How to make the most of your day!

Productive time management is the new age tool for planning your success ahead of time.Here are some tricks to help you increase your productivity Tune off Whatsapp for the first half

Is your phone humming for attention?

Avoid using WhatsApp to delegate work if you are stuck in a traffic jam.Use it to share information, read a light note and share updates.You may use your commute time to connect with your family and friends.While you're at work, prioritise and tune away from groups and chats.

Avoid checking e-mails first thing

Plan how you're going to spend the day and stick to it. Avoid checking e-mails first.Use the first one hour of your day to review your pending tasks and finish them."Mornings are fresh and I usually come to work with a positive attitude and spend the first two hours speaking and connecting to the customers," shares Pooja Arora, HR at Bisleri India, Mumbai.Tony Robins, American life coach and author of Unlimited Power, Unleash the Power Within and Awaken the Giant Within, suggest setting up an "hour of power", "30 minutes to thrive" or "15 minutes to fulfilment".Review your calendar, call list and respond to customer feedback.If something else needs your urgent attention, you will receive a call anyway.

You are not a juggler

Most organisations assume multitasking as a skill required.In the long run it will lead to little or lack of focus on one task.Multitasking is like regulating attention, it is addictive and feels like a superhuman that is incredibly efficient but eventually leads to a burnout.Break the habit and your brain will thank you.I am a compulsive multi-tasker yet there are activities I do not prefer to multi task like reading, studying and contemplating, says Rajesh Kamath, partner MTHR Global, an HR consulting firm in Pune.Too much multitasking can add to your anxiousness and hypertension to meet the finish line, the idea is not get trapped into it. Select the tasks that are in line like a chef who multi tasks to cook well.

Get the monkey off your back

"I know -- I have to finish this; it’s important. But where do I begin?” says, Delhi-based creative writer Rashmi."I often find myself struggling with multiple tasks that should have been finished yesterday. I just keep procrastinating because it’s tough.”Keep your tough tasks on a high priority and complete them the first thing.Mornings are a great time for creativity; use it to leapfrog to the rest of your day.Procrastinating what you least enjoy will only keep you trapped.Accomplishing the hard tasks will not only give you time to enjoy other task but will also keep you motivated.As the popular writer, Stephen Covey says “Eat the ugliest frog first”.

Finish the two-minute tasks

How often do you say “Hey just give me two minutes to finish this”.To raise your productivity ensure that you immediately finish the two-minute tasks, like responding to an e-mail, making a phone call, setting reminders etc. If not addressed, these tasks get piled on to become stress later.Most of these tasks require urgent attention which is why they pop up the last minute.

Meet over coffee

Share the morning coffee to discuss ideas, plans and your schedule.Keep away from unwanted discussions around politics, cricket and office gossip.Reserve these discussions for lunch.One of the biggest issues in Indian workplaces is unscheduled, unplanned meetings and discussions.Respect other people’s time says Sushma Sonty, a Mumbai-based freelance HR professional.Spend some time interacting directly with your colleagues and peers for healthy relationships.

Use technology for good

Are you a super social buddy who likes to show off a bit, great?

Keep a few tools handy to stay on top of all that you flaunt.It’s great to be a buddy, but it can get tricky for you may get addicted to it.Consider HootSuite, which offers central dashboard for managing all your social media accounts. Save your good reads, articles and interesting features with Pocket, Feedly and Evernote. Cloud On allows you to use Microsoft word, Excel and PowerPoint to create documents on the go using a hand-held device.

Take a break

Short breaks when timed well in between bursts of high intensity work rejuvenates you like nothing else. The thumb rule is 75:10.Take a 10-minute breather for every 75 minutes worth of high pressure work.A quick walk down the stairs, soaking in the sun, getting some fresh air are all great ingredients that act as a catalyst to the short break.The bottom line is, when breaks are timed well, there can be nothing as effective as them.Now, go and take a well deserved break!!. -Rediff