Sometimes it can be tough juggling everything at work and at home. The times are changing and always keeping us on our toes. But the one thing that will always stay consistent is staying efficient so deadlines or meetings at work and at home don’t catch up with us. Here are a few tips on staying efficient. 

Stay organized/ manage your time wisely

This goes for in and out of work. Staying organized and using your time wisely will help take the pressure off you. If you write down everything you need to do to this week and organize it based on what is the most important item that needs to be done will allow you to visualize how to move things around and get the timing right. Don’t let tasks fall through the cracks. If you think of something you need to do, jot it down the moment you think about it so you can continue with the work in front of you and go to the task later. If you don’t write it down, you may forget about it later and move on to another pressing matter. 

Separate tasks into smaller pieces

Having a huge task to take on can be very daunting and overwhelming. You may be thinking, “Where do I even begin?” With that looming pressure over you can lead you to procrastinate on your project instead of diving in. Try breaking it up into pieces. Is there a way you can separate this daunting task? Maybe you can start with smaller tasks that can be done in the beginning of the day and then focus on the main important task. 

Simplifying tasks by making shortcuts

The phrase “work smarter and not harder” comes to mind in regards to making appropriate shortcuts to maximize your time elsewhere. For example, emails- if you are writing the same type of email multiple times per day, try making it a signature in your email so you can choose that option every time when you need it. Make a signature for each type of email you compose frequently. This can save you a lot of time. 

Learn hotkeys on your computer to eliminate the need of going to your mouse. Majority know the basics like:

Copy: Ctrl+C

Cut: Ctrl+X

Paste: Ctrl+V

But have you tried some of these helpful hotkeys?

Undo an action: Ctrl+Z

Switch between open apps: Alt+Tab, then use your arrow keys to move to the one you want

Minimize current app: Windows logo key+Down arrow

Minimize all windows: Windows logo key+M

Restore minimized windows: Windows logo key+Shift+M

Opens the app in the taskbar relative to the number input: Windows logo key+ <number>  (if your email is the third app in the taskbar, use Windows logo key+3.)

Try to incorporate these hotkeys and see how much time you save. It will add up at the end of the day.