Raise your hand if you’re one of the millions of Americans who are overworked and don’t have enough hours in the day — isn’t that everyone? When you do manage to get into the groove of getting something done, it’s easy to forget everything else in the work or play. You may not even realize exactly how long you’ve been spending on a particular task, and perhaps spend more time than you can afford. This leads to a spiral of stress that can be damaging to your productivity. Productivity experts recommend a simple hack that will keep you on track. Leverage the tools that you already have at hand to stay on track with these time-sensitive tasks.
Use All the Tools You Have
When you’re in the thick of a project, you don’t want to completely stop and think about using several mouse clicks or taps to set a reminder to do another task in the future. Fortunately, today’s smart speakers have everything that you need to set a timer or a reminder for a later date and time. Simply let your smart devices do the work for you! Be sure that you’re using a task reminder or timer that will work across all of your devices. That will save you from setting a reminder on your desktop that doesn’t sync to your phone after you’ve left the office for the day.
Be Specific When Setting Reminders
Jotting a quick note is great, but do you always understand what it was you needed to do at a later time? If you’re viewing a reminder that is out of context with the project, it might take you a few minutes to get back up to speed. Reduce that problem by being very specific when you’re setting your reminders. At a minimum, each reminder should include:
- Specific time and date for the reminder
- Projects your reminder relates to
- Tag any individuals you need to consult
You’ll find that your reminders are most helpful if you quickly state the specific actions that you need to take and why they’re important.
Keeping your life organized doesn’t have to be difficult. When you’re using the tools that are around you and reminding your future self about specific tasks, you’re already taking several steps in the right direction. Microsoft Office 365 productivity suite includes everything that you need to keep your projects rolling smoothly regardless of whether you’re in the office or on the road.
