Three Ways to Make the Most of Your Work Day

An old friend runs into you while out running errands. “How’ve you been?” she asks. “Busy as ever…”, you respond.

We’ve all said it. It seems as though being busy is just part of everyday life in 2018. From work meetings to family obligations, grocery shopping to continuing education, our weeks are consumed by to-do lists. Many of our days are spent moving from thing to thing and trying to uphold our responsibilities. It can be overwhelming to formulate how to get everything accomplished, especially when things keep piling on!

Our plates are full. We all have had those days where we have three different changes of clothes in our cars, eat more granola bars than we would like to admit and the only exercise we get is the walk from our car to our desk and maybe a 90-second plank break in the middle of the day. Finding a work-life balance is tricky and sometimes even impossible. It can even feel like we are too busy for life, itself.

We all manage our schedules and chaotic routines in different ways, but there are some great ways to stay on top of your game while also finding time for a little rest and relaxation. Here are 3 ways to manage your busy-ness.

Designate Time Blocks for Different Tasks

We have come to find that setting boundaries in our schedule is the key to success! The first step to segmenting out your day is determining places/meetings that you MUST be and tasks that are necessary to be accomplished. We like to refer to these as the "must dos," because they are non-negotiable aspects of our day. Once time is set aside for the "must dos," then we evaluate what else is on our schedule. We designate time blocks for those items.

For example, every Wednesday, an hour could be designated to a team meeting for checking-in and project delegation. Although this meeting could easily go multiple hours, 3-4 times a week, designating a block of time allows us to get right down to business and stay within an efficient time-frame. An important aspect of designating certain time frames is concreteness. Be sure to schedule out tasks, projects and meetings for specific time increments and stick to those guidelines.

Delegate

You are strong, independent and we know you can do it all! However, trying to juggle all of your roles on your own can be a challenge! As much as we want you to single-handedly save the world, accepting help can make everything far more manageable. One of our favorite quotes is: "Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it." When busy-ness strikes, and when you start to feel overwhelmed, it is better to ask for a hand versus having to bail on a commitment or drop a project. 

Oftentimes, we are afraid to ask for help because we are considerate of the fact that most everyone is busy. By asking for help, you are opening the opportunity to eventually return the favor and help someone when they are in need. It is the best feeling to have a team behind the incredible things you do.

We find that others on the team can complete tasks more efficiently than we can ourselves. If you’re great at content writing, but struggle with graphic design, while someone else on your team can whip up a graphic in a matter of minutes – but can’t write much more than a social media post… delegate! Utilize your team to maximize efficiency.

Make Time for Things That Make You Happy

As our schedules and to-do lists fill up, 

our free time goes out the window. We align our priorities with what is expected of us at work and home. There is usually not enough time in a day. When we don't have any time left to designate to the things and people that we love, it is likely that we will face "burn-out" and have a negative mindset toward the tasks that are otherwise taking consuming our time.

Setting aside time to do the things that rejuvenate you and bring you joy can actually make you tackle your busy-ness better! According to Psychology Today, taking breaks is proven to "restore motivation, creativity, and productivity." Give yourself a break and schedule that yoga class or spend your evening playing Settlers of Catan with your family!

As go-getters, we always seem to have busy days. We thrive when we are productive, efficient, and 3-cups-of-coffee-deep! Oftentimes, when we are the busiest, we crave a break or time to ourselves. But when we actually get the opportunity to slow down, we end up filling our time with more tasks. Balancing our time (or lack thereof) can be tricky, but strategies, like designating timeframes and boundaries, delegating tasks, and making time for things that make us smile, can help manage the crazy!

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