Light industrial work requires a lot of patience and organization, and handling long hours and repetitive tasks can feel daunting. The key to remaining alert and productive during the workday is to manage your time properly. From to-do lists to stretching, there are plenty of ways to organize your time so that you can maximize productivity without feeling fatigued at the end of the day. Here are our top five tips to help manage your time while on a busy light industrial schedule.
- Prepare food to eat throughout the workday. Packing more than just a lunch is important for long days onsite. We understand that time is a valuable resource, so we’re always looking for snacks and meals that fill you up without taking too long to prepare. Quick and easy snacks, such as granola bars and dried fruit can make a huge difference during the workday. A quick fix of protein or some natural sugars can act as a pick-me-up, helping you to feel rejuvenated and giving you a fresh burst of energy. Pack small, no-mess items that fit in your pocket so you always have some energy at the ready. Our favorite filling snacks with minimal prep times are:
- Chicken. A store-bought rotisserie chicken can be transformed into several meals. Some of our favorite quick meals are a chicken wrap or a chicken salad.
- Fruit or vegetables with a dipping sauce. A sliced up apple with peanut butter or baby carrots with ranch are easy to prepare and delicious!
- Protein or granola bars. By far the easiest to “prepare,” bars are a quick and easy source of protein. Plus, they fit right in your pocket or apron!
- Create an organized list of your tasks. Whether it’s scribbled on a piece of paper or on your phone, an itemized to-do list can be a lifesaver when you’ve got a lot to do. Figure out a method of organization that works for you. If you aren’t sure which way to go, sorting based on priority or due date is a good place to start. Being able to cross things off of your list can feel very rewarding and can give you the motivation you need to start your next task! Plus, you’re far less likely to forget a task or skip a step when you’ve got them all written out. If you like a digital to-do list, we recommend Todoist, which is a to-do list that does it all. You can schedule tasks for completion and organize them based on your personal preferences. You can also make several different to-do lists for different projects, which is a feature we love.
- Set a time limit for each task. Not a hard-and-fast one, but rather a timeframe to help you stick to a task. Estimate how long you think it will take to accomplish each task, and set a time you’d like to be finished by. This way, you have several small goals to work towards throughout the day. Finishing a task ahead of schedule is also a great way to feel accomplished, and pushing yourself to work faster than your schedule can be a fun challenge! Depending on your style, you may prefer to just watch the clock, or maybe you’d like a physical reminder. Setting a timer or a reminder on your phone is a great way to hold yourself accountable. If you like a little more of a challenge, start a stopwatch and see how quickly you can stop it!
- Establish a routine. Using the list of your tasks and the time limits you’ve set for them, you can come up with a routine to follow daily. Account for breaks for stretching and nutrition to ensure you’re feeling your best all day. Following a daily routine will make each day more manageable. A daily planner can be a huge help to get your schedule set up, or if you prefer a wide overview, a monthly calendar might be more your jam. Find a calendar or planner that you love, then fill it up with all your tasks. Some of our favorite tools to make planning fun are:
- Colorful pens. Whether you’re color-coding your schedule based on project or by day, colorful pens can make planning fun!
- Fun highlighters. Neon colors can brighten your planner right up! We love Mildliners, which you can find at Walmart.
- Stickers! Many planner companies make dedicated planner stickers that you can use to spice up your planner. Check Amazon, or craft stores like Michaels!
- Be sure to stretch throughout the day. We know all too well that repetitive actions can leave you feeling sore at the end of the day, so it is important to break up long stretches of activity with some quick stretches. Your body is essential to your work, so treat it right! If you aren’t sure of what stretches to do, YouTube has plenty of tutorials! Just searching “[body part] stretches” will help you to find a slew of stretches. Figure out the ones that will be easiest to incorporate into your workday, then incorporate them into your routine. For easy stretches you can do on your lunch break, read here, or click here for five stretches to do if you’re on your feet all day!
Implementing these five tips into your day-to-day life can make a huge difference in your workflow, motivation, and production. Give them a try, then watch your productivity soar!