1. Use the power of the morning routine to set yourself up for the day

An effective morning routine is a personalised collection of activities. It aims to help you start the day in a positive and structured way. Recurring rituals in the morning serve to prepare body and mind for the day, focus personal goals, and promote a feeling of gratitude and satisfaction. This socio-psychological study has highlighted the positive effects of gratitude on well-being, which emphasises the importance of a conscious morning routine.

Inspiration for an efficiency-boosting morning routine

• Rise and shine without stress: Start your day by getting up at a fixed time every morning, giving you enough breathing room to carry out your morning routine without rushing before you actually start work.
• Liquids are key: Drink a large glass of water after getting up to balance your hydration overnight and stimulate your metabolism.
• Meditation or breathing exercises: A short meditation or breathing exercise sequence (5-10 minutes) helps you to centre your mind and reduce stress.
• Movement: Light physical activity, e.g. yoga, a short walk or a series of stretching exercises, helps to wake up the body and energise you for the day.
• Healthy breakfast: A balanced breakfast (porridge, muesli, wholemeal bread) provides the body with enough energy for the morning. Try small portions if you're not particularly hungry in the morning.
• Daily planning: Spend five minutes setting the most important goals and tasks for the day. This helps you to structure the day and set priorities.

2. Divide your work into time slots using the Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro Technique, developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, is a time management method. It aims to increase productivity by dividing work into blocks of time or "pomodoros". Each pomodoro is followed by a short break, which improves concentration and prevents fatigue and burnout. This method is particularly effective because it helps you to maintain concentration and at the same time ensures regular recovery phases.

Example: Let's say you have a large project at work that can be broken down into several smaller tasks. In the morning, you decide to use the Pomodoro Technique to work on this project.

1. Planning: Make a list of all the subtasks you want to complete today.
2. Work: Set a timer for 25 minutes and get started on the first task. During this time, don't allow any distractions and put all your concentration into this one task.
3. Break: When the timer finishes, take a five-minute break. You might want to grab a coffee, do a few stretching exercises or simply take a deep breath without looking at your PC.
4. Repetition: After the break, set the timer to 25 minutes again and work on the next task or continue the previous one if you have to.
5. Extended break: After four pomodoros (equates to about two hours of focused work), take an extended break of 15-30 minutes. You can use this time to go for a walk, have something to eat or take a power nap.

3. Clean desk policy - tidy environment promotes clear thinking

Research by Princeton University indicates that clutter can overload the brain, leading to increased stress and reduced performance. The researchers found that a tidy environment makes it easier for the brain to concentrate on the task at hand and not be distracted by irrelevant objects.

Organisation can also help to strengthen the feeling of control and competence, which in turn can increase work motivation.

No time to declutter your home office workspace? Simply book a flexible workplace with Office Club instead and benefit from a professional atmosphere in a clean environment.

4. Apply the one-tab rule in your browser

Using the one-tab rule in your browser means avoiding multitasking. This strategy is based on the idea that performing multiple tasks at the same time can impair productivity.

Studies in the field of cognitive science have shown that when it comes to multitasking, the human brain does not actually process multiple tasks at the same time, but rather it switches back and forth between them. This constant change costs time and energy and can reduce the quality of the person’s work.

Example: Let's say you're working on an important report for work and have multiple browser tabs open at the same time: one with the report, one with emails, one for research and maybe even one with social media for breaks in between. Even if you think you’re working efficiently, the constant distraction of other tabs means that you have to constantly refocus your attention.

If you apply the one-tab rule, you would close all the other tabs and only leave the tab with your report open. Once you have finished this segment of your work or need a break, you can make a conscious decision to open new tabs if you want to check your emails or do the research you need. Making this conscious decision instead of impulsively switching between tabs helps to improve your concentration and ultimately makes you work more efficiently.

5. Give the 2-minute rule a go

The 2-minute rule, a concept from David Allen's "Getting Things Done" (GTD) methodology, is a simple but effective approach to prevent procrastination.

This rule states that if a task takes less than two minutes, it should be done immediately. This prevents small tasks from piling up, which can later take a lot of time and energy to complete.

A to-do list can be particularly effective alongside the 2-minute rule. How it works:

1. Prioritisation and evaluation: Start by listing all the tasks you need to get done. Then rate each task based on how long you think it will take. For tasks that take less than two minutes, use a special symbol or highlight them in colour.
2. Immediate completion: Take the time to complete all tasks that fall under the 2-minute rule immediately. By immediately ticking these tasks off your list, you not only reduce the number of open items, you also get an immediate sense of achievement, and this motivates you to stay focused on those larger tasks.
3. Repeated check: Check your to-do list regularly for new tasks that can be completed in less than two minutes. With this method you can maintain an overview and ensure that small tasks are not overlooked.

Conclusion: Applying the strategies presented here can help you to work more efficiently and reduce your stress levels at the same time. Try out the five methods and see which ones have the greatest positive impact on your productivity and well-being. Each strategy should be individually adapted, utilised or indeed discarded.