If you have a job where you deal with lots of different projects it can be hard to keep track of all strands and not overlook important issues. Especially if you’re constantly confronted with small but urgent bumps in the road it can be easy to lose track of the bigger picture. This, obviously, can cause major problems later on.

Luckily, there are ways to avoid this. Here are some simple tips and tricks that work for me.

The Pomodoro Technique

Despite its fancy name this technique is very simple to implement. All you need is a timer, which you set for twentyfive minutes of work followed by five minutes of rest. You can repeat these blocks as often as you need to. The idea behind this is that you are reminded to take regular breaks to protect your mental and physical health, which will also increase your overall productivity. Don’t use your five minute breaks to check your phone. Instead do something that helps and heals: grab a drink, stretch, rest your eyes, or get some fresh air.

Use a To Do App

There are many apps out there that promise to help you plan your workload. Which one you choose depends on personal preference; try out a few free ones and stick with the one you like best. In the past I’ve used Trello and Asana – which are good if you’re involved in a lot of collaborative work – but these days I stick to Microsoft To Do because it’s basic, which is what I need right now. You can use to do apps to schedule reminders and key dates: outsource your memory so you can use your brain for more interesting tasks. These apps also help when you’re faced with large and overwhelming projects: break down the projects into a series of small tasks, set realistic timeframes and off you go, ticking them off one by one.

Block out Time

Some tasks are boring, some tasks are difficult, some tasks are timeconsuming. Rather than trying to fit them into your schedule and risk being frustrated by constant interruptions, book out time in your calendar to work on them. Make sure you book slots at times when you know you’ll be sharp and productive (for me, my best hours are mornings when I’m working from home). This holds you accountable to actually gets the job done and frees you up for other, less demanding tasks the rest of the time.

Overall, make sure you’re the boss over your own diary. Some urgent problems and tasks are unavoidable, some are boring but just need to be done. But try to avoid being managed by your workload rather than the other way around. No matter how important a task seems, at the end of the day you get to make a decision on what to prioritize. Make sure to give yourself the time and headspace to make informed decisions and maximize productivity. And who knows, sometimes that might actually mean doing less and taking more breaks.

Image my own @thecococatani