Feeling swamped at work? Drowning in a sea of to-do lists and struggling to meet deadlines? You’re not alone. Many people constantly play catch-up, their productivity hampered by distractions, disorganisation, and a general feeling of overwhelm.

In fact, according to a recent survey, the average UK employee works 8 hours a day but is productive only for 2 hours and 53 minutes. The good news? There are strategies you can implement to transform your work style and become more productive at work. 

In this guide, we’ll look at the top 10 tips to help transform your workday. These productivity tips will allow you to accomplish more, stress less, and leave the office feeling triumphant (not defeated). So, put down that extra cup of coffee (for now) and get ready to supercharge your workday!

This first tip concerns focusing on your unique energy and productivity levels and working to your own advantage. For example, you may feel more alert and energetic in the early hours and be able to get much more work done - however, you might be the complete opposite! You might struggle to get started in the mornings and actually thrive in the late afternoon or evening. 

In a recent study of 1,500 workers, 59% of respondents classed themselves as ‘Early Birds’, with 25% as ‘Night Owls’ and the remaining 16% as ‘Neither’. With a clearly divided workforce, it’s important to tune into your most productive hours and work in a way that suits your natural rhythm.

Some ways you can implement this include:

By working with your body's natural energy flow, you'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish while feeling less drained.

When we have a huge to-do list, it can seem like the only way to get through it is to juggle multiple projects at the same time - but this is just a recipe for disaster! When we try to work on many things at once, we can make more mistakes and waste more time in the long run. 

Scientific research has shown that when we try to do many tasks at once (including small actions like picking up emails in between projects), our overall productivity can decrease by up to 40%, making us vastly inefficient. 

Doing two things at once that require the same attention levels - for example, writing an email and talking on the phone - requires language and communication skills. The brain, however, simply can’t give attention to both simultaneously. 

Studies at the University of Michigan have also proved that even simple tasks can overwhelm the brain when we try to do several at once. Multitasking can also affect us physically by increasing stress levels, impacting our overall well-being. 

Instead of trying to juggle tasks, take them one at a time and give each action your full attention. This will lead to greater productivity, less stress, and a much higher-quality output. A great way to start this process is by prioritising your tasks, which we’ll look at in the next tip!

This is perhaps the most important tip- something many of us might do anyway! But there are some best practices for structuring your day, enhancing time management and improving productivity. 

Here are some of the top tips on how to plan your day:

We promise this isn’t something from a sci-fi movie!  This tip is actually a great way to set out your tasks in a clear visual way so you can see what is the most important and, therefore, which one you might start with. 

The matrix comprises 4 boxes (or quadrants) set out in a 2x2 grid. Each box is labelled:

The idea is to input your tasks to the grid based on the level of importance/urgency. You can then focus on boxes 1 and 2, leaving tasks 3 and 4 to follow. You should regularly review the matrix throughout the day and stay mindful of each task and if it should be moved.

A nice point for this tip is that you can create it visually and see it in front of you as you work. It can help you stay on task and monitor your overall aims for the day/week. You could also implement this strategy into an online app or work management system.

This tip will work best for each person. Some people love to see a list of tasks and work through them, ticking them off as they go. It can be overwhelming for others to see it all in one place. There are, however, some clever ways to create to-do lists that can be more helpful. 

Firstly, you can write down (or organise on your system) all the outstanding tasks you currently have. Next, you should identify the most important ones and mark these with a number 1-3 (1 being ‘the most urgent/must be done today’, 2 being ‘important, but could be done tomorrow’, and 3 as ‘nice to complete, but can wait’). 

This should give your to-do list a better sense of order and priorities. If you have many tasks with no deadlines or guidelines, don’t be afraid to ask for clearer instructions. Always go back and check when a project has to be completed - just because it’s at the top of your inbox doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the most urgent.

If a full list seems overwhelming, try the priority list method instead. For this, you’ll identify up to 5 tasks, at most, that you want to achieve that day - however, the aim is just to ensure you tick off at least 3. 

The method behind this technique is that 3 tasks will always seem more achievable than a list of 20+. This is partly a psychological tool, as it can help you feel more empowered and be more likely to finish your to-do list. It can also help you avoid disappointment at the end of the day. Instead of seeing 20 more tasks you didn’t do, you can see those things you did accomplish more clearly. 

In fact, this phenomenon is known as the Zeigarnik effect, which is the psychological tendency to remember incomplete tasks better than completed ones.

This one might seem obvious, but you might be surprised at how much more productive you can be if you take the time to notice and reduce distractions.

A recent survey found that 7% of office workers spend up to 15 hours a week being distracted, which amounts to around 74 working days lost yearly! Many things can steal our attention and make us less productive - so what can you do? 

First, take some time to identify distractions. Spend a few days observing small occurrences that pull your focus - email pop-ups, calls, colleagues visiting your desk, or endless instant messages.

Wider distractions, such as those in your environment, might be excessive noise, such as other people's conversations or calls.

Once you’ve identified these things, you can take some steps to help reduce or eliminate them, such as: 

Studies have shown it can take nearly 30 minutes to refocus on a task after distraction! Imagine how much time could be lost if you let distractions run riot all week. So, whatever you identify as your unique distractions, try some new ways to reduce their impact and see how much more productive you can be. 

Most of us know deep down that we could be healthier - we could drink more water, move, or just eat more green stuff! But it’s not always as easy as it sounds. If you’re keen to increase work productivity and focus, there are some healthy habits you might want to try. 

The good news is that some of these habits can be easily introduced to your daily routine using the ‘combined habit’ method. This is when you start a new habit by attaching it to one you already do without having to plan or think too much about it - for example, if you want to start taking a daily vitamin, why not pair this habit with your usual morning coffee/tea routine? This has a much higher success rate than if you did it separately. 

Here are some of the best healthy habits you can try which improve productivity and focus:

Water is like a secret weapon. It can boost brain function, increase energy levels, and enhance mental clarity. It can also help us avoid physical issues like headaches and indigestions. It can even help us reduce stress, regulate blood pressure, and strengthen our immune system (it really can do all this!).

What if you hate drinking water? The good news is, according to the NHS, 'Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count’ towards the recommended ‘6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day’. 

A study by the University of East London found that drinking water can speed up our brains by up to 14%, increasing work productivity. A simple glass of water or tea could make all the difference to your day!

A staggering survey conducted by Nuffield Health in 2023 found that only 36% of employees get a good night's sleep. The average worker gets only 5 - 6 hours of sleep each night, far below the NHS recommendation of 7 to 9 hours.

Naturally, some people require more sleep than others, but if you feel sluggish and unable to focus throughout the day, it could be time to check your sleeping habits. Taking enough time to recharge your batteries is the best way to improve productivity.

Some tips to improve your sleep quality include: 

1. Establish consistent sleep patterns:
Try to sleep and wake at the same time, even on days off, to help regulate your body's internal clock.

2. Create a sleep-conducive environment:
Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to block light, and consider using earplugs or white noise to mask disruptive sounds.

3. Manage your diet and consumption:
Avoid heavy meals, high-fat foods, and spicy foods before bed. Close to bedtime, limit caffeine, alcohol, and excessive liquids and opt for sleep-promoting snacks like bananas, nuts, milk, or yoghurt. 

4. Develop a pre-sleep routine:
Engage in relaxing activities like reading, light stretching, or meditation. Avoid electronic devices at least an hour before bed due to exposure to blue light.

We all know the feeling: Your tasks are piling up, and the hours of the day are slowly disappearing. So why on earth would we take a break right now? Multiple studies and research have shown that it’s MORE productive to get away from your desk, take a short break and let your mind rest. 

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that briefly diverting your attention from a task can, in fact, increase your ability to refocus on the task for a prolonged period when you return to it. 

The simple fact is that none of us are robots (not yet, anyway!), and we simply can’t sit at a desk for 8 solid hours focusing on one thing. Taking short breaks throughout your day can have numerous benefits and drastically enhance your overall job performance.

So, how do we ensure we get enough meaningful breaks? There are a few things to keep in mind. Effective breaks should be taken frequently throughout the day rather than one long break. Taking 5-15 minute breaks is most effective, ensuring you step away and enjoy a different space (going outside is the most beneficial). 

For maximum benefit, try to take breaks before you reach a point of mental fatigue. Use the time to do something totally different - take a relaxing walk, practise some deep breathing, or stretch to move those muscles we often ignore when hunched over a desk. 

To get more serious about breaks, you can also try the Pomodoro Technique. This time management method was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It's designed to enhance focus and productivity by breaking work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.

Finding a technique that works for you is the key to getting the most from this tip. You might want to set mini-goals, such as “I’ll make 2 calls and then grab a cup of tea” or “When this spreadsheet is finished, I’ll step outside for 5 minutes.” Your break should reinvigorate you somehow - maybe you need a glass of water, fresh cool air, or just a short break at the espresso coffee machine with some added human interaction. 

Practice makes perfect for this one, and it’s a great way to incorporate some ‘combined habits’. Your midmorning break could be when you drink some water, and a later afternoon break could be for a good stretch. Remember, the longer you stay at your desk does not automatically translate to more work output.

Since the pandemic, it’s thought that over 80% of workers now work from home for at least 1 - 2 days a week. For many people, working from home is a full-time occurrence. This time spent at home can make it tough to focus - particularly if your surroundings aren’t designed with productivity in mind.

Whether you’re at home or in an office, however, your workspace can greatly impact how focused and motivated you feel throughout the day. Here are some important tips for how to ensure you have the ideal workspace for your needs:

By tailoring your workspace to your needs and preferences, you can create an environment that enhances focus, minimises distractions, and energises you throughout the workday.

The constant barrage of emails, calls, and instant messages can leave you feeling scattered and unproductive. When scheduling your day or week, try to block out ‘focus’ hours. These are dedicated days, or blocks of time, that allow you to focus on just one project. 

Blocking out time in your calendar, turning off notifications and setting your status to ‘Do Not Disturb’ is the perfect way to clearly signal to your colleagues that you’re in deep focus mode. 

During this time, make sure that nothing distracts you and that you have everything you need. This way, you’ll be set for a productive hour (or two!).  

This technique will work differently depending on your work rhythm, but the aim is to signify to yourself and others that this set time is for a very specific project. You could even use the time to ‘batch’ your tasks, tackling those similar tasks into one block to help you get through them more efficiently. 

By incorporating focused work hours into your routine, you'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish in a shorter time. You'll also experience a reduction in stress and an improvement in the quality of your work.

Do you find there are tasks you do repeatedly every day? Do you find yourself checking in on emails every 5 minutes? These are areas where you could use an efficiency boost. 

Being more productive also means doing things the best and most efficiently. Instead of checking emails constantly, why not check them once an hour or every two hours? Instead of replying to emails ad hoc, dedicate 15 minutes after lunch to writing responses. 

Here are some suggested tips:

A good first step is to track where your time goes throughout a typical day. You can do this by simply jotting down your task start and finish times or by using a tracking app. There are many options for this, and extensions you can add to your browser to easily log and time each task you pick up. 

Identifying areas where you could reduce time spent (or distractions) will differ for every person and each job role. Understanding which tasks take you the longest allows you to try some ways to streamline.

Automation doesn’t have to mean using fancy technology or learning about apps (although these can be helpful too!). It could be something simple like setting up a template for emails or reports, saving you hours of repeatedly rewriting the same things. 

Keyboard shortcuts are also handy tools we often need to remember. It’s worth researching the possibilities for your specific system, as they can help speed things up. 

Here are a few examples:

Don't hesitate to delegate tasks to colleagues or outsource to freelancers if it makes sense. Taking on every task yourself when you don’t have the hours available can lead to late projects or less-than-perfect results. Ensuring you spend your time wisely is the key to higher productivity and better outcomes.

Like any skill, productivity is something you can constantly improve on. Cultivating a mindset of developing and evolving your techniques is the best way to successfully find a balance between working hard and producing quality work.

Here are some great ways to continue to improve your productivity:

Committing to continuous learning and growth will allow you to stay ahead of the curve, remain engaged in your work, and position yourself for future success.

As we’ve seen, learning how to be more productive takes many small steps and trialling new techniques. Following these 10 top productivity tips can help you conquer your to-do list and free up time and mental space for what truly matters.

Remember, a productive you is a happier, more fulfilled you, both at work and beyond. After all, a little planning and a sprinkle of focus can go a long way in transforming your workday – and maybe even your entire career.