Schedule Like a Pro... part two - the afternoon

IMPORTANT WORK FIRST:
Many people arrive at the office and immediately get busy with email and meetings, leaving their realwork for later in the day. Rookie error…  First order of business in the morning is laying out your tasks by priority do your important work FIRST – with no distractions. Why? To put it bluntly distractions make us loose IQ points & offices are an endless stream of interruptions.  So if you don’t hit the ground running with your priority tasks needed for the success of your business what makes you think later on will improve your odds of having quality time?   Studies show that alertness and memory, the ability to think clearly and to learn, can vary by between 15% and 30% over the course of a day.  Moral of the story if you’re smarter in the morning then don’t you want that brain power working on your most valued tasks?

So make sure your making progress on the thing/s that matter.  Hint lay out no more than three ‘priority’ tasks and tackle them one at a time before taking on your busy work.  You can thank me later when you see the results!

But even you can’t sprint for miles. What do you do when your brain gets tired?

This is the time to regroup when you start to slow down:  It’s called afternoon brain fog syndrome. We have all felt it & I can tell you it is not only for the elderly. Why does this happen? Working too hard? Food coma? Often it’s just our natural body clock rhythm telling us we need to reboot.

First, take a break.  Taking a break does not mean you’re a slacker.  Studies show taking a power break 5-10 minutes every 90 minutes gives our brain a boost and makes us more productive with better results.  Get a snack… Take cleansing breathes – stretch the legs - refocus!

Lunch – take it!  You need to refuel – mentally and physically.  We don’t run on success alone. Stay away from heavy foods that will make you crave a three hour nap!  What you need next is a mini version of your morning ritual. Review your goals and the progress you have made for your morning. Get your second wind for the next part of your day. 

Nothing is more motivating than progress & progress is made when we stay on task completing priorities first.

You took a break, reviewed your goals and achievements, and now you’re ready to work again. What do you focus on for part two of your day?

The needed but not priority items:  Meetings, calls & people stuff:  When your energy is high 2-4 hours in the morning focus on the creative & challenging work!  When energy is in its lower productivity stages then focus on busy work… These are the things you can do as they say blind folded.

One of the most important tricks for maximizing your productivity involves matching your mental state to the task … At 6:00 a.m. I’m a creator, and by 2:00 p.m. I’m a networker… It’s the perfect match of my energy level with a mindless task.  When I say mindless I am not saying unimportant, just tasks that are 'busywork' things that don't require major concentrated efforts.  For you it might be the developer, the architect or the artist in the morning and the administrator, the task completer, or the communicator in the afternoon.  Just make sure whatever you are in the morning is what makes the wheels turn for your company!

So the workday is over. Is that it? Not hardly… Look for 'Schedule Like a Pro... The Evening.