TruCommunity Blog

In today’s fast paced environment and trying to maintain a work-life balance that is functional, how can we stay organized and productive? Here are some tricks to utilize to start 2025 on the right path!

Schedule Time for Yourself on Your Calendar

Use your calendar to block out windows of time for focus. A study from the University of California Irvine found that employees are interrupted, on average, once every three minutes. Using this trick to block off time to finish specific projects, work on strategic initiatives, or just get a quick break.

For those who find themselves bogged down in calls, block off time windows daily specifically for taking meetings, leaving the rest of the day for deep work that requires focus. This way you won't interrupt your productivity flow by having to jump on a random 30-minute call in the middle of what you are working on.

Don’t Forget about the Personal Connection

Technology and automation may dictate your day and may make life more efficient; however, it's important to not lose the human connection when working with your colleagues, clients, or customers. Find time to connect with others in face-to-face conversation as it fosters more productive work environments that allow everyone to feel heard.

Create a Healthy Routine

Today’s hybrid environment may intermingle personal and work to the fact you can't tell whether you're on or you're off. It's healthier to turn it off when it's time to pay attention to family and friends and yourself. Find time that allows you to physically leave were you are and to be uninterrupted. Focus on work during work hours and focus on you during “you” hours. This will make you the most productive during each.

Go Old-School

Does everything have to be digital? With technology on our wrists, in our laps, and in our pockets, it never hurts to take your to-dos offline. Use a paper notebook for to-do lists or to jot down quick reminders. Seeing to-dos in one place helps get them done, and it also helps you know what you’ve accomplished without being beholden to an electronic device.

Organize your Inbox. 

Do funnel the majority of your tasks through your inbox? Take advantage of this by using your inbox to function as a to-do list. Set emails filters so it sorts your inbox into three categories: “Actions” for things you need to do today, “Waiting-for” for things other people need to address, and “Reference” for things that may not need to be acted upon but will be useful to refer back to. This system allows you to know where you need to devote your time and effort in an easy-to-use format. Making your inbox work for you.

Whether working from home or in the office, everyone has their work cut out for them when it comes to staying on top of tasks. Competing priorities and interruptions are a fact of work-life, and hopefully these tips help tackle these obstacles every day. Try out one of these tips and make the most of your days.