5 Ways To Wrap Up Your Workday in 15 minutes (or less)
The best part? They are all super simple and doable.
After a long, busy and stressful day, the last 15 minutes of the workday are difficult. Hell, let’s be serious, sometimes the last couple hours of the day are difficult. After a long, busy day, it can be tempting to take it easy as you head towards the final countdown. But the most productive people recognize that those last few minutes are crucial to finishing tasks, preparing for the next day, building relationships, and keeping work at the office. Below, you’ll find five tips I have to help you close out the last 15 minutes of your work day:
1. Zero Inbox
The first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we see before we leave at night. Sometimes emails that seem tedious or difficult to answer sit unopened in our inboxes all day, but the end of the day is the time to push through and make sure nothing important is left unread. On top of that, it is an incredibly satisfying feeling!
2. Prioritize your top items for the following day
Mornings can be almost as challenging for productivity as the end of the day, so if you can use some time each day to plan out the first tasks you'll do the next morning, you won't have to waste time at the days start getting your thoughts in order. The other major benefit is that it helps make sure your professional concerns don't bleed into your personal life.
3. Strengthen relationships
The end of the day is also a good time to connect with coworkers about something, well… other than work! Take a minute or two to ask what they're doing that evening or ask them if they’ve seen a new recent TV series. Beyond small talk, you can also connect in a deeper way but asking them what you can help them with so they can leave for the night. This tip actually allowed me to meet a future boss and led me to my first big promotion at my company!
4. Officially end the day
We’ve all done it. So many of us take our work home in the evenings, but that can be a bad practice for our stress levels and relationships outside the office. Make sure you really take some time to disengage with your day. Sometimes this can include end of day meditation or even something as simple as leaving your laptop at the office. Go home feeling refreshed and avoid workplace stress outside the office whenever possible.
5. Do something for yourself or others
I don’t care if it’s 5 minutes or 5 hours, promise to set aside some special time just for you or one of your loved ones. It might be extra time at the gym, a walk outside with your pup, cooking someone’s favorite meal, or even just reminding someone how much you love them.
What are some of your tips for a productive end to the day?
