With election day in the U.S. behind us and the holiday season around the corner, distractions abound at every turn.
Workloads tend to pile up at the end of the year, which makes it doubly important for you to maintain your focus no matter what is happening around you. If you are worried about maintaining high performance the rest of the year, look no further.
Here are 4 key factors for finishing 2020 stronger than ever.
1. Stay Focused
Does your coworking space have separate areas for you to work out of, or is it more of an open office setting? Finding a way to work distraction-free is something of an art.
Try using some noise-cancelling headphones while you work to avoid auditory interruptions. If you find yourself checking your smartphone too often, keep it in a drawer or somewhere out of sight until you reach a break.
Setting aside time for a break can be extremely helpful as well. This applies whether you are working out of your coworking space or if you are forced to work from your home due to social distancing.
Maintaining high productivity will become more difficult the less you maintain yourself. Give yourself short breaks throughout the day to clear your mind. Just one of these “microbreaks” can improve your mental acuity by 13 percent. Separating yourself from work for just a couple minutes can bring you back to your tasks refreshed and ready to tackle the day
2. Stock Up on Essentials
Working from home has plenty of perks, but we hear you: it’s been a minute since you took a nice stroll down the hall to your coworking space’s kitchen where you routinely stocked up on daily essentials, hasn’t it? While you’re working from home, natural at-home remedies are a great practical resource to utilize.
Either way, if you are unable to work out of your go-to coworking spot just yet, consider relying on a same-day delivery service to quickly bring items to your location. For example, you can get medicine or other nutritional items delivered when you’re glued to your zoom rooms. You can even stock up on other essentials that are typically within arm’s reach like office supplies, tissues, snacks, or energy drinks.
Wanting to plan a little further ahead? Keep a list at your workstation of your daily supplies. As items start to run low, write them down on your list so when you are ready to place your order you will make sure no item is left behind.
3. Manage Your Time
Working any job for an extended period of time usually results in some form of burnout, whether that is mental or physical. A big way to keep yourself on task and running at full power is by managing your time wisely.
We’re all guilty of overworking now and again, but the important element to your success is you. Do your best not to overbook your responsibilities or put in so many extra hours you are unable to efficiently complete the tasks at hand.
Just as important is managing your time spent actually working versus time away from the job. If you have vacation time coming up with the holidays, leave yourself enough time to tackle the high-priority projects and allow for time to fix any problems that may and probably will arise.
If you have yet to take time away from work, maybe it is time to take a day or two. Your team will appreciate your self-worth and respect the notion that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of the job.
Be diligent in all aspects of your workflow from the grind of the daily tasks to scheduling and participating in meetings. At the end of the day, only you can manage the time it takes to get the job done.
4. Prioritize Communication
Scheduling meetings and important calls during the holiday season can be tricky. Add in the extra hurdles 2020 has presented and these extra challenges you and your team face make it nearly impossible to connect.
Thankfully, the latest technology provides solutions to these enduring issues. Utilizing a video conferencing app for business calls has probably become second nature by now. The next time you schedule one of these calls, though, make sure you keep detailed notes of precisely what information needs to be covered during that interaction. Your contacts will appreciate your preparedness and your confident, clear expression of wants and needs.
If you are working from a fairly active coworking space, this decisive communication is crucial to your workflow. Make sure everyone in your work environment clearly knows when you need a distraction-free work zone and when it is okay to say “hello.”
There is nothing wrong with wanting to work in silence as long as you communicate that it is critical to your productivity. In other words, speak your mind so you can use your mind.
Final Thoughts
As the year nears its end, self-care has never been more important. By utilizing these 4 key factors, you will be well on your way to reevaluating your productivity, managing your team, and preparing for the unexpected in a more efficient and effective manner.
