7 Clever Ways to Save Time at Work

Did you know that the average employee is only productive for less than three hours in a workday? 

While alarming, this should not come as a surprise. Every day workers are interrupted by many emails, meetings, and unexpected conversations. 

There is no better feeling at work when you are able to accomplish a lot and return home feeling like you were productive. The good news is that you can use your time wisely and complete more tasks in a workday. 

Continue reading to learn more about how to save time at work. 

1. Confirm Meetings

One of the first proactive measures you can take is to confirm and prepare for meetings. On the morning of a meeting, contact the individual(s) you are planning on meeting with and make sure they are still coming. 

Additionally, ask them if they need any documents or items printed out beforehand. This will save precious time in the conference room. Ensure that anything that can be done before a meeting is completed. 

2. Templates Are Convenient and Save Time 

There is no need to create documents from scratch every time. Not only can this be frustrating, but it decreases your overall productivity at work. 

Templates are beneficial and reliable. If there is a certain kind of document you create often, build a template. You can adjust the content when needed, but you will have more than half the work already completed. 

As an example, an office worker is responsible for creating client contracts. Since every client is purchasing a similar service, a general contractor can be developed. Since a contract template is already created, the worker only has to fill it out with personal information and service details unique to the client. 

Creating templates is not an act of laziness. It is a smart decision that will save you significant time. 

3. Discipline and Routine 

One of the most important things you can do as an office employee is to discover a routine that works for you. You know best how you work and what would increase your productivity.

Forming a routine may take time and that is completely okay. There is nothing wrong with experimentation. Developing a routine is only half the battle, however. 

A routine only works if you are disciplined. In other words, your dedication will determine your success. 

As an example, you decide that you want to start working at 9 AM sharply. You find that having a set start time increases your daily productivity.

If you find yourself pushing back your start time often or not keeping to your 9 AM commitment, you will begin to see the effects. You will notice that your productivity is decreasing and that you are procrastinating. 

4. Create a Weekly Schedule at the Beginning of the Week 

Nothing is more helpful than planning ahead. Having your weekly schedule laid out can make things a lot less stressful. 

Of importance, knowing your schedule will allow you to allocate spare time in a productive manner. Meetings and phone calls are just a part of the daily grind of an office employee. When you are not occupied by pre-planned activities, you can use the remaining time to complete emails and tasks. 

As an example, Megan is a marketing director at a local advertising agency. On Tuesday, she has five meetings in total throughout her 9 AM to 5 PM work day. Based on her weekly calendar, she knows she will have some free time between 12 to 1 for lunch.

Knowing how busy her day is, Megan decides that she needs to work while she eats. She uses her lunch break to respond to emails. While this may not be ideal, it is the most productive thing she can do. 

5. Develop Intentional Agendas for Meetings 

Meetings can indeed go down rabbit trails. This is why it is important for the meeting host to keep everyone on topic.

The best way to make sure a meeting is productive is to develop an intentional and strict agenda. Plan every aspect of the meeting in detail and keep the meeting structured. 

As an example, David is in charge of a two-hour team meeting regarding new smartphone designs at a major technology company. Knowing the importance of the meeting, David sends a meeting agenda to everyone attending the evening before. 

10 AM- 10:25 AM: Welcome and Updates

10:25 AM to 11:25 AM: Group Brain Storm Session 

11:25 AM to 11:45 AM: Delegation of Tasks 

11:45 AM to 12 PM: Final Remarks and Questions 

David’s agenda is thought out and makes clear the purpose of the meeting. 

6. Use Software for Financial Tasks

Advancements in technology have allowed once tedious tasks to become second nature. There are many daily activities that go into operating a company, such as overseeing your bank account.

Keeping track of your finances and paying bills used to be hard work! One would have to go through piles of documents and write out checks by hand. Fortunately, bills can be automatically paid now through banks.

Additionally, company bookkeeping can be done online as well. Company accountants can create organized digital books on platforms such as QuickBooks. 

Your company’s financial information is critical and confidential. With today’s technology, you can save a lot of time when handling your financial commitments. 

7. Hire an Assistant to Help With Day to Day Activities 

 There is only so much time in a workday. Often, there is too much to get done and this can be frustrating.

If you hold a lot of responsibility in your company and need help with everyday tasks, it may be beneficial to enlist the services of a personal assistant. 

An assistant can handle tasks on your behalf and you will have more time to focus on pressing matters. Finding a reliable assistant can save you precious time and help reduce your overall stress! 

Save Time at Work and Much More

How to save time at work is one of many career and productivity topics we discuss. Additional topics include how to make the most of your workday, 6 ways to make your workspace more productive, and 5 morning habits of highly successful people.

For more educational and enlightening content, please check out more of our blog today.