Working can be stressful and challenging. Even the most diligent employee can feel a sense of fatigue from time to time. 

Similar to how athletes must constantly push themselves to maintain peak performance, employees need to find ways to keep their workday interesting and exciting. 

Workers who are able to identify inefficiencies and find solutions are much happier with their job. In fact, research has shown that happy workers are also more productive. 

We won’t lie - working is hardly ever enjoyable; however, finding smart productivity hacks and shortcuts makes everything much easier (and often more fun) than you might think !

Make meetings shorter and more productive

Although some might consider it sacrilegious, cutting down on the amount of time spent in meetings can instantly increase your productivity. 

When you have shorter meetings, you also have shorter breaks in which employees are not working - which means they are able to get more done in less time. 

For example, if it takes your team 15 minutes to walk to a meeting room, plus an hour of meeting time, you’re losing around two hours of productivity. Additionally, shorter meetings are more targeted and productive. 

Research indicates that meeting durations below an hour are better for creativity and problem solving. If you can cut your meeting time in half, you’re also cutting down on the costs associated with hosting and attending a meeting.

Do your most important work first thing in the morning

Talking about time management, there are many benefits to doing your most important work first thing in the morning. First, it is important to note that not all work is created equal. 

If you have a task that you can get out of the way early in the day, it can provide momentum that can help you tackle larger, more challenging tasks later in the day. 

If you have a task that you can get out of the way early in the day, it can provide momentum that can help you tackle larger, more challenging tasks later in the day. 

Furthermore, research shows that your willpower is strongest in the morning. For this reason, tackling your most challenging tasks when you have the most concentration and focus can help you be most productive. 

Many employees find that doing their most important work first thing in the morning also saves them from burnout. If you have tasks that are particularly challenging or stressful, you may find that you have less energy or motivation to complete them later in the day.

Take shortbreaks throughout your day

Much like the early-morning strategy, taking short regular breaks throughout the day can help you be more productive. As a rule of thumb, experts recommend taking a break every 90 minutes to two hours. 

Breaks can help you avoid getting too comfortable and feeling too “checked out” from your work. Taking breaks is also a good way to relieve stress. When you’re stressed, your brain releases chemicals that make it harder to concentrate. 

By taking a small break every couple of hours, you can help your brain recharge and get back to peak productivity. Taking breaks is particularly important when you’re trying to complete a difficult task. 

For example, if you have a big presentation or paper due, you may want to take frequent breaks so you don’t get too stressed out or burned out. This can help you maintain a positive and productive workday.

Have an end-of-day checklist

Whenever you finish a task or project for the day, write it down. If you have a system for tracking your daily activities, you’ll be much less stressed and more efficient. 

When you’re finished for the day, write down everything that you need to do the next day. While this might seem obvious, many employees fail to do this. 

This can cause you to feel incredibly stressed and behind, which can affect your productivity. 

You can easily make a checklist out of a sticky note or a piece of paper. Keep this list with you when you leave work and make sure all of the items are crossed off. This will help you to avoid forgetting any important tasks.

Don’t waste time searching for files

For many businesses, time is money. If a worker spends time looking for a file instead of actually completing work, it can be a serious waste of money and productivity. 

If you’re spending time looking for missing or misplaced files, you could be losing valuable work time. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to combat this problem. If you lose files frequently, consider investing in a digital filing system that can help you keep everything organized. 

If you lose track of which folder you filed a certain file in, you’ll waste a significant amount of time looking for it. There are also apps and tools that can help you keep track of all your files, including where they are located. 

Make sure to check if your IT department has any recommendations for file management tools.

Banish email-related stress with shortcuts

Email is inefficient and, at the same time, necessary for most employees. Unfortunately, it can be frustrating to deal with the constant influx of emails at work. 

Unfortunately, the average person receives 139 emails per day. This means your Inbox is probably constantly full. 

Luckily, there are ways to make this process less stressful. For example, you can use email filters to automatically organize certain emails and place them in a folder that you prefer. 

By creating folders for certain emails, you can avoid cluttering up your Inbox and save time. You should also make use of shortcuts to help you get things done faster and more efficiently. 

You can create a shortcut on your computer keyboard to quickly reply to emails. You can also use shortcuts to create new emails, file emails, and more.

Dictate emails instead of typing them

If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome or any other type of repetitive strain injury (RSI), typing emails can be painful. Additionally, typing emails can take up a lot of time, which is a serious concern for busy employees. 

Fortunately, there are now voice recognition tools that allow you to dictate emails by speaking into your computer. This means you can write emails faster and easier, without having to deal with RSI. 

Voice recognition software isn’t perfect, so it’s a good idea to proofread your email before sending it to make sure there are no errors. However, voice recognition tools are very helpful and can save you a lot of time.

End the day on a high note

Ending the day on a high note can make it easier to start fresh and feel energized the next day. This can be particularly important for employees who work in an office setting. 

However, it can be hard to find time to do something relaxing and enjoyable after a long day of work. Luckily, there are ways you can end your day on a high note without taking up too much of your time. 

For example, you can set a timer on your computer or phone and begin meditating. It’s also a good idea to leave a little bit of work unfinished at the end of the day so you don’t feel too stressed out or overwhelmed. 

It’s important to note that this doesn’t mean you should work more than eight hours a day. Instead, try to leave a little early or finish a little early so you can unwind without stressing yourself out too much.

Use productivity apps

You don’t always have to come up with your own work hacks. In fact, you can use apps to help you stay on track and get more done in less time. 

If you’re looking for apps to help you improve your productivity, we recommend checking out these apps : 

• Evernote : Evernote is an incredibly helpful app that you can use to keep track of everything. From to-do lists to handwritten notes, Evernote can help you stay on top of your tasks.
• RescueTime : RescueTime is a great app for helping you to stay focused. This app tracks the amount of time you spend on different tasks throughout the day. It can even make suggestions for how you can improve your work habits.
• Slack : Slack is a communication app that can help you and your coworkers to stay in touch and be more productive. With this app, you can make group chats, send direct messages, and even make video calls.

Our final words

Working is rarely enjoyable, but it’s important to find ways to make it enjoyable and stress-free. By implementing these tricks, you can be sure to have a better work life.