Making the Most of a Shortened Work Day

It has become a common lament to cry that there just are not enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to get done. On those days when we really do have less time to work with, it can feel particularly stressful and anxiety-packed. Whether you are being forced to "down size" a full-time job into a part-time one, or you find yourself having to cram several hours of work into a few-there are some tips for making the most of a shortened work day and staying productive.

The first step is to accept the parameters of the situation and determine exactly how much time you DO have. If your job hours have been cut but your duties remain the same, it will be necessary to prioritize and get a good handle on the time and resources that are now available to you. If possible, schedule your work hours for the time of day when you are most productive. Of course, we do not always have control over the hours we work and it may be determined by the establishment, but if you can choose when to work, make it during the time of day when you are your most energized and focused. If you are arranging a job share, it may work out that one person can work mornings and the other afternoons and that can be influenced by when you both work best.

Prioritize-not enough can be said about getting rid of, or putting aside those tasks that absolutely do not have to be done and moving the most urgent ones to the top of the stack. If you are used to filling up a full work day, you may have developed other methods of working and stretching out the work to fill the day. When you have limited time, it becomes imperative to do the most urgent and time-sensitive tasks first. With a shortened work day, it is also advantageous to spend the last several minutes of the day "setting yourself up" for the next day. You do not have as much time to get settled and acclimated so whatever you can do with your work plan to make sure you hit the ground running when you get to work is best. This may mean finishing up e-mails or answering calls before leaving work instead of leaving them over for the next day.