Take Control of Your Time: Four Simple Strategies to Boost Your Efficiency at Work

Dec 20

Four simple practices to boost workplace efficiency and protect your time

In today’s fast-paced work environment, many of us feel overwhelmed by the constant influx of tasks, meetings, and emails. Technology, while enabling speed, can also fuel this intensity, making it harder to focus on what truly matters. To protect your valuable time, prioritize effectively, and maintain your energy levels, here are four simple practices that I find impactful. And the good news is that you can implement right away.

Implementing those simple practices will not only allow you to save time, but also protect your most important resource of performance: Energy.

1. Time blocking in your calendar

Time blocking is a straightforward but powerful method to ensure you can focus on high-priority tasks. Reserve specific blocks of time in your calendar to work on key projects. By assigning a dedicated slot for each task, you not only commit to completing it but also create a safeguard against unnecessary interruptions.

When new requests or meetings arise, you can review your calendar and assess whether you have the bandwidth to accommodate them. Without time blocking, others may assume you’re free whenever your calendar shows an open slot, overlooking the fact that you still need uninterrupted time to work. Protecting these blocks ensures you maintain control over your schedule and keep your priorities on track because you allocate sufficient time to each task.

What is critical when it comes to managing your energy, also block time for you to take a break (whether it’s lunch, or a short mid-afternoon walk outside).

2. Color code your agenda

Enhance your time-blocking strategy by color-coding your calendar. Assign a distinct color to your blocked work time, different from the one used for meetings. This visual cue helps you quickly evaluate your week at a glance.

If your calendar is dominated by meeting colors, it signals a packed schedule with little time for focused work. On the other hand, a balanced mix of colors, with ample blocks for tasks, indicates a more manageable week. This simple adjustment provides clarity and allows you to better allocate your time and energy.

3. Use a CC folder to manage emails

Email overload is a common workplace challenge, and being unnecessarily copied on emails can clog your inbox and distract you from essential tasks. A practical solution is to create a “CC Folder” in your email client, such as Outlook. Set up a rule that automatically moves emails where you’re in CC to this folder, keeping them out of your primary inbox.

To ensure you don’t miss important updates, create an exception rule for emails from key senders, such as your manager or senior leadership, so they still appear in your main inbox. Then, check your CC folder once or twice a day to review emails that may require your attention. This approach declutters your inbox and helps you focus on what truly matters.

4. Use the conversation function for email threads

Managing long email threads can be time-consuming, but tools like Outlook’s conversation view can simplify the process. This function groups all emails from the same conversation into a single dropdown.

Instead of hunting through your inbox for related messages, you can view the entire thread in one place, with the latest update at the top. This feature saves time and reduces the cognitive load of organizing emails, letting you focus on responding efficiently.

A final thought

These practices may seem basic, but their impact can be profound. By time-blocking, color-coding your calendar, decluttering your inbox with a CC folder, and streamlining email threads, you’ll protect your time, prioritize better, and work more efficiently. While they won’t work miracles, these small changes can make a big difference in managing your workload and preserving your energy. Give them a try - you won’t regret it!

Simon Lavanchy