After the distractions and downtime of the summer months, autumn offers a chance to reset and refocus. Moira Dunne offers her tips on how to prepare for the months ahead
With the relaxing summer months behind us, it’s time to settle back into our work routines and some of us may be feeling a little overwhelmed by all the tasks that need to be completed. It doesn’t have to be so, however. Below are some tips that should help you to prepare and focus for the months ahead.
Tip 1: Reset your mind
First, it is important to reset your mind. Take stock of the tasks you need to do, review the year to date, and outline any changes you want to make before proceeding into the busy months ahead.
Ask yourself the following:
- Have you made progress with your 2022 goals and resolutions?
- What is going well that you should continue to do?
- What has stopped you from making progress?
This is all linked to your mindset and energy levels. Do you feel motivated or exhausted? If it’s the latter, consider productive changes you can make to your work-life balance or routine.
Don’t dwell on tasks you haven’t done—this can be demotivating. Instead, look on autumn as a clean slate.
Tip 2: Reset your goals
Review your work goals. Have new ones emerged? Can irrelevant goals be removed, replaced or updated?
To prioritise your goals, consider where you want to be at the end of Q4 and ask yourself whether your current goals will help you get there. Be realistic with your expectations. Over-burdening yourself with extra projects will only add to your stress, not take it away.
Tip 3: Reset your plans
If your goals are being updated, you must also ensure your plans are. Planning doesn’t have to be complicated—work out what needs to be done to complete your goals and the actions required to get you there.
This will help you to break down your goals into achievable chunks. Once you have a list of actions, add target dates for each. Consider the end date for the overall project or goal and then work backwards. This helps you spread the work over each month.
Tip 4: Reset your work routine
Now you have a realistic and achievable plan, but how will you find time in your busy schedule?
Take control of your time by implementing a weekly and daily planning routine. The best approach is to dedicate a time slot each week – say, Friday afternoons for 15 minutes – to look ahead at what is coming down the tracks.
- Identify up to three key items to get done the following week. This can include work on your goals, projects, or essential operational tasks. Then proactively block time in your diary to get this work done.
- Label these time slots with your target task or action. Protect this time if other requests arise, particularly if the new requests relate to less critical work. However, if you need to drop your planned work, that’s okay. But make sure you reschedule the time slot. Remember, your goal is to achieve it by the end of the week.
Tip 5: Time blocking
‘Time blocking’ is a productivity technique that helps you progress with your planned work.
The key to successful time blocking is daily routine planning. At the end of each day, review your progress, assess new objectives and make a quick plan for the next day. This sets you up for a productive start the following day and helps you switch off and refresh each evening.
Further, develop a good morning routine to get into a productive mindset. Try doing the same activity every day, such as a ‘commute’ to work, which will help create a defined separation between work and home life (even when commuting from one room to the next if you’re working from home).
Be productive in Q4
How great would it feel to finish the year on a high? Now is the time to reset your focus for a productive final quarter of the year.
If you achieve your goal, celebrate. If you reach the end of Q4 without completing all your planned tasks and goals – that’s okay, too. You still have a good plan in place to take forward into 2023.
Moira Dunne is Founder of beproductive.ie