5 Strategies to Be More Productive and Focused at Work During the Holidays

Sometimes we find our workdays seem to run into each other and we're constantly working on yesterday's (or last week’s) to-do list. This can be a big struggle over the holidays.

When that happens, it’s time to step back and look at our routines and find ways to ease the stress and regain our focus.

Here are five ways to manage your workday more effectively and productively.

Focus on your health and wellness. You cannot underestimate the importance of daily meditation, exercise, healthy eating, and good and adequate sleep on your ability to be productive and successful. Incorporate these aspects of your life into a routine, as mentioned above, and you'll find yourself enjoying greater success. Start the day with a tall glass of water and some energizing food. You need energy and strength to be at your best and so it's important to hydrate with water when you awake and to eat something high in protein and low in sugar, in order to avoid a crash later in the morning.

Find an app. Many routine tasks we need to do in our lives and at work can be made simpler and more effective by using technology to help us. Often, we think of technology as enslaving us as we spend too much time on social media but look to find apps to make your life easier.

Eat the frog and tackle the most difficult task first. One simple strategy that will pay significant dividends for your productivity is to take on your most pressing task immediately and work to complete it before moving on to something else. Avoid getting bogged down by email early in your day. Save the email for the afternoon and attack your most important task of the day first You'll find that knocking out a difficult or dreaded item on your to-do list first thing motivates you to get more day and take on some of those things you really enjoy with more energy.

Work in short bursts followed by a short break. Focus more efficiently by working hard but briefly on your tasks. If you work for 45 minutes and follow that with a quick walk, you'll return to your work with more focus.

Plan for success. Your day should start the previous night or afternoon by identifying your top three priorities for the next day. You're more productive when you plan your day out, allowing you to more easily accommodate and integrate surprises into your schedule as they come up. Also plan to attack your email and clear out your in-box in the afternoon, once you've completed your most important daily tasks.

By implementing these methods your workday will be more focused and productive.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 8 Morning Secrets of Highly Successful People

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 8 Morning Secrets of Highly Successful People: "Those who are successful don’t waste time or opportunity. Just about every minute of their day is planned and has purpose. Some devote time in the morning to visualize the rest of the day."

• 3 Things I Wish I'd Done When Layoffs Started at My Company: "I responded by firing off a few applications for positions that looked OK, did a few interviews that went OK and before long, settled back into the same old routine of doing my job."

• 6 Habits That Turn Dreams Into Reality: "One of the benefits of a structured approach to goal and vision setting is that individuals can clearly see how each action and effort propels them toward their highest goal."

• Employers Need to Recognize That Our Wellness Starts at Work: "While we can argue about the best ways to maximize productivity, it’s hard to dispute that the physical, mental, and (yes) emotional conditions of employees are very much the business of the company, given that they greatly impact performance, morale, and absenteeism."
• How to Talk Politics at Work Without Being a Jerk: "If you don't think your co-worker's political beliefs are deserving of your respect, take that as a sign that you shouldn't be engaging in the conversation at work at all."

5 Steps to Improve Productivity and Build Success in Your Life and Career

Many of us struggle with productivity and focus in your jobs and careers. Here are five steps you can try to increase your productivity and find greater success in your job and in your life.

1. There's an app for that. Many routine tasks we need to do in our lives and at work can be made simpler and more effective by using technology to help us. Often we think of technology as enslaving us as we spend too much time on social media but look to find apps and sites like IFTTT to make your life easier.

2. Develop a routine. The discipline of following a routine, similar to an athlete in training, can help you be much more productive than when you let each day rule you with the tyranny of the immediate.

3. Focus on your health and wellness. You cannot underestimate the importance of daily meditation, exercise, healthy eating, and good and adequate sleep on your ability to be productive and successful. Incorporate these aspects of your life into a routine, as mentioned above, and you'll find yourself enjoying greater success.

4. Plan for success. Take time each day to plan out the key tasks and responsibilities you have for the following day. You're more productive when you plan your day out, allowing you to more easily accommodate and integrate surprises into your schedule as they come up.

5. Tackle the most difficult task first. One simple strategy that will pay significant dividends for your productivity is to take on your most pressing task immediately and work to complete it before moving on to something else. You'll find that knocking out a difficult or dreaded item on your to-do list first thing motivates you to get more day and take on some of those things you really enjoy with more energy.