For years people have struggled to get all their work done by the end of the week so they can enjoy their weekend free of the stress of their Toronto office space duties. Today, more and more entrepreneurs are filling their weekends with work. However, it is a medical fact that our bodies and mind need to rest and take a break from incessant stress.
One way to reduce this stress is to better organize yourself and have realistic priorities about what you can accomplish in any given week. Trying to structure your entire week is not always a possibility and the things that must get done are sometimes sidelined by the “latest crisis” or the “next big new job” that lands on your desk. Here are a few tips to help you get organized in your office space for rent Toronto or even your home office where you utilize virtual office services.
Make a To-do list. Yes, I am serious. Far too often people neglect making a to-do list and fail to understand how helpful this can be in making your day more productive and more goal-oriented. Keeping the list manageable for each day can lead to more accomplishments. Set a few priorities and leave room for minor tasks that you know will find their way into your workday. Make your weekly to-do list and leave room to move things from one day to another. Also, try to fit in those regular tasks you need to do into your list so they do not get lost in the mix. If you know that you have to do client billing, accounting or even inventory-like tasks, put them on your list so that you are armed with the full list of what you have on the go. Using computers and software programs to help you organize your day may help you, but sometimes they become the distraction when you must keep checking them. So instead, enter your list on the computer, but print out your daily to-do list and post it where you can see it at a glance.
Deal with interruptions and keep productive. We all know that when you are deep into your work (especially when on a deadline), someone is going to send you the issue of the day or that pressing matter that must be dealt with ASAP. Instead of losing productivity or your train of thought, schedule the times you are going to read that urgent e-mail or take that call about a pressing matter. While you may have posted office hours, there is always one customer who is “just in the area” and wants to stop by your Toronto office space for a chat. Do not allow that interruption to change the flow of your productivity. Let them know when your next scheduled break is and tell then they can stop by then.
If you are like many people who have a Toronto virtual office and work from home, you know you can keep the fact that you do not have a physical office space Toronto a secret. But you never seem to be able hide it from family and friends. One of the hardest things to explain to family and friends is that just because you work from home does not mean that you are available at any time without notice. Let them know when it is a good time (preferably after business hours) to stop by.
Remember that it is okay to say NO. This may sound harsh, but you have to train yourself to say “NO” – especially if a friend, colleague or even a family member is asking you for help or advice when you are busy working on a priority item or task. Remind them of the best time to ask you for help and still be ready to say “NO” to their request.
Turn off instant e-mail alerts when you are in the office. If you’re regularly receiving more than 50 e-mails each day, then that’s more than 50 times you’ll be interrupted by an instant e-mail alert. Try to resist checking your inbox every time you get an instant alert. Just like other interruptions, schedule some times to go through your emails and respond to the ones that need to be answered immediately.
I started writing this blog with the intent to talk about the myth that is multitasking, but discovered so much more that I could talk about. I have a feeling that talking about why multitasking will need a long blog all on its own.