{"id":10482,"date":"2022-05-03T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/?p=10482"},"modified":"2022-05-03T09:19:30","modified_gmt":"2022-05-03T13:19:30","slug":"your-two-step-guide-for-getting-more-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/your-two-step-guide-for-getting-more-done\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Two-step Guide for Getting More Done"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A lot has changed in the last few years, and work is no exception. The typical 9-5 workday that for decades had been the nearly universal standard in office spaces is getting a shake-up. Across all kinds of different industries, there is a growing openness toward more varied schedules.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As innovations like remote work and even the 4-day work week gain broader appeal, it\u2019s important to make sure that a change in routine doesn\u2019t negatively affect your productivity. With just a little planning and organization, you can make the most of work stretches no matter when or where they take place. These two basic tips will be your guide for getting more done.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-organize-your-day\">1. Organize your day&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you find yourself positioned with a project-oriented, deadline-based workflow, it\u2019s up to you to schedule your own work hours. Think through the normal peaks and valleys of your daily routine to figure out what the most productive part of your day might be. For example, if you know you\u2019re not a morning person, don\u2019t try to fit a square peg in a round hole. Maybe spend some time checking email in the morning, and save the most involved tasks for after lunch when you\u2019re more energized.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a general overview of your schedule, the next step is to optimize your environment for productivity, namely by removing distractions. This step is especially important if you\u2019re working from home\u2014you might find things like chores or the TV or even your dog calling to you while you\u2019re trying to get stuff done. The best way to combat this is by making room in your schedule for those things, too! Block off some time for laundry, pets, family, and relaxation each day.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It won\u2019t be such a struggle to fit everything in when you see your whole day mapped out\u2014when you\u2019re not just improvising a new schedule every time you wake up. A few other ways to optimize your environment include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Not checking your email while you\u2019re plugged-in to a task&nbsp;<\/li><li>Silencing notifications while you work&nbsp;<\/li><li>Listening to <a href=\"https:\/\/asoftmurmur.com\/\">soothing ambient sounds<\/a> to help you clear your mind&nbsp;<\/li><li>Setting up at a library or coffee shop if home is too distracting&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2400\" height=\"1350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-10486\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited-1120x630.jpg 1120w, https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/cathryn-lavery-fMD_Cru6OTk-unsplash-edited-2048x1152.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-organize-your-tasks\">2. Organize your tasks&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve organized on the macro level of your overall day, you can get organized on the micro level of your individual tasks. It\u2019s one thing to set aside some dedicated time for work, but making the most of those work stretches means being prepared, being empowered, and being intentional. Here are a few different methods for managing your workload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-important-urgent-matrix\">The important-urgent matrix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Credited to the time management habits of president Dwight D. Eisenhower, this method has you distinguish between activities that lead to you achieving goals (important) and those that simply demand attention (urgent). Ultimately, this approach is about organizing your priorities, and specifically emphasizes de-prioritizing the kind of work that\u2019s more concerned with putting out fires than growth. From most essential to least essential, these are the four categories of work in the matrix:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Important and urgent&nbsp;<\/li><li>Important but not urgent&nbsp;<\/li><li>Not important but urgent&nbsp;<\/li><li>Not important and not urgent&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-getting-things-done-system\">The Getting Things Done system&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Developed by productivity consultant David Allen, the Getting Things Done method highlights the value of front-end planning before<em> <\/em>you even sit down to work. Beyond just listing your tasks, you should write out:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A one-sentence description of each task&nbsp;<\/li><li>What it will look like when the task is completed&nbsp;<\/li><li>The next step you will take to complete the task&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li>A self-assessment of the emotions you experience during this process for each task&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The main principle of this system is that our \u201cincompletes\u201d swirl around in our brains even, sometimes without us even noticing, which leads to productivity-killing anxiety. Storing everything you\u2019re not working on into a trusted system outside of your brain helps you focus on the work at hand.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bullet-journal\">Bullet journal&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On a Keep Connected podcast episode about organization, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/showing-up-for-yourself-and-your-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rachel Wilkerson Miller<\/a> talks about how she used to keep a to-do list at work, a diary at home, and a Google Calendar on her phone. Then one day she realized she could combine them all into one equally productive and meditative notebook.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bullet journal is a totally customizable approach to to-do listing that is more holistic. It\u2019s a place for short-term tasks and long-term goals. It\u2019s your personal and professional daily mindfulness exercise.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tech-resources-for-productivity-and-growth\">Tech resources for productivity and growth&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you combine the above concepts with digital tools, there\u2019s no limit to the amount of streamlining you can achieve. Check out a workflow guru like <a href=\"https:\/\/asana.com\/\">Asana<\/a>, cloud-based storage systems like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dropbox<\/a>, and other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/five-free-tech-tools-to-help-you-stay-organized\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free tech tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another tech resource that can expand the horizons of your work experience is Meetup! Join a group for your industry or a work-from-home group in your area. Not only can you make valuable networking connections, but you can also share general workflow ideas with people in similar situations. If you can\u2019t find exactly what you\u2019re looking for, you can easily <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/lp\/how-to-group-start\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">create your own Meetup group<\/a> and invite others to join you!&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post-excerpt\"><p>Work as we know it is changing. All you need to navigate this new landscape are two basic organizational concepts.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":10483,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Your Two-step Guide for Getting More Done - Meetup Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/blog\/your-two-step-guide-for-getting-more-done\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your Two-step Guide for Getting More Done - Meetup Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Work as we know it is changing. 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