How to Free Up Time and Instantly Improve Your Productivity

Blame it on the technology culture, the demands of a more mobilized workforce, or simply the notion that we should work as hard as we can for as long as we can, whenever we can. Regardless, it’s hard to deny the fact that as a culture, we’re stretched to the max when it comes to spare time. Thanks to digitalization, we have greater access than ever before to smart tools that make it easy to work from just about anywhere, on our own clock. That means we can check our email at midnight, hold a virtual conference call at 5:00 a.m. to accommodate attendees in a different time zone, and work every hour of the day if we wanted.

Yet, we know that doing so is unhealthy and unwise. It can also quickly lead to burnout and discontent, which renders us ineffective in the long run. To that end, let’s explore some simple ways we can free up a little spare time and gain productivity along the way. Then, when it’s closing time, we can clock out with confidence, then go home to enjoy the rest of our day away from the demands of work.

1. Block those distracting apps.

It always begins innocently enough. Our website is taking a while to load, so we hop on social media to scroll for just a second while it works. Or, we have a 10-minute coffee break so we post on Facebook or play a game on our phone. Soon enough, we look up from our handheld screen to find that 30 minutes have gone by, we’ve received a dozen new emails and we’re behind on three deadlines.

If you can, turn your phone on vibrate or even off and put it in a desk drawer, out of sight. If it’s a work phone you need to have on and available at all times, there are still workarounds. Ironically enough, there are now apps you can download that allow you to freeze or temporarily lock yourself out of other distracting apps and games. Just think of how much progress you’d make if you were totally focused on work while you’re there? Catching up on what your cousin is doing online or how your high school reunion went can wait until you get home.

2. Take breaks routinely.

This one might sound counterintuitive, but hear us out. When you work at your computer for eight hours straight, barely moving your neck or eating anything, by the fourth hour or so, you begin to break down both mentally and physically. Instead, your body craves short, incremental breaks to refuel and re-adjust itself. You don’t need to go for a walk around the building five times each time, but get up from your chair, do some light stretching, roll your head and focus your eyes on something besides a screen.

Make sure you’re full and pack plenty of protein-rich snacks to fuel your energy throughout the day. Grab a cup of coffee when you need it and don’t worry about missing the five minutes you’ll be gone. You’ll be in a better position to catch up when you get back.

3. Do small, quick tasks when you can.

Some strategists swear by the two-minute rule. Put simply, this just means if you see a task that you know you can finish in about two minutes or less, go ahead and complete it as soon as you think of it. Otherwise, it will likely take more time for you to dig back through your assignments and complete it later.

Of course, this only works if you’re certain that you can complete the requirement within the given timeframe. Don’t overestimate your ability and try to hurry through the job just so you can mark it off your list. Doing so can cause your quality to suffer and could mean rework, which will cost you time and resources in the end. But things like responding to that simple email, reading that memo or editing that paper? If you know you can fly through it, go ahead and do so.

4. Focus on one thing at a time.

We like to fancy ourselves superheroes, don’t we? We believe we can talk on the phone to someone, answer an email, fact-check an article and calculate a budget, all at once. While we might be able to physically achieve that feat, chances are the quality is beyond low for each of them. Rather, focus intently on being a master of one, rather than a jack of all trades. Do one thing very well, with 100% of your focus, at a time. As you do so, you’ll have a greater mental clarity and you won’t have to go back and check to make sure everything was completed as it should have been.

5. Know when to let some things go.

We can’t say “yes” to every inquiry, job assignment or conversation starter every single time. Knowing the things that will take your time and attention away is critical to diverting them elsewhere.

For instance, consider that chatty coworker who loves to sit in the chair beside your desk and dish on a ton of personal drama while you’re trying to crank out a spreadsheet. Kindly mention that you care and would love to catch up over lunch, but right now, you’re trying to meet a customer deadline. Or, you might think you need to pick up every call that comes in, even when you’re trying to finish an important task. Rather, consider using a phone answering service to capture those calls for you. Then, when you have some more time on your hands, you’ll have instant access to the caller information you need.

We might be pushed to the edges when it comes to productivity, but there are likely plenty of places in our day where we could optimize our time a little better. If you find yourself leaving work with a pile of assignments still left to do, take inventory of how you spent your time there. Were you focused, attentive and intentional with every task or did you find it difficult to settle into a groove? If it’s the latter, try implementing these tips for a week or two and notice the difference in both your productivity and performance.