Afternoon and evening routines that can help with your productivity at work

Whether it be nearing the end of the week or you’re just having a long day, we can all have times where our productivity at work is not the best. This can happen to the best of us, but the important thing is knowing how to get out of the slump and how to make the most out of our days at work. We have a few tips on how you can help yourself and try to stay productive throughout the day. These tips can help you get into a routine and try to make the most out of your day!

Get up and move about

Depending on your job, you may not be as active during the day as you may like. This means getting up and walking around the workplace or taking some time at lunch to have a long walk or do a workout, can make a huge difference. Getting out of your chair, if you can, and getting some blood flowing can really help spike productivity in the afternoon. You may be in a position where you don’t have time to go out at lunchtime, if so, make sure to take 10 minutes to get up and move. Being away from your personal workspace can give your mind the break you deserve.

Save the easy tasks for later in the day

This one may be obvious. Some employees are just more vigilant in the morning. It may be easier for you to come to work and get all the long and difficult tasks out of the way. Morning is where you are more likely to feel refreshed and ready to work, so it’s good to take advantage of it. You’re less likely to feel guilty if you aren’t as alert in the latter part of your day.

End your working day in a good way

It’s very easy to just finish all your tasks and then go home. Where it is very important to go home on time, there are some other things you can do to help you wind down at work.

• Write a to-do list for the next day – This will mean when you come into work the next day, you will know what you are meant to be doing and when. It can relieve some of the pressure you may have the next day, rushing to figure out your tasks for the day.
• Tidy your workspace – A clean desk or workspace can really help with your productivity. There is less likely to be anything that may distract you and nothing will get in your way.
• Respond to emails – It may be easier for you to catch up on emails and admin later on in the day. They tend to be easier tasks and can finalise your working day. Getting into this routine can mean when you finish this task, you are ready to go home.
• Productive commute – If you do commute via train or bus, try and do something productive. Read a book or try and talk to your friends, this will make this time more enjoyable and the time will fly.

Try and use your evenings to do something you enjoy

Spending your free time productively can help with your working life. Spending time with friends and family or having a hobby can take away some of the stresses that your job may bring. Having a bit of fun can help you forget about some of the negatives and make you feel like you have more of a work-life balance, compared to staying at home everyday and feeling like you have a boring routine. Getting out is actually very good for your career.

Take a bit of time to relax and get ready for the next day

Whether you spend your evening watching a series on Netflix or reading your favourite book, take some time to yourself. Try and have a breather and get ready for the next day. Taking time to wind down will help you get relaxed and ready for a good night’s sleep. Preparing essential things for the next day may help you keep the relaxed feeling in the morning. Prepare your lunch, get your laptop/bag ready and pick our what you are going to wear (if you worry about this type of thing in the morning). Doing small and simple tasks in the evening can help you stay calm and not rush in the morning. Sometimes rushed mornings are inevitable but if you do everything you can to prevent this, you may find the morning routine can be a lot smoother.

Don’t go to bed feeling negative

If you go to bed negative, if can affect how you sleep and how you feel in the morning. This can often have a knock-on effect and cause you feeling negative the next night as well and so on. Sometimes these feelings can’t be avoided, so try and wind down as best you can.

Getting into a routine can help you in many ways, it can bring more organisation to your everyday life and can leave you feeling more positive about things. If you are positive, you may be more likely to be productive at work. Sometimes, you need to wind down and prepare for the next day and the afternoon and evenings are the perfect time to do this.  Sometimes, we don’t think about our personal lives effecting work, but by doing these simple tasks, it can help you be more productive and happier at work.