The Flow of a Productive Business Day

Yesterday mid-day my energy drained and I struggled to accomplish the most important duties on my to-do-list. As I stopped to look at my list, I felt myself wanting to create easier tasks or work on quick or less important ones. As I started to complete one of the tasks, I realized I was avoiding some pressing issues and forced myself to get away from my desk to refocus. Does your business day flow this way too sometimes?

In business when we have so many things to do, we often tend to gravitate away from the most important tasks. Sometimes certain days of the week or times of the day are easier to focus on pressing matters but other times our focus fades and we find ourselves needing to get it back.

I’ve learned to stop when I naturally feel a tendency to avoid. I take a 15 or 30 minute break. I change rooms. I run an errand. I grab some food or drink. I get up and get away from my desk and allow myself to stop thinking and restore clear thinking. If you ever tried to do something repeatedly without it succeeding you know you have to stop and restart because you’ll keep failing.

As this spring starts flooding with social events and a more active business calendar, it is essential to focus on the most important work in front of us every day. We must also realize when we are off-kilter and not performing at our peak during the workday so we can regroup and refocus and get back to business.

Today’s blog post is to inspire you to start every work day with the top three-five most important, pressing and revenue generating or deadline-focused work first. No matter what, promise yourself to stick to these vital duties. As the day unfolds, remember to take a break outside, enjoy lunch with a business associate, or exercise to regain your spirit. Go back to work and focus on another three to five tasks that can be easily accomplished the second half of your day. You will end your day energized and proud of what you have accomplished.