You know the kind of people who are always doing things but never get anything done? Don’t be that person. Keep your calm while still knocking tasks out of the park.
5 Ways to Be More Productive
It’s one thing if your busyness has a purpose but another thing entirely if you’re simply running yourself (or paralegal) into the ground. Say goodbye to busy and hello to productivity by implementing a few of these best practices.
- Do your hardest task first – There are certain things we all dread, but in almost all instances the dread is more debilitating than the actual task itself. By putting off said hard task, we end up wasting an unnecessary amount of time and emotional energy agonizing over something that usually ends up being not so bad. Knocking out an important, yet dreaded task first thing in the morning sets the tone for your day and – as a bonus – already checks one thing off your list.
- Set goals – Goals help you prioritize your days and help you identify what you can realistically accomplish in a given timeframe. As you develop goals, be specific with your tasks. “Prep for a case” is too vague. Break the task down into concrete to-dos that have a specific and measurable outcome, so you know best how to structure your day.
- Track your performance – Setting smart goals is one part of the performance equation, but you must also diligently track your efforts. Simply knowing you’re “killing” your performance targets is not enough. You need to know why and how in order to make those processes repeatable and sustainable. Tracking and identifying performance can be made much easier with the help of reporting tools such as LawKPIs or similar solutions.
- Batch tasks – A form of disruptive multitasking is hopping in and out of your inbox while you’re simultaneously trying to draft an outline for an opening argument. This can be seriously disruptive in terms of productivity (and the quality of workmanship you deliver). Stop wasting time by batching like tasks. For example, set aside a chunk of time to respond to emails or return phone calls. This way you can return to your next task knowing you’re caught up with emails and can refocus without fear of distraction.
- Delegate – Play to your strengths and let others do the same by asking for help when you need it. Perhaps that “somebody” may even be automation. If you’re stretched thin, you need to find new ways to streamline tasks. Many non-billable tasks in your law firm can easily be automated. For help with that, just get in touch with us at Honeycrisp.
Becoming less busy and more productive is an iterative process, but hopefully you can make small gains by implementing some of these tips.
