As we enter what for some will be the last working week of the year, it’s fair to say that we’re all struggling to keep our productivity levels going when there’s very little left in the tank. This year has without a doubt been the fastest hurricane year we could ever have imagined. Whether we have consciously processed it or not, this has been a year of more pressure, more stress, and a race to “catch up” in all departments… Whether it be Work. School. Sports. Relationships. Or just Life…
A top priority for business and individuals is productivity, and at this part of the year we see the greatest dips as we all begin to switch off. So apart from lying on the sofa with a glass of fizz in hand from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day, what else can we do to help recharge the batteries and prep our productivity levels for 2023….
In this week’s blog, we’re not focusing on tools, but rather the techniques and habitual changes that make a real difference to productivity. Hopefully, something to inspire you for the next round of resolutions!
So, let’s get started.
1. Time Blocking.
If you’re anything like Team Blue Moon, time management is essential to our success but come December, with a rush to get everything finished for our clients, time management can fall behind and even the smallest of tasks can take over! Enter Time blocking! Time blocking is a form of scheduling that enables you to divide your day up into smaller chunks and specific tasks that are to be completed within set and agreed timeframes suitable to the scope of the task.
This approach is great for mindset shifting. Instead of constantly fielding tasks, emails, and complete curveballs that dive in throughout the day – time blocking cultivates a more regimented structure for the workday.
Using this approach means that you can be more effective with your time, efficient in getting things done, stronger in the face of procrastination and better at managing your workload as a whole.
2. Track Your Time Using An App
Why not take Time Blocking up a gear through use of a time tracking app? Another layer of accountability to keep you on track.
There are many time tracking apps out there but at Blue Moon, our personal favourite is Monday.com. The Time Tracking Widget shows the total time spent on items across one or multiple boards—both on an individual level and for the entire team. Making time tracking super easy!
3. Find your Second Brain
When there’s a lot going on, in both your professional and personal life, sometimes it’s hard to process where to even begin. Fear not… all you need is Notion!
At Blue Moon we use Notion as a FREE CRM software for all of our Client Accounts, Project Management, HR and Admin. It’s a fantastic tool that can be accessed anywhere, online or offline and is built through a modular and simple templated approach to suit the exact needs of your business.
Second Brain is a template within Notion that helps to turn it into an all-in-one digital system for your work & life. Here you can easily capture all kinds of information systematically without jumping between different tools for saving links, notes, tasks, projects, and more. Our MD Anne uses Notion as her second brain for both the management of Blue Moon and for keeping her house in order. Whether it’s Childcare and University Admin, Hen Do Planning or Holiday Prep, Notion is the perfect place to get it all done.
Unlike your current brain, Notion helps to keep things easily compartmentalised, toggled and hyperlinked to give you what you need, when you need it. So, goodbye overwhelm! We’ll leave you in 2022.
4. Make To-Do-Lists
Though you might not agree with us now, To-Do-Lists WILL be your new best friend in 2023. With an increase of demands in both our work and personal lives, overwhelm is a big issue so finding ways to manage your tasks can be made so much easier when you can visually see what you need to do.
Here at Blue Moon, we love nothing more than starting our morning off with making a list of our tasks for the day. This way, we have reference to our upcoming projects and there’s nothing more satisfying than ticking them off as you go.
There are many ways you could make your to-do-list…. You may prefer to write them down in a book by hand so you have a physical copy to reference, or you may prefer to add notes on your phone, or through an app.
We use a website called todoist.com! It is another FREE app that is super easier to use for both personal use and for your team! You can set deadlines, add notes, set tasks for other members of your team and it also connects to your email so you receive notifications!
To Do Ist has been a saviour for our productivity and task management and we couldn’t recommend it enough!
5. Prioritise YOU Time
This is THE MOST important thing when it comes to productivity and ironically, it’s the first thing that’s overlooked or compromised. In order to stay focused and on the ball, you NEED to take a break and award yourself some you time. Trying to fight through a brain block can sometimes be worse for your productivity, so stepping back and doing something that you love can be the best way to get your creative juices flowing again! Whether it’s 10 minutes or an entire day of doing something completely different, breaking the brain fog is best when you step away from the laptop and open your eyes to the world out there.
