5 Productivity Tools to help you take control, stop Overwhelm and get things done.

 

As a Registered Manager in health and social care you deserve a life that’s enjoyable and fulfilling.

 

A life where you:

 

Wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and excited to jump into your day.  

 

Have total clarity about what’s most important— with the energy, motivation, and focus to accomplish it.

 

Enjoy quality time away from work that is guilt free.

If that sounds miles away from your current reality, you’re not alone.

 

I consistently get feedback from hard working Registered Managers who feel they are constantly overwhelmed, overstretched, exhausted and working flat out and yet always feeling that they never feel ‘on top’ off things, a feeling that they never get anything significant done.

 

Living and working in this way can destroy your health, ruin your relationships and drain the passion you have for your work and even your life.

 

The solution is not:

 

Working harder or longer hours, as we know from Parkinson’s Law (1955) Work expands to fill the period of time available for its completion.

 

It is not being guilty about taking time off for holidays and rest.

 

Neither is it just accepting that your days are filled with juggling and jumping from one situation or task to another and that that is the normal life of a Registered Manager in care.

                                                                                                                        

 

There are techniques, that if used consistently, can get tasks and projects finished faster.

 

These techniques often used to improve productivity and therefore are increasingly reviewed as part of the hustle culture of ‘getting more done in less time’ are actually tools that help you plan out your workload as a way to help prioritise throughout the day and feel more in control

 

Over the next five weeks in this Productivity Tools series , we introduce you to the most popular ones that can support you to focus your time and effort on specific important tasks which can help you to feel more targeted in your approach to workstreams.

So, if you feel that you could do with introducing a new approach to how you manage your daily and weekly workstreams over the next few weeks to set the foundations for a more successful and enjoyable 2023 catch our newsletters over the next few weeks and implement the tools to see if it works for you.

I know that you will be using some of them already and that’s great, maybe some reflection or rearranging of your calendar could make it even more supportive for you.

I some may just not be right for you, personally or your service and that is also great, sometimes ruling something out can be just as effective.

Finally, this is absolutely not about introducing ‘hacks’ into your work routines so you can get more done. It is about introducing tools that support you to feel in control and less stressed.

 

Productivity Tool   Have a Distraction List

The Distraction List is such a simple technique and works on the principle of allowing you to have uninterrupted working time.

It requires you have a list, literally a piece of paper or a small notebook next to you when you are working on a high-focus task.

These could be tasks like completing the staff rota, undertaking an investigation, reviewing and planning your care homes personal development planner or recruitment strategy for the year. Any task that requires you to sit for a period and concentrate.

As soon as any distractions pop up in the mind - and they will because you have sat down and started quiet thinking, albeit on a specific task, these should be written down onto the piece of paper or in a notebook so that they can be looked into or actioned later.

Doing this teaches your mind that the distraction will be dealt with and this can help to stop it re-appearing as a thought while you are working on something else.

 

If you find that this works for you and at the end of the week you have a list of tasks and thoughts that popped up as you were working on something else take time to review your list.

You may find that you have recurring themes on your list that you need to address specifically or create a project or action plan if there is a consistent distraction in one area that consistently draws you to.

 

Productivity Tools coming up in the series

 

Time Blocking and Theme Days

Pomodoro technique

Pareto Principle

Matrix – Urgent/Important

 

 

Caring for yourself helps you to care for others more effectively. Implementing your own ticks of selfcare into your daily routine will help keep you energised.

If you have not yet got your Christmas rota out this episode is for you with 7 tips that can help you get it done. We also have a quick reference sheet to use that you can download. I hope you loved this week's episode of the Registered Care Manager show. If you want more help and support to improve the quality outcomes of your care service and live a well-balanced life, then become a Registered care Manager insider. You will get access to some of our wonderful hints and tips and tools and as an insider you will never miss out on ways to manage your care home better.