How can you avoid common workplace time-wasters?

1 Identify your priorities

One of the first steps to avoid wasting time is to identify your priorities and focus on the most important and urgent tasks. You can use a simple matrix to classify your tasks into four categories: urgent and important, urgent but not important, important but not urgent, and neither urgent nor important. Then, you can allocate your time and energy accordingly, and avoid spending too much time on low-priority tasks that can be delegated, deferred, or deleted.

2 Set realistic goals

Another way to avoid wasting time is to set realistic and specific goals for yourself and your projects. You can use the SMART acronym to make sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will help you clarify your expectations, track your progress, and measure your results. It will also help you avoid procrastination, which is a major time-waster that can undermine your motivation and performance.

3 Avoid interruptions

Interruptions are an unavoidable part of the workplace, but they can also be a major cause of lost time. Whether it be a phone call, email, meeting, or chat, interruptions can break your focus, disrupt your workflow, and make it hard to stay on task. To avoid interruptions, you could try scheduling blocks of uninterrupted time for your most important tasks and communicate your availability to others. Additionally, you could turn off or mute notifications and alerts when you need to concentrate. Utilizing a do-not-disturb sign or status can also signal that you are busy and cannot be disturbed. Furthermore, you could politely decline or postpone requests that are not urgent or relevant to your priorities. Additionally, batching similar tasks together and handling them in one session instead of frequently switching between them could help reduce interruptions.

5 Take breaks

Finally, one of the best ways to avoid wasting time is to take regular breaks. Breaks can be beneficial in helping you refresh your mind, recharge your energy, and reduce your stress - all of which can help prevent burnout. To take effective breaks, you might consider following the 52-17 rule, which suggests working for 52 minutes and then taking a 17-minute break. During this time, you can stretch, walk, drink water, or do something relaxing or enjoyable. Additionally, try to avoid checking your email, social media, or news during your break as they can be sources of distraction or anxiety. To ensure that you don't forget to take a break, set a timer or an alarm to remind you.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?