By: Brian Telfer 

Some days, you can’t seem to stay on top of your workload, regardless of how hard you work. If you get caught on this treadmill day after day, it will wear you down mentally and physically.

Eliminating things from your workday is often the best route to higher productivity and lower stress. After you make more time for yourself, you can take a proactive approach to problem solving and get in front of small problems before they become big ones.

Removing the following things from your job can help you boost productivity and take your career to the next level.

80 percent of your tasks (really, not really)

Also known as the Pareto principle, the 80-20 rule says 20 percent of your efforts generate 80 of your results, while 80 percent of your efforts generate the other 20 percent. For instance, Microsoft once found errors and crashes with a program dropped by 80 percent after fixing 20 percent of the software issues.

To apply the 80-20 rule to your workday, start by identifying tasks that consume a lot of time. Then, figure out if each task is driving ‘your 80 percent’. As soon as you figure out the 20 percent that gets you the biggest outcomes, concentrate on getting rid of, decreasing, automating or delegating the other 80 percent.

Organizing in your head

Virgin Group founder Richard Branson famously takes notes to remind him of the important things in his day. It’s a billionaire’s habit you should consider taking up.

If you don’t want to carry around a notepad all day, there are countless note, diary and calendar apps you can use to organize your life and save brain power in the process.

Multitasking

Multitasking is deceptive because it feels like you’re getting more done than focusing on just one thing at a time. However, studies show multitasking actually leads to lower productivity and more errors.

Making a conscious decision to do one thing at a time will help you reduce errors, which saves you from having to spend time fixing those errors.

Lazy mornings

It can be hard to get a lot done in the morning, especially if you’re not a morning person. However, the first hour of your day can set the stage for a highly productive day.

Dedicate a time each morning to organizing your schedule and setting up a task list to give your day a massive boost.

Responding to texts and emails right away

You might feel a sense of urgency when it comes to responding to emails and texts, but urgency isn’t always associated with importance. If you focus on your important tasks and respond to messages all at once, a couple times a day, you’ll be less distracted and more efficient.

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At Cornerstone, we support the productivity of our clients through custom staffing solutions and support. If your company is currently looking to boost its productivity through a custom talent acquisition solution, please contact us today.