4 simple ways to make your workday more efficient by Anna Johansson on Apr 12, 2016, 12:40 PM Advertisement
 We're all constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency and output in our daily lives. In pursuit of this, however, we sometimes focus too much on the "big picture" and not enough on the details of how we do things. What if you were to tweak the way you approach some of the smaller tasks? Would you be surprised to learn you could substantially enhance your workflow? Everyone operates differently. Some do their best work in the morning, when everyone else is sleeping; others work best under pressure. Regardless of your personal style, the following tips should help you improve workflow and enhance productivity on a daily basis. SEE ALSO: How to make the next 30 minutes the most productive of your week  1. Stack meetings together Meetings are sometimes necessary, but they can also be huge huge time-wasters if you don't schedule them strategically. That's because we often allot 20, 30, or 40 minutes between meetings. These time slots aren't usually long enough to complete other important tasks, but they are definitely long enough to eat away at our total time and productivity. "To solve this, start tracking how long your typical meetings take," writes entrepreneur AJ Agrawal. "Once you have a good idea, plan your next one right after. If you need more time to plan before the next one, make a short period of time to do that, but don't be generous." By stacking meetings one after the other, you can better utilize your time and create space later in the day for accomplishing tasks that need large blocks of uninterrupted time.
2. Streamline internet browsing As the internet has grown, your web browser has become the most powerful tool you have at your desk. You can use it to find almost anything you want to know. It's a customizable portal to the outside world. So why not customize your internet browser to fit your specific needs and demands? If you're using a browser like Chrome, you can download extensions to accomplish particular tasks. Here are a few that professionals use to improve their daily workflow: LastPass. According to research, the average person has roughly 19 passwords for various online accounts. And unless you have that rare, photographic memory, you probably can't remember half of them. The result is a lot of wasted time having to guess passwords, email confirmation codes, or reset passwords. The solution is LastPass. This browser extension empowers you to use unique passwords securely for each account you have, without the risk of ever forgetting them. Shopsta. Shopping online is supposed to be quick and easy, but most of us spend additional time researching the best prices, looking for free shipping, and searching for coupon codes before making the purchase. If you want to streamline the process, give the Shopsta extension a try. It displays all the information you need directly in the search results. StayFocusd. If you're one of the millions of people who waste time each day on unnecessary websites, your internet access serves as a major distraction. Download the StayFocusd browser extension to limit your time on these sites. There are hundreds of similar extensions. If you can find a couple that satisfy common pain points, you'll find it easy to leverage the power of the internet.
 3. Delegate more tasks Are you trying to do too much on your own? There's nothing noble about biting off more than you can chew. It ultimately ends up making you look foolish. If you want to handle your responsibilities effectively, then you need to understand the value of delegating work. When you look at the tasks in front of you, which ones could be classed as core responsibilities and which ones are generic? You should handle core responsibilities; the generic ones can typically be given to someone else without compromising quality.
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