Do you have a never-ending To-Do list? If you do, then you’re not alone- busy work and family life makes getting tasks done a big challenge which is why this month we thought it would be good to take a look at some time-saving tech. From time-saving gadgets and tips to productivity apps, there are a whole host of solutions that can help you get organised and help reduce the workload.
Our Top Tips for Productivity
- Set Your Daily Goals
Spend the first part of your day setting out what you want to achieve for that day- apps such as Hive and Todoist are a great way to visualise and track your goals, they are great for individuals or teams and have sharing capabilities.
- Read the manuals!
Yes, it’s tempting to just plug it in and figure it out as you go along but honestly, reading the user manuals and getting to know your new device/app or software will save you so much time in the long run. It might seem like a boring job you don’t need to add to your workload but there are often tons of features you only find out about by getting to know your product thoroughly- it really is worth investing a bit of time in.
- Track your Time
If you have a lot of different tasks to complete it’s easy to get caught up on one and neglect the others. Set a schedule and try to stick to it- dedicate the time you need to complete each task and make an effort to get each job done within the time. There are some great time-keeping apps available to help you get organised- Clockify is a free app that can help you track actual time spent, great for freelancers and business owners who need to track hours across projects.
- Put your Phone on Silent
Important job to complete? Putting your phone on silent and out of reach will help you focus on the task at hand and help stop you from getting distracted by social media. As soon as you start working on your tasks, put your phone on silent and set a time in the day to answer any texts/calls you might have received- try not to deviate from that. Most smartphones have a ‘Do not Disturb’ mode which will mute the sound, and block visual distractions and vibrations.
- Use a calendar to get organised
Deadline looming? Get the dates in the calendar, block out enough days to get the task completed and set reminders to alert you the deadline is approaching. Get organised and schedule all your work and home commitments so you can see everything at a glance. There are lots of apps to choose from, many of them with free options, Google Outlook are popular choices.
Top Time-Saving Gadgets
There are some great gadgets out there to help make life a little bit easier in a time-crunched world. Here are some of our favourites:
- Robot Vacuum
If you get easily distracted by jobs around the house then a robot vacuum could be just what you need to stop the procrastination.
- Charging Dock
A clean desk free of wires can help you focus on the task at hand so get rid of the clutter of cables and invest in a docking station to charge your devices. There are lots to choose from, but we like these from Anker.
- Productivity Timer
Make every second count by setting a timer to work to increase productivity and get those tasks done! There are plenty of timers to choose from which use the Pomodoro technique where you work in 25-minute sprints followed by 5 minutes of rest. Check out these timers at Ticktime.
- Noise Cancelling Headphones, Earbuds or Earplugs
If you work in a noisy environment, then noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones are a must. Have a look at Tech Radar for their pick of the best noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds. If you don’t want to listen to music or podcasts then earplugs are a great alternative- take a look at this Which guide for a selection of earplugs to suit different needs.
Hopefully, we’ve given a few ideas on how to tackle that to-do list and increase your productivity.
What are your favourite gadgets or hacks for productivity at home or work?
Written by Ben Hemp of File Genie who is a member of Peterborough Business Directory.
