I swear by the daily paper planner. I like having a tangible list and I like having a neat, organized, pretty little piece of paper. I love the feeling of crossing things off and throwing out the paper at the end of the day. I first got hooked when I discovered this template from Etsy. And I made it my own by creating sparkly glitter flower covers that I got laminated and took the whole thing over the Kinkos to get bound. SO worth it, by the way, because those stupid sparkles made me do a little happy dance every time I looked at them (not to mention, they serve as a GREAT conversation starter right before a meeting).
You should find what works for you. Do you like adorable fluffy pets? Do you like fashion magazines? Do you love everything at Anthropologie? Whatever it is that can bring just a tiny bit of happiness to your day, stick it right on the cover of your planner (or on your computer background, or tape a pic of it to your desk…)
Each Monday I get into work and spend 15 minutes to make a list of projects that I aim to complete that week. Then I spend another 15 minutes writing the day’s meetings into my daily planner, and scheduling tasks for appropriate chunks of time based on my availability outside of meetings. I find it helpful to doodle quick tasks along the side, so I can still be productive when I have a quick 10 minutes to spare.
The biggest challenge in this game is avoiding distractions when you set aside time for specific tasks. When working from home I put my phone away and make sure it’s set not to make sounds or vibrate, sometimes I’ll also put my computer on “Do not disturb” so the iMessages don’t come through. Log off of Gchat, close all social media tabs (or any non-relevant browser tabs). You’ll likely be surprised at how focused you can be when you eliminate distraction! It’s a bit more challenging in the workplace, where people are your biggest distraction. If you have the possibility of using a private space, take advantage of that. Or ask coworkers not to disturb you when you’ve got headphones in. Just be honest: when you need to be working, tell those around you that you can’t speak to them until you’re finished. (Pro tip: I also found these playlists made specifically for productivity, which I swear works)
Each day I start off with a new daily list, taking 10 minutes to get settled at work and be intentional about my plan for the day. The more I plan in advance, the more I can be proactive, not reactive, in the workplace. And that’s the main goal, right? Be proactive.