We live in the world where everyone is busy. Deadlines are luring behind our back, timesheets need to be precisely filled, the phone never stops ringing and often friends and family want immediate responses to texts and social media posts.

It can be very difficult to cut out the noise during work. However, there are several ways to do so:

1. Prioritize – try not to do everything at once. Set achievable goals for every part of your day. Do the most challenging tasks early, while you are still fresh, concentrated and full of energy. Create a mini schedule of what needs to be done and leave some room for unexpected calls, changes or complications. Set clear priorities and allocate a time to do the tasks.
2. Delegate – if you can do so, why not delegate some of your tasks? Maybe someone in your team knows how to do that Excel sheet job in a quicker, more engaging way? Other option is just to split the workload with team members who have a more flexible schedule on that day. As daily workloads can often fluctuate, delegating can be a good way to do the tasks properly and on time.
3. Rest – take the time to rest. Use your lunch break to take a walk, go to a quiet room in the office, meditate or just stretch. Turn off your brain, don’t look at the phone or the computer. It is also crucial to rest our eyes as much as possible, and ideally try to look at something green.
4. Turn off social media notifications – Social media can be your enemy at work. Tags on photos, comments, new posts, messages in your inbox can take a lot of time we are not even aware of. Try to reply after you’ve finished work. Explain to your friends and family that all things which are not urgent will be answered at the appropriate times .
5. Learn to say NO – saying “no” is often very difficult. Especially when it comes to our bosses, colleagues or friends. Sometimes, they can swamp us with workloads we simply don’t have time for. You can also be asked to stay longer at the office or come earlier or check your e-mails from home during the weekends. Learn to differentiate when these things are necessary and when someone is just taking advantage of your time. Stay polite and friendly while communicating your answers and the tasks which you already have.
6. Eat healthy – Fresh fruit and vegetables will give you more energy than sugar and coffee. Try to have a balanced diet and not to fall into the typical sugar craving trap. Days can get long and busy, so try to give your brain what it really needs. You’ll be more productive plus stay fit and healthy.