organize them into a quadrant, as learned from the book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey. The quadrants are: 1: Urgent and Important - Tasks requiring immediate attention and crucial for achieving goals. 2: Not Urgent but Important - Activities key for long-term success and preventing crises. 3: Urgent but Not Important - Tasks demanding immediate attention but not significantly contributing to goals. 4: Not Urgent and Not Important - Distractions adding no real value. This system has helped us for years to ensure we're progressing towards our goals, without neglecting anything urgent or important.

I'm constantly juggling tasks, but I've learned a few tricks to boost productivity. Here are my top three strategies: 1. Prioritise with purpose I use tools to categorise and prioritise tasks, focusing on the most critical ones first. 2. Silence the noise I switch off notifications for a set period each day to work uninterrupted. 3. Schedule success I treat tasks as non-negotiable appointments, scheduling them in my calendar to ensure sufficient time and avoid overcommitting.

Para aumentar aún más la productividad, una estrategia adicional efectiva es cultivar hábitos de cuidado personal como parte integral de tu rutina diaria. Esto incluye priorizar el descanso adecuado, mantener una dieta balanceada y dedicar tiempo regularmente a actividades que recarguen tu energía mental y emocional, como el ejercicio físico o la meditación. Integrar estos hábitos no solo optimiza tu capacidad de concentración y rendimiento a largo plazo, sino que también fortalece tu bienestar general, lo que es crucial para mantener una alta productividad de manera sostenible.

I do the to -do list in one in particular which has had a major impact on my productivity- the 1-3-5 rule. Here's how i do it - Understand that you can't accomplish an endless number of things each day. Instead, accept that you can reasonably get one big thing, three medium things, and five small things done. So keep your daily to-do list to just those nine items. This has always worked for me

Leverage technology to boost productivity by integrating advanced task management and collaboration tools. Use AI-driven platforms like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com to automate task prioritization, set reminders, and streamline communication. Employ time-tracking apps to monitor your productivity and identify areas for improvement. Utilize cloud storage solutions for easy access to documents and seamless collaboration with your team. Implement project management software to keep track of progress and deadlines, ensuring accountability. By harnessing the power of these technologies, you can optimize your workflow, reduce manual effort, and maintain a high level of efficiency and organization.

When you have a huge task, it can feel overwhelming. The best solution is to break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. By doing this, you create a series of mini-goals that are easier to handle. This approach makes the work seem less intimidating and gives you a clear plan to follow. Each time you complete a sub-task, you'll feel a sense of progress, which boosts your motivation and helps you keep moving forward.

Never forget that Rome was not build in one day. If you have seen the goal in bigger picture already colossal task is just piece of it. Things are going to step by step and bit by bit. If you cannot feel satisfied when you complete it just consider it as your daily habit like brush your teeth, 20 pages of your favourite books etc...

When available in your organization, use productivity tools to track projects, tasks, and sub-tasks, breaking down big chunks into smaller pieces. These tools can serve as a second brain. Ideally, these smaller pieces (sub-tasks) should have concrete timelines (known as soft targets), where the timeline should be in line with the due date of the big chunks (the tasks) and the bigger picture (the project). Examples of these tools include Monday.com, Asana, Notion, and Smartsheet. If set up correctly and agreed upon with the team or group working on the task, these tools can automatically send reminders and encourage smooth communication without context-switching (which is likely to happen in communication tools such as e-mails and chats).

When my workload becomes overwhelming, I go back to time blocking. 8-830 check email, 830-9 check inbox, 9-930 make calls, 930-1030 project time, 1030-1130 one-on-one meetings, etc. I learned this from my corporate manager way back when I was a credit manager at a TV station and it stuck with me. Although my coworkers and I used to joke, "when do we go to the bathroom?", but it truly helped me realize there was enough time in the day to get it all done... and if not, there's always tomorrow.

Break your day into blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or types of work. For example, set aside an hour for emails, then another for focused work on a project. By organizing your day this way, you create a clear structure that helps you stay focused and efficient. It also prevents you from getting distracted or multitasking too much, which can drain your energy. Give it a try next time you have a busy day ahead. Start with blocking out small chunks of time and see how it helps you manage your workload better. Remember, productivity is about working smarter, not harder!

Attention is the main key to block the time. If you cannot control your attention how much advises you get from the training or mentors, it will not work as it. For control attention you need a discipline, as like eating meal on time, sleeping on time, wake uo on time, respect the time you gave to others and taking from others. It sounds easy. But when you implement it in daily life, a little bit challenge. once you able to follow your daily discipline, time blocking is nothing for you. If you want to learn more about energy management i am happy to help you to learn it.

Cuando llegas a cierta posición y tu trabajo depende de la comunicación y el trabajo en equipo, bloquear el tiempo para evitar distracciones es uno de los retos diarios, pero es posible. Cada uno tiene su técnica, No Molestar, no atender llamadas, no contestar el chat. Lo que es cierto es que 30 minutos concentrado pueden ser mas eficientes que un día entero envuelto en la vorágine del trabajo.

I have blocker in my calendar and specific emoji on Slack/or other chat, showing I am in a focus time. If something urgent, they can call me at anytime (I recommend to define what is/is not urgent) 😉 if you communicate properly, the people understand you are not available and need some space to finish your work.

Maybe you wonder some people can read in noisy place or in bus. How they do it? It might be the book is interesting OR he/she knows how to control their attention. If your are the person who is easily distracted by something you better to learn more about attention and mindfulness. Everything is in mind. If you can keep calm in your mind you can control many things in this life.

My "do not disturb" button is my favorite helper for this. I use it on teams and on my phone, when I need to complete tasks where ultimate focus is needed. I will also close my email so that I don't see pop-ups for new incoming messages. For me its really paying attention to my needs so that I can be most effective in meeting the task deadline.

Distractions can significantly hinder productivity. Identify your primary distractions, whether they're social media, phone calls, or noisy environments, and take steps to eliminate them. Use apps like Freedom or StayFocusd to block distracting websites, set your phone to 'Do Not Disturb,' and create a quiet, clutter-free workspace. By controlling your environment and limiting interruptions, you can maintain focus and complete tasks more efficiently.

Feeling overwhelmed by tasks? Boost productivity by prioritizing tasks, managing time, eliminating distractions, delegating, setting realistic goals, maintaining well-being, staying organized, and practising mindfulness. Consistency is key! #Productivity #TimeManagement #WorkSmart #Mindfulness #StayOrganized

Delegating tasks is crucial when managing a heavy workload. Identify tasks that can be delegated and match them with team members' strengths and skills. Provide clear instructions and set expectations to ensure successful outcomes. Use project management tools like Asana or Monday.com to track progress and communicate effectively. Delegation not only reduces your workload but also empowers your team, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.

Un error común es realizar todo uno mismo, es importante confiar en tu equipo y no dejes de delegar y enfócate en las tareas críticas.

Delegar é uma tarefa complexa para recém promovidos a cargos de liderança. Envolve treinar o liderado para executar determinada tarefa. Delegar é um elemento importante, caso contrário, você se afundará em demandas infinitas, sem necessidade o que pode acarretar no aumento do estresse

You don’t have to do everything yourself. Delegate tasks that others can handle, freeing up your time for high-priority responsibilities. Ensure you communicate clearly and provide the necessary resources for your team to succeed in their tasks.

Trust in your team is crucial. Its important to understand who in your team is capable of taking on certain tasks when weighing in their workloads, personalities, and leadership skills. It's also important to remember to give those a chance that are looking to take on more responsibility, without taking advantage of that desire.

Do not hesitate to iterate the prioritization process. The main purpose is to get to the finish line, meaning that if your current process does not work, it needs to change. That said, it is good to reflect at least at the end of each week to determine: What went well (the good) What went wrong (the bad) Why it went wrong (the root cause) What should I do differently? After this reflection, the newly iterated prioritization process will be implemented moving forward.

When you're drowning in a sea of tasks you need to find a way to stay afloat and a great way to stay afloat is to grab onto a task with both hands and swim to shore with it. Focus on that one task, giving it your all by removing distractions and any thoughts of starting a new task until this one has been dealt with. Upon completion you'll feel a sense of accomplishment which can be your springboard to tackle the next one.

Without reflection, you can never know if the path you took was efficient or effective. When you reflect, as yourself a few starter questions: - What worked? - What slowed you down? - What would you remove, next time? - What will you try? And one of my favorite questions: - If you hired a person to follow you around all day, what would they say you did well and did poorly? Incorporate these reflections into your next process!

Everyone is different. Take a look at what matters to the organization, where you thrive and who else can support. Take a small amount of time to re-resource yourself - fresh air - short walk - three intentional and elongated breaths - glass of water Then remove the most distracting elements to you, and push into the items that are both important and urgent.

At the end of each day or week, reflect on what you’ve accomplished and where you faced challenges. Use these insights to adapt your strategies and improve your productivity plan. Continuous reflection and adjustment are key to sustained productivity gains.