Your to-do list is brimming with work that needs to be done. Even if you have downloaded to-do list apps to help you plan, you are still overwhelmed by work. Maybe what you really need is a 10 minute break.

Even for the Fourdesire team which places a high value on creative production and efficient collaboration, there are times when productivity grinds to a halt. We interviewed some members and came up with 4 tips to help you get rid of inefficient ways of working.

1. Apply the 80/20 rule to identity the period of time requiring rapt attention and the period of time allowing for interruption

Through the team’s internal survey, we find that replying messages to managers, users, and colleagues is the biggest distraction at work.

We suggest you identify the period of time requiring rapt attention and the period of time allowing for interruption. Spend 20% of your time at work dealing with less urgent tasks such as replying messages and emails while using the rest 80% to complete major tasks without any distractions.

One of our team members may use fragrance to signal to their brains that it is time to focus on work. Engineer R says he listens to specific music to keep his mind in the state of flow.

Fourdesire Engineer R:

When listening to music with heavy beats and no singing, I feel cut off from the world and all I can do is complete my work at hand. This helps me get into the flow state quickly.

Try to:

1. Break your time into periods and use calendars and the Pomodoro technique to make plans and set alerts.
2. Tell your colleagues that you are about to get into the rapt attention period to reduce interruptions.
3. Create some rituals such as using fragrances or specific music to help you focus.

2. Not a salary thief! Dedicate 10 minutes to rest and relax

According to the research report “Tired at the Office? Take a Quick Break. Your Work Will Benefit” published by psychologists at the North Carolina State University, taking a 10-minute microbreak at work helps people accomplish their work more efficiently.

Fourdesire social media manager S says her ritual of transitioning to a different working state is going out to get some coffee when productivity takes a dip.

Try to:

1. Do something irrelevant to your work when you run out of ideas or feel restless.
2. Force yourself to get out of your chair.

3. Want to increase productivity? Move your body!

Sitting for long periods of time can reduce mental acuity and the best way to address this problem is to get out of the chair that makes you want to sleep and do some stretches. If, upon reading this, you realize you have been sitting for too long, find a space where you can stretch out freely and use Walkr to wake up your body and brain in 7 minutes.

Try to:

1. Use the To-Do Adventure app to set up the number of times you need to get up to stretch your body during work.
2. Find a space in the pantry room or anywhere you can stretch out easily and watch a workout video on YouTube to loosen up.
3. Invite colleagues to join you to achieve your goal more easily!

4. Face the reality when you hit bottom and clarify the blind spots.

As work is constantly changing, we may feel helpless or depressed at times. In this situation, Fourdesire HR staff R will write down her feelings at that moment.

Fourdesire HR staff R:

When you feel depressed, try to record your feelings and thoughts at that moment by either typing or handwriting. Jotting down your feelings helps you sort out and express your emotions.

Try to:

1. It is normal to feel helpless or depressed. Don’t be too harsh on yourself or eager to get back on track.
2. Record your feelings at that moment using a notebook or note-taking tool that you are familiar with.

A to-do list is more than just a list of work to be accomplished. It is also the sketch of your life. These 4 tips can help you identify the right pace for yourself and accomplish doable to-do lists step by step.

References

1. Tired at the office? Take a quick break; your work will benefit
2. Overloaded Circuits: Why Smart People Underperform