How to Organize Your Workday for Better Productivity

✅ Here’s something that helps me prioritize my mental health and be more productive during my workday. 🔍 What I do: - Schedule focus blocks the first and last hour of my day. - Inform my team that I’d prefer not to meet or be contacted then. - Use the first hour to set my priorities for the day and start working on my most important task. - Use the last hour to track the current status of in-progress tasks and reflect on my day. The result? I’m not as rushed or stressed out during the day. These quiet moments at the beginning and end of my workday help me avoid burnout. And I actually get more work done this way. 📌 Try this if you want to boost your productivity and mental wellness.

I'm excited to share my system for staying productive all day, every day. This system allowed me to sell over $100M in my B2B sales career, then build a 7 figure coaching business working an average of 40 hours/week. Most importantly, my nights and weekends are free to spend with my family. Here's are the 3 simple steps I take every single week: Step 1: Complete a Weekly Plan & Scorecard at the beginning of each week On Monday mornings (or Sunday evening), I print and fill out a Weekly Plan & Scorecard. On this document, I write down all the important tasks and action items I aspire to get done that week in no particular order. I then rank each task in order of priority, typically prioritizing RGA's (Revenue Generating Activities) for my business. I originally took this scorecard from a book called the 12 Week Year, then adapted it to include a "Rank" column, which allows me to prioritize each action item. Prioritizing the Action Items allows me to know where to start every day, and prevents me from getting overwhelmed. Step 2: Daily Task Blocking in Calendar Whitespace At the beginning of each weekday, I fill up all the whitespace on my calendar for that day with high priority tasks taken directly from the Weekly Plan & Scorecard. This ensures that the most important tasks for the week get done first and eliminates daily decision fatigue. The key is to put the specific tasks on your calendar so there's no empty space. If for some reason any tasks on the calendar don't get completed for that day, I move them to the next day in any open whitespace. Step 3: Weekly Scoring At the end of each week, I score my performance using the simple formula: Tasks Completed / Tasks Written Down = Score % My goal is to score 85% or higher each week, although admittedly there are many weeks where I fall short. If there are any tasks that didn't get completed that week, they get moved to the following week. I rinse and repeat this process every single week. This ensures that I SHOW UP every single day, and stay productive throughout the entire work week. Additional keys to success include: 1. Taking short breaks when you feel mentally drained. Stretching, a short walk, and standing desk do wonders to change your state. 2. Minimize the number of daily meetings on your calendar (4 or less is optimal) to stay focused and ensure you have enough whitespace to get deep work done. 3. Give yourself an hour lunch to break up the work day. Every day I have lunch with my wife, and that's also on the calendar. 4. Do one thing at a time 5. If you have an unproductive day, forgive yourself. Of course, this is all easier said than done... That's why next week, in our 2nd *Transformation Tuesday* LIVE training session, I'm going to walk you through exactly how to leverage The 12 Week Year (and Weekly Scorecard) to transform your productivity and your life. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gsPsq2XR Only 500 spots available due to Zoom webinar limit!

3 steps to master productivity: There's a limit on what you can do in a single day. At least competently. Throughout my career as a lawyer I've noticed a clear correlation. The more I try to do in a shorter period of time, the more the quality of my work product suffers. Small mistakes emerge. The polish on my final product loses its shine and becomes smudged. Here's what to do instead: 1. Used focused blocks. Limit your work to 2 or 3 hour blocks on a single task. This practice stops your brain from wasting energy on constant task transitions. Each switch incurs a cognitive penalty, and you have to reboot your brain to download the context surrounding the task. Focused blocks avoid frequent mental transitions and promote deep work. They enhance your concentration, and improve the quality of your end work product. 2. Reduce daily priorities If you can, set a maximum of 3 priorities each day. This approach prevents you from overloading your schedule and stepping into counterproductive territory. Stop saying yes to every assignment. Don't be afraid to turn away potential clients. With fewer priorities, your focus sharpens, and you give each task the attention it deserves. 3. Segment your day Dedicate specific parts of your day to distinct activities, often called "chunking". In the context of productivity, "chunking" refers to the practice of breaking up the workday into distinct, manageable segments or chunks of time dedicated to specific tasks or types of work. For example, you can dedicate the first two hours of your workday solely to deep work, then chunking email responses and meetings into later, more fragmented parts of the day. Try just one of these strategies and see what kind of difference it makes with your productivity and quality of your work. Follow me, James Kamanski, for more insights on personal growth! ♻ if you found value 🙏

We're not using our time wisely. Juggling a multitude of responsibilities as a female founder is no easy fit. It’s Tuesday. Your client has called an emergency meeting. You are a small company and one of your key personnel has called in sick. You have a tight deadline coming up. Your car needs to go to the garage. Your child has a docs appointment this week. Your kids schools have their conferences on this week. Your husband is out of town. You’re a single mother. Period! Your mind just can’t focus right now. You get the point!! What lies ahead doesn’t have to feel like a hustlers life. Here’s a simple technique can help boost your productivity during the few hours you have for work. The Pomodoro Technique is my go to nowdays and it works wonders. Here's how you can implement it in your daily routine: 📌First, set aside a couple of hours each to focus on your business. 📌Call this your focus time and allow yourself to believe that if you do not show up for it, you are stealing from your business. Set Up Your Environment Create a distraction-free workspace by: - Turning off notifications on your devices - Using website blockers to limit access to distracting sites - Finding a quiet space to work or using noise-cancelling headphones Plan Your Tasks Start your day by: - Identifying your most important tasks - Breaking larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks - Estimating how many pomodoros each task will take Use a Timer Choose a timer that works for you: - A physical timer (like the original tomato-shaped one) - A digital timer app on your computer or phone - A web-based timer like Pomodor or Marinara Timer Follow the Pomodoro Cycle 1. Set your timer for 25 minutes 2. Work on a single task with full focus until the timer rings 3. Take a 5-minute break 4. Repeat steps 1-3 four times 5. After four pomodoros, take a longer 15-30 minute break Track Your Progress Keep a record of your completed pomodoros to: - Measure your productivity - Identify areas for improvement - Motivate yourself to stay consistent Adjust as Needed Customize the technique to fit your work style: - Experiment with different work/break intervals - Adapt the method for meetings or collaborative work - Be flexible with unexpected interruptions Stay Consistent Make the Pomodoro Technique a habit by: - Using it regularly, even on busy days - Gradually increasing the number of pomodoros you complete - Reflecting on your progress and adjusting your approach as needed The key to making this a success is to maintain focus during work intervals and truly disconnect during breaks. With practice, you’ll be amazed at how effective you can be. Let me know which technique works for you in the comments.

Time Management Insights for Improving Productivity ⏰💡 I have been mentoring several people around the topic of time management. These are some pointers to help you master your time, boost productivity, and achieve more with less stress. 📈 1. Self-Assessment: Track and Analyze Your Time 📊 Track Your Time: For the next two weeks , keep a detailed log of how you spend each hour. There are tools like Toggl or RescueTime to help simplify this process.  I will put link to their sites in the comments. John Jensen also has a spreadsheet he utilizes that is a great framework for sales people. Categorize Activities: Once your log is complete, sort activities into categories such as planning, deal management, prospecting, admin tasks, internal and external meetings, and personal time.  Do you also understand what your high-impact activities are? Evaluate: Reflect on your log. Are you dedicating enough time to high-impact activities? Are personal activities getting the time they deserve? 2. Identify Areas for Improvement 🔍 High-Value vs. Low-Value Tasks: Pinpoint tasks that drive your goals forward. Delegate or eliminate low-value tasks. High-value tasks are often those that only you can do. Time Wasters: Identify activities that consume time without adding value, such as redundant meetings or excessive email checks. 3. Set Clear Priorities 🎯 Define Your Key Responsibilities: Clarify your role and responsibilities. Focus on activities that align with these and have the most significant impact. Goal Setting: Set clear, measurable goals. This will sharpen your focus and help you prioritize and delegate tasks effectively. 4. Improve Delegation 🤝 Identify Delegation Opportunities: Based on your time log and priorities, find tasks that can be handed off, freeing you to focus on high-level strategy. 5. Continuous Improvement 📈 Regular Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to review your progress, discuss challenges, and adjust strategies as needed. This keeps you accountable and allows for timely adjustments. Personal Insights from My Experience 🌟 When I first started tracking my time, I was amazed at how much of it was spent on low-value tasks. By categorizing and analyzing my activities, I identified key areas for improvement and began delegating tasks that were consuming my time without significant returns. Setting clear priorities and goals was a game-changer, allowing me to focus on high-impact activities and achieve better results. Implementing these steps transformed my productivity, and I'm confident it can do the same for you! 🚀 #TimeManagement #Productivity

⏲️ Time management techniques that actually work I'm a fan of Lenny's Podcast, and I´m always searching for effective techniques to optimize my time.  So today, I'm sharing Lenny's Newsletter's article, "𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸", which offers a pragmatic and proven approach. Here's a summary of the 10 productivity techniques and how I'm using them☝️: 𝟭. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼-𝗱𝗼𝘀: Instead of a to-do app, schedule tasks directly in your calendar. Plan your week on Sunday evenings. ☝️ The new Notion Calendar is excellent at pulling my open tasks into the calendar so I can drag and drop them through the day and commit time to them. 𝟮. 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲: If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately instead of adding it to your list. ☝️The procrastinator in me hates this one, but I've been more intentional with it. 𝟯. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 "𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿" 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: Track items you're waiting on from others to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. ☝️ My tasks list in Notion has a waiting-for field to track who I need a response from. 𝟰. 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝟯 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Write down 1-3 most important tasks each morning before starting work. Do the hardest one first. ☝️ This one has been a game changer: visualizing 3 things that I'd be excited to accomplish throughout the day, writing them down in front of me, and ripping the page off at the end of the day is an excellent fix of dopamine and productivity. To make sure I get to those tasks, the following technique is equally important. 𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: Schedule and fiercely guard blocks of uninterrupted focused work time. It takes 30-60 minutes to get into deep work mode. ☝️ I'm blocking my first 2,5hs at the office for deep work and getting most of the 3 daily priorities done. No meetings, no email checking, no notifications. A quick refresh with french press ☕ at the end. 𝟲. 𝗡𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Push meetings as late in the day as possible to protect your peak creative hours in the morning. ☝️ You won't get 5) without 6). 𝟳. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗯: Keep notifications off and remove distractions by physically separating yourself from devices when needed. ☝️ Multitasking is a hoax. 𝟴. 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗰: Convert meeting requests to email conversations when possible to save time and maintain focus. 𝟵. 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁: Use services like Double or Athena to delegate low-impact tasks. ☝️ AI tools? 𝟭𝟬. 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻: Filter requests through your priorities, communicate tradeoffs clearly, and evaluate future commitments as if they were happening tomorrow. ☝️ Be intentional to avoid getting dragged into things you don't need, https://lnkd.in/gXfPDM93

I’m a business owner, father of 2 & husband. But I still maintain a social life & exercise every day. Here are the 7 time-saving techniques I swear by: 7. Buckets. I separate my workload into 4 buckets: 1. Creative work 2. Mentally demanding tasks 3. Recurring tasks you have to do 4. Systems to make things more efficient Then do 1 hour of focused work on each every weekday. This ensures I’m clearing old tasks & creating new systems. 6. Use technology wisely. Instead of spending my time endlessly scrolling social media… I take advantage of productivity tools & apps to: • Streamline tasks • Manage schedules • Automate repetitive processes Example: I have an app that checks what products are low in my vending machines & orders them for me. This saves me a ton of time every day. 5. Wake up before the rest of the world. This is so simple yet so many people don’t do it. When I wake up between 5 am & 6 am… I get at least 2 full hours of undistracted time to focus on myself & my tasks. I’ll typically use it to work out & go for a walk with my dog. 4. Deep work. Deep work has become a cliche, but it’s extremely effective if done right. How I deep work: • 2 hours • Phone on DnD • On a task I have pre-planned #1 mistake people make: trying to deep work without a plan. Pre-Plan what you’re going to work on & what your goal with it is. 3. Prioritize energy. When you have little time… You have to get as much done as possible within it. If you have high energy, you can use it to get more done in that time. I prioritize my energy by working out, eating whole foods & taking recovery seriously (sleep, sauna etc). 2. Delegate when possible. Any simple tasks that are “low leverage” or don’t require you personally… Delegate. I delegate plenty of things with my income streams. For example, I’ve delegated stocking my vending machines to an operator. This allows me to run the entire route from home. 1. Environment switching. Sometimes all you need to boost productivity: A change in environment. If I want to focus without distractions & get a lot of work done in 2 hours… I’ll go to a co-working space or coffee shop. It allows me to do deep work & get more work done in ½ the time. & those are my favorite time-saving techniques. What are yours?

Several years ago, I was struggling to recall details. At the time, I used multiple project management tools and apps to track everything—notes, tasks, and projects. I had the sensation that I had outsourced my brain to the cloud. But unfortunately, it wasn't functioning in my favor. Determined to make a change, I looked into a few memory techniques. The one that stood out to me is the "generation effect."  The big idea behind this concept is that we can remember information better when actively engaging with it. Practically speaking, for me, this meant writing down everything with a pen and paper—not an app. What started as an experiment to take notes and track tasks and projects became a 3-4 year journey. What did I do? I started #bulletjournaling. Today, I won't get into this method's pros and cons. Instead, I'll share what I do to see if this is something you'd find helpful. Here's my process: 1. Review my work and life priorities Here, I look at what I must prioritize for the upcoming week. And I create a two-page spread This is what you see below in the image. 2. Write down my priorities On the right-hand side of the image below, this is what's labeled "Priorities." I stole this idea from Wes Gay, and it works like a charm. On the left-hand side of this same page, you'll see "P," which stands for planned, and "D," which stands for done. These are must-do things for the week. And it's a simple way to keep what's important in front of me. 3. Schedule my week After I jot down my priorities, I'll schedule them. After I schedule them, I'll check the "P" circle. (Pro tip: Block off time in your calendar for your work.) When the priority is complete, I'll mark "D." For my schedule, not only do I include these priorities, but I'll also write down the meetings I have. Writing down the times of my meetings not only helps me to remember but also serves as a reminder to prepare for my meetings, too. 5. Get 'er' done That's it. Then I wake up, look at my day, and get 'er' done. _____ This method keeps me focused on my daily and weekly priorities. Remember, sometimes, old-school pen and paper trump the latest digital tool. _____ Have you used a bullet journal before? What tips, tricks, or methods have you found to make your life and work easier and more productive? #professionaldevelopment #timemanagement