Are you looking to increase your productivity at work but not sure where to start? Try these tips to help!

1. Use the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique helps with time management by stating you should split your workday into more manageable and productive chunks. Their method says to work for a 25-minute stretch of time and then take a 5-minute break before starting your next 25-minute stretch of work. Once you have completed four tasks, it states you should take a longer break, suggesting 20 minutes. 

Not every hospitality job allows for this method to be used but speak with your manager if you would like to try it to see if there is a way to mimic a similar workday schedule. This will help boost your focus by creating a sense of urgency for the times you are working to get as much done as possible. 

2. Batch your emails

If you work in a position that includes a lot of email communication, either internally or externally, this can help reduce the distraction of answering emails immediately when they enter your inbox. 

Stick to answering emails only two or three times during the workday in set intervals. This will reduce your need to constantly monitor your inbox and distracting you from other projects.   

3. Create a to-do list

Creating a to-do list at the start of your day can help set up your mindset for what you need to get done during the workday/workweek and how much time you need to allot to each task.

Schedule your harder or longer tasks for when you will feel most productive during your day and your easier more mindless tasks for when you will want to give your mind a break.

4. Utilize templates

Are you working in a sales role that requires a lot of email communication to current or potential guests or clients? Or maybe you work in a food and beverage role with a lot of vendor communication. Maybe you work in a marketing role with social media or email advertising. 

If you create templates for yourself that you can use for each new email communication or social media ad you can cut down the time spent on those projects or tasks by having a template you can just change specific information for and send. 

5. Break larger tasks into mini-milestones

Break your larger goals into smaller goals to make them more manageable. 

If you are tasked with helping to restock all housekeeping carts, maybe you break it up by first taking inventory of each cart to see what needs refilling, and then pulling all missing products by categories and placing them all into groups for each individual cart to make the process more organized. 

Or perhaps your task is to hire a new team member for your department. Start by filing through resumes that have the general requirements you’re looking for and then separating them into groups of those you want to call, those who are backups, and those who don’t fit the role. 

Smaller milestones feel more realistic and easier to accomplish on time than a large goal that feels never-ending. 

6. Make a simple metric

The simple metric is the method of drawing a square and breaking it into four equal parts and assigning each box one of the following;

• Urgent and Important: Put these first on your to-do list
• Urgent and Not Important: Delegate these out if possible. If not, tackle them second
• Not Urgent and Important: Pencil some time in your calendar for the near future
• Not Urgent and Not Important: Put these at the very bottom and get to them when you have extra time

Being productive at work is all about time management and organizing your schedule and task. In a way that works best for you.