I’m retired yet not retired. I’ve only retired building other people’s dreams. All the work I do now is to make me more productive, more successful and to build my dream.

Here are a few tips that will help you take on the day and get more done in less time.

To Do Or Not To Do

As I start each day, I know there are more things I want to get done than time to do them. So, I make a list of what I need to do.

The list might have ten things or twenty-five things, but I pick the top five that I must get done that day and work as hard a possible to get those five done.

If there’s time to do more then I look at the list again and pick the next most important task.

Marking things off your list is very satisfying testimony to your efforts for that day.

All Work And No Play Makes Tom A Dull Boy

Work in blocks of time with breaks every so often. Breaks clear your mind and let your body release tension if you’re under deadlines.

I’ll take at least a five-minute break every half hour or so. But five minutes means just that. Don’t start stretching it out. Or, take two fifteen-minute breaks. One before noon and one after noon.

Microsoft encourages employees to play on social media during the day to relax. Not sure that’s true with an upcoming election.

Do The Bad Stuff First

We all hate confrontation. Or reports that are sheer drudgery. As much as I dislike doing it, I always tackle the worst job first whatever that job may be.

Completing that one unpleasant task will make the rest of your day go much smoother. And the task may not be as bad as you imagined.

Either way you win.

Stay Focused On The Task At Hand

Every boss in the world would love to have a bunch of multitaskers. But studies show that overusing the brain and keeping too many balls in the air leads to increased errors and dollars lost.

Our brain can manage things up to seven pretty easily. Phone numbers, seven dwarfs, seven wonders of the world, seven deadly sins and so on.

Trying to do more with less produces less in most cases. Keep control of your tasks.

Time Management

Whenever I do morning radio, I’m at the station a couple of hours before actually going on the air.

News that was current when I went to bed may not be current this morning. Particularly if it’s happing on the other side of the globe.

Most of us are not morning people. Me included. But getting to the office early allows for a lot of uninterrupted time to get a lot down and make the day easier.

Some Final Thoughts

Not every tip works for everyone or every work situation. But some of these will help you manage your day and become more productive with less effort.

There’s a big difference between working hard and working smart. Work smart.