Get the Most Out of Your Hours
With 2018, you probably have a list of decisions that you would like to keep, goals that you can’t wait to achieve, and habits that you would like to perpetuate in your daily life. Sure, these daunting tasks and projects will take time, but it’s best to know when you are most likely to finish them so you don’t have to struggle with a huge task at the end of the day. Cause? According to Redbooth , a developer of project management software, your productivity isn’t constant throughout the week or even throughout the day. If exhaling at five o’clock sounds like part of your routine, don’t worry: it’s part of being human.
After anonymizing and analyzing the work habits of its “hundreds of thousands” of users and their combined 28 million tasks completed over a two-year period, Redbooth discovered some interesting patterns associated with when people performed work. 11 a.m. is the most productive hour according to Redbooth, with nearly 10% of daily tasks being marked completed. So if you’re hoping to get some high-priority tasks done before you run out of steam, it’s best to take care of it before lunch.
Thereafter? As the day approaches the end of the day, productivity decreases and fewer tasks are performed. By 4:00 pm, very little is done, and the percentage of completed tasks is plummeting. Monday is the most productive day, while everyone expects Friday to be off, making it the least productive day of the week.
Winter is not good for doing things
While people become more productive throughout the year, the peak is in October. However, as soon as November rolls around, you can say goodbye to your usual amount of completed tasks. Whether it’s the approaching winter, the upcoming holiday season, or the mood swings brought on by diminishing sunlight, you’re probably not doing as much work as usual (like everyone else in your office).
When In Doubt Find Your Performance Schedule
Redbooth’s findings aside, not everyone fits the pattern when it comes to finding the most productive hour. Night owls can find it particularly difficult to fit into a normal work schedule if they are most productive when the sun goes down. You can reduce potential timing issues by automating certain tasks or completing more detailed projects in the evenings when your productivity is at its peak. Tactics such as the Pomodoro technique can also help maintain concentration by taking breaks after each focused work session.
People without the traditional working day from 9 to 5 can track their most productive hours using an application like RescueTime , or keep the current list of completed your tasks and achievements during the day. Just don’t expect to maintain such a steady pace when you are at peak performance. You are only human.
Everyone works on weekends, but when do you really finish work? | Redbooth