OFW guide: How to work faster and better

Do you feel that you are often left behind by your co-workers in accomplishing tasks?

You may need to reexamine your daily routine to see how you can work faster and more efficiently.

GMA News Online has culled from various Internet sites a list of ways to improve one's efficiency and productivity:

(1) Give yourself a deadline.

According to the website AdamDuvander.com, the best way to get something done is by giving yourself a deadline. To finish a task faster, one should set an earlier deadline.

“A short deadline encourages you to trim [your work] to the barest essentials,” it said.

(2) List down your daily tasks.

To keep you on track, it is important to write down your daily tasks, the online site LifeHack.org said.

“Don’t rely on your memory as your system. Write down the things you need to do, your schedule, anything you might need to refer to, and every passing thought so you can relax, knowing you won’t forget,” the site said.

The website of the MarieClaire magazine, on the other hand, said one should be more specific when listing down daily tasks.

“When I write my to-do list, I give myself clear orders, not reminders… The actionable order prompts me to actually do it." Ani Collum, partner and retail consultant at Retail Concepts in Boston, was quoted as saying.

(3) Keep distractions to a minimum.

Marie Claire.com said distractions in the work place should be kept to a minimum.

“The person who keeps a candy dish in her office has people popping in all day for sweets. So I never keep treats in my office. I also bought cute but uncomfortable furniture so visitors won't linger,” said Lindsey Waldrep, marketing executive at Crossville, Inc. in Tennessee.

(4) Be open to your colleagues.

MarieClaire.com said keeping distractions to a minimum has a twin brother — that of being open to one's colleagues.

If you have a task that needs to be done immediately, tell your co-workers about it so that they will not distract you.

“It can be awkward, but don't be afraid to tell a coworker that you just don't have time to chat. To that end, I try to IM colleagues instead of popping by their offices. I get answers much faster without the pressure to socialize,” Jessica Anselmi, a senior account executive at Cone Communications in Boston, told Marie Claire.

(5) Eat the frog.

Not to literally eating a frog every time that you wake up but it means doing the most unpleasant task ahead, and writing it on top of your to-do list.

“Based on the saying that if the first thing you do in the morning is eat a frog, the day can only get better from then on,” Life Hack said.

(6) "Batch process."

To work more efficiently, Life Hack advises processing similar tasks at a set time.

“For example, don’t deal with emails sporadically throughout the day; instead, set aside an hour to go through your email inbox and respond to emails. Do the same with voice mail, phone calls, responding to letters, filing, and so on — any routine, repetitive tasks,” it read.

(7) Keep the balance.

Try to keep the balance between work, leisure and family.

“Make time for yourself. Eat slowly. Enjoy a lazy weekend day. Take the time to do things right, and keep a balance between the rush-rush world of work and the rest of your life,” Life Hack noted. - VVP, GMA News