Time management tips for shorter working weeks

Wednesday March 31, 2021

Did your week start on schedule or were you caught off guard by the changing of the clocks?

Anyone unprepared this time around will hopefully have been pleasantly surprised by the now lighter evenings and official start of British Summer Time.

From higher levels of vitamin D thanks to the increased daylight hours, to warmer weather and upcoming bank holiday weekend, there are plenty of reasons to be feeling optimistic.

Making the most out of the lighter evenings

Getting outside for some fresh air has been a must to maintain good mental and physical health during lockdown. However, the bitter temperatures and darker evenings during winter made this vital activity less appealing for many people.

Stay at home guidance has now changed to “Stay Local”, and with daylight hours to enjoy at the end of the traditional working day, it’s a good opportunity to encourage your team to embrace the benefits of being outdoors.

Going for a walk, run or bike ride after work can be a helpful wind down exercise. It can assist those still working from home to acknowledge the end of the working day in the absence of their commute.

Having this to look forward to at the end of the day is even more appealing when unfinished work isn’t hanging overhead. Why not give your team an even bigger boost with some top tips for time management, so that they can wrap up on work for a relaxing bank holiday weekend?

Time management tips for the four-day week

Bank holidays bring lots of joy, but they also shorten the working week which can be stressful for anyone not on top of their tasks. Sharing the following tips with your team can help.

  1. Eat frogs for breakfast!

Mark Twain once said that if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, nothing worse will happen to you for the rest of the day.

You may be pleased to find out that we’re not suggesting you swap out your morning smoothie, but rather to see your frogs as the biggest or trickiest tasks on your list and devour them first thing.

You should find that the day improves from here on, and if you have two frogs to eat, eat the ugliest one first.

  1. Time your tasks

You may think that you’re not spending hours answering emails, but you’ll never truly know until you perform a time audit.

This activity can help to show which tasks are taking up the most time and where efficiencies could be improved. A quick Google will reveal really good (and free) time-tracking solutions that can make this easier and more accurate than just glancing at a wristwatch.

Next, start time blocking by creating dedicated time slots for specific tasks in your diary. This prevents the urge to jump between tasks and can help improve both focus and productivity.

  1. Ask for help

Trying to get it all done on your own can be overwhelming and lead to burnout. Especially during a shorter working week. Reaching out to team members, colleagues or a trusted third party can lighten your load, save time and even provide a new perspective.

If you need help getting through your HR to-do list so that you can relax this weekend too, remember, we are here to help.

 

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