If you spend way too long searching through Zoom Immersive View backgrounds and end up rushing through the actual meeting, you may have trouble with time management. The good news is you have plenty of strategies and tools to help you improve with time management training. With just a few tweaks to your workday, you can increase productivity and decrease stress.
Limit Workplace Stress
Avoiding workplace drama will help you keep your mind on your job, not watercooler gossip. There’s always someone trying to spread rumors, but staying out of spats conserves your emotional energy so you can do your job well.
Focus on Your Goals
It’s easy to get distracted by the day-to-day details, but you need to focus on your goals if you want to make the most of your time. For example, if you’re working on a specific project, avoid time-sinks, such as cleaning out your email. You may also need to minimize messaging apps until you’re finished.
Don’t Multitask
Multitasking may feel like you’re getting a lot done, but it actually divides your attention and makes you less productive. Instead of trying to do several things at once, make a list of everything that needs completing and work through the items one at a time.
Prioritize Your To-Do List
Finding the perfect virtual backgrounds for Google Meet isn’t as important as submitting your timecard, so you should do the latter task first. In fact, you should prioritize all your tasks according to importance and urgency. That way, you’ll never miss a deadline or let down team members.
Schedule Breaks
The human brain can only focus for so long before it needs to rest. Once you hit the 45-minute mark, your productivity takes a nosedive. To keep your efficiency high, schedule a break every hour or so. Make sure you’re only taking 15 to 20 minutes before you return to work — set an alarm if you need a reminder.
Automate and Delegate
Are you wasting time on small, tedious tasks that pile up? If so, think about how you can automate or delegate them. For example, you can get software that does the following for you:
- Document scanning
- Computer back-ups
- Email sorting
Understand Your Productivity Patterns
Everyone has a specific time of day when they’re most productive, but the actual hour varies by individual. One of the best things you can do is figure out when you have the most energy and focus. Once you discover this pattern, you can devote that time to the most intensive tasks.
Get a Time Management App
If you still struggle to meet deadlines, you may benefit from a time management app. These free-to-download applications help you set a schedule, prioritize tasks, and increase efficiency. They also provide accountability if you have trouble with procrastination.
Now that you can manage your time, you’re free to peruse various backgrounds for Google Meet without feeling rushed. In fact, you should notice less stress overall and higher levels of efficiency. You may even get workplace recognition for your contributions. The key is incorporating the time management techniques that work best for you.
