Time is money. It also comprises the building blocks of your day and is the measuring tool of your tasks for work. The challenge for you is to make the most of your work day and to be as effective as possible with the time you have for the tasks at hand. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your workday and keep your productivity high.
Expand Your Options
Schedule time in your day to read articles, blogs or books concerning your industry and the marketplace of your career goals. This will keep you learning and in touch with advancements or changes. You will be armed with information about options for your company, such as AWS automation, and be in a great position to make decisions that will have a positive impact on your company and your clients. There is no such thing as too much knowledge, so planning to have time each day for reading and research to expand your knowledge base will increase the effectiveness of your work.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Make the most of your work time by prioritizing projects and organizing tasks so that the urgent work is done during your most focused time of day. If you are not a morning person, then planning your most critical tasks first is not a great idea because your mind will not be at its best. Use a timer to stay on track with projects that tend to steal time from you, and get the easy stuff out of the way so you can concentrate on the meatier tasks.
Choose the Best Tools
Arm your desk and your computers with the best tools for effective work time based on your research, experience and demands of staying current with technology advancements. This is a combination of material items, such as a great chair that fits your body correctly and an awesome keyboard, to various project management tools and templates to help you stay organized. Even electronic calendars can make your day a little smoother. The tools you use will depend on the project and should be tailored to help you meet the expectations set by your company and your customers.
Connect with Peers
No matter how much reading you do, you will not learn everything, and reaching out to peers for insight on your projects will help your work time be more effective. Your friends and colleagues may do similar work and approach your questions from the same type of background, but they still will have unique ideas because no two people see things the same way. In addition, they may have read or experienced something new that you haven’t encountered yet and can lend this information to your situation. Social interaction can also help with mental health, especially if you are working from home.
Cover the Essentials
No matter where you work or what project you are on, taking care of yourself and essential factors of enough sleep, nutritious snacks and meals, breaks and physical activities are critical for making the most of your work time. Your mind will not be effective if it is tired and malnourished and living off of energy drinks will only last so long. Make sure your break time is away from your workstation. Go outside, for a walk or some other type of exercise to spark your mind and reset your focus. There have been countless studies that connect food and fluids to mental clarity, so eating well and staying hydrated are all part of making your work time more effective.
The IT industry has many moving parts and keeping up with advancements is important for staying competitive. Planning time for reading and research to stay informed of your options, connecting with co-workers, taking care of yourself and arming yourself with great tools of your trade will help you be most effective for your clients, company and career.