Reclaim Your Time: Ways to a More Productive Life Balancing Hybrid Work, Hybrid Schooling and Other Activities

Attempting to integrate your hybrid work and your kids’ hybrid schooling with your personal interests is challenging. There likely isn’t enough time in the day to accomplish everything. Fortunately, making simple changes to your routine can significantly improve your results. You should gain a greater sense of control over things and the direction they move in.

Implement these simple ideas to increase your productivity while managing hybrid work, hybrid schooling, and personal activities.

Organize Your Tasks

Decide which activities are better suited for the office and which should be done at home. In most cases, collaborative tasks involving projects, colleagues’ and managers’ input, in-person meetings, and casual discussions should be done onsite. Administrative tasks like checking email, scheduling meetings, and planning for upcoming work should be done remotely.

Focus on What Is Important

When you are busy, you may want to finish seemingly urgent tasks, like checking email, to feel a sense of accomplishment. However, this often means that important tasks go undone. At the end of the day, you might feel disappointed that you did not achieve more of what mattered. Instead, focus on finishing your urgent and important activities first. Then, you can attend to your less important tasks later. You should feel a greater sense of productivity throughout the day.

Reduce Your Time Confetti

Time confetti is the concept of your mind being pulled in different directions while you try to focus on work or enjoy your leisure time. Much of the problem is due to technology distracting you from the present. This creates tension between what you are doing and what you could or should be doing. Without the ability to live in the moment, you tend to feel stressed and overwhelmed. You can combat this issue by taking time each day for mindfulness, mediation, yoga, or any other activity that trains your brain to live in the moment. This helps you focus on what you are doing, finish it, and move on to your next activity. As you accomplish more work each day, you feel better about your achievements. You also have more time for your family and outside interests.

Add Accounting and Finance Professionals to Your Team

Trying to manage hybrid work, hybrid schooling, and personal activities is difficult. It takes time to develop a flexible strategy that fits your needs. By experimenting with where you complete your tasks, what you spend your time on, and how you maintain focus, you can better attain the results you want.

When you need additional staff to increase your accounting and finance team’s productivity, turn to Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Learn more today.

Does Your Company’s Work Environment Impact Productivity?

Productivity levels depend on more than just your employees. Although staff can get more rest at night, eat breakfast, and take other steps to increase their output, there are steps you, the employer, can take to help as well. Focusing on the following areas helps to create a work environment that encourages workers to be more productive.

Lighting

All forms of lighting have a strong impact on productivity. Therefore, you want to provide windows near work areas to promote concentration and comfort. Keep overhead lighting bright to increase feelings of happiness. In winter, offer lamps that compensate for the reduced exposure to sunlight. This will increase calmness and decrease depression.

Company Culture

Cultivate a culture that promotes positivity. Everyone needs support to develop their uniqueness and feel valued. Encourage employees to build networks inside the office so they feel a sense of belonging. People who feel valued at work give their all each day.

Noise Levels

Monitor noise levels within the work environment. Because noise is a top workplace interrupter, it affects productivity. Since some people function better with noise and others without, aim to create room for both types of workers to fill their needs. For instance, install a white noise machine, or enforce quiet hours during the day.

Furnishings

Provide comfortable furnishing for employees. This is especially important if they sit for long periods of time. Include adjustable desks to allow workers to stretch their legs and ergonomic keyboards to prevent wrist injuries. Staff will feel more relaxed, less stressed, and more productive.

Color

Brighten wall colors to stimulate productivity. Low-wavelength colors such as blue and green improve calmness, focus, and efficiency. Medium-wavelength colors like yellow create feelings of happiness, optimism, and creativity. High-wavelength colors such as red increase heart rate and energy level

Designated Spaces

Design dedicated spaces to fill various needs. For instance, provide coworking spaces with relaxation rooms for employees to take a nap or meditate. Offer quiet, private spaces for staff who make frequent calls. Create collaborative spaces for those working on a team project. Include standing desks so workers can gather together to share ideas.

Air Quality

Provide the highest air quality possible. Having more oxygen going to the brain promotes concentration and increases energy. For instance, maintaining the air conditioning system prevents it from dehydrating staff so they stay focused on their work.

Improve Productivity with a Leading Chicago Staffing Firm

Find highly productive staff in the Chicago area with help from Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Get in touch with our leading finance recruiters today!

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3 Morning Activities That Are Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity

How you spend your morning helps determine how productive you are throughout the day. When your morning begins with energy-producing activities, you are better able to decrease your stress level. Incorporate these three activities into each morning to increase your productivity throughout the day.

1. Meditate

Quieting your mind stimulates creativity, contemplation, and being in touch with yourself. Meditation also helps you relax, keeps your stress level down, and improves your focus and memory. You are better equipped to think more efficiently and effectively. Start by setting aside five minutes each morning and working up to 30 minutes. Sit up or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders, refocus on your breathing. If you have trouble keeping still, look for a guided mediation online. Follow the instructions while focusing on your breathing. With practice, you will gain peace of mind and accomplish more throughout the day.

2. Eat Breakfast

Since your body gets energy from turning food into glucose, you need to start each day with a healthy meal. Plus, your metabolism is better earlier in the day, meaning your body can more easily turn the calories you eat into energy to use throughout the morning. Aim for eating within two hours of waking up so that you can capitalize on your energy stores before starting work. Include protein and healthy carbohydrates such as fruit or whole grains. Avoid donuts and other sugar-laden foods that will not sustain you.

 3. Exercise

Exercise improves circulation and releases endorphins that increase well-being and minimize pain and discomfort. Whether doing yoga at home, participating in a spin class or running around the neighborhood, you will lower your stress level and maintain energy throughout the day. Completing your exercise routine in the morning ensures it gets done while allowing time to complete your work. Plus, because exercise helps you clear your mind, you are better able to focus and make good decisions about work projects, problems and more.

Find Your Next Accounting or Finance Role Through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources

Contact Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a staffing leader in Chicago!

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