How to get more work done without staying at the office longer

This morning I got out of bed, grabbed a coffee, and sat down at my computer. The first thing I did was turn on Twitter and read through some tweets. Unfortunately, I got caught up in a vortex of tweets and, before I knew it, a considerable amount of my most productive time was lost.

Now, I should be clear: I don’t think the time was WASTED because social media is important to my business and it’s a way that (as a home-based entrepreneur) I stay connected to the outside world. However, the time was misused because the morning is usually very productive time for me. I usually get a lot of really good work done then. And most of it was spent on social media… which is an activity that could have been spent at a different time of day.

We all have those fluctuations in productivity — those moments in the day when we are more productive and less productive. For me, the morning is a great time, as is about 2pm to 3pm and then 8pm to 10pm. I get A LOT of work done during those times. As for the other times of the day, I’m not useless but I’m certainly not at my peak.

You have rhythms like that, too, and they depend on a number of factors like how much sleep you get, what your diet is like, what your exercise routine is like, what other responsibilities you have (i.e., parenthood), and other factors. So I’m not here to tell you that a certain time of day is the best time or worst time for you.

It’s up to you to find out when you are at your most productive for certain tasks. Chances are, you have some key tasks (probably revenue-generating tasks) that require most of your focus and energy. If you can figure out when you are at your best, you can accomplish most of your key tasks during that time. Then stack up the less-essential activities for the other times — maybe emails and phone meetings, for example.

To figure out your most productive and least productive times, keep a journal for a week. Set an hourly alarm on your computer or smartphone and when the alarm chimes, write down what you accomplished and what your focus and energy levels were (i.e., high, medium, low). Keep this journal for a week or longer and watch for patterns. Don’t forget that there are other factors to account for — such as if you have a cold or if you were partying all weekend.

Once you know the productivity rhythms of your body, you can schedule your week around when you get the most work done.

Posted on February 21, 2012