In today’s competitive manufacturing world, productivity is the key to success, so we invest in people and equipment that can make us more efficient. For managers of any kind, from owner or production manager to supervisor or shift leader, getting the most out of our own workday is often a challenge. There are always interruptions, unexpected problems and fires to put out. So how can we juggle all of our responsibilities and still be productive?

Here are a few proven suggestions that can help:

1. Prioritize: Most of us have a list of what we want to accomplish on a given day. It may be on paper, in a computer, or just in your head (if you’re not a list maker, start now). The first thing you should do each day is ask yourself, “Which 2 – 3 things on this list will get me closest to my goals? Which are most important?” Then make those 2 – 3 things your top priorities. Our tendency is to do the easiest tasks first, thinking we’ll get them “out of the way” and then we’ll tackle the big issues. The problem is that we often get pulled away before we get to the most important things on our list.
2. Don’t Multitask: Many of us would like to believe we can do many things well at the same time. The fact is, there’s significant scientific evidence that multitasking simply does not work. In fact, the brain cannot do more than one thing at a time. Instead, it merely switches back and forth very quickly between activities shifting focus from one activity to the other. Focus on the most important task at hand and you will be more productive
3. Delegate: You’re a manager and also a leader. So why not help your people grow by letting them handle some of the items on your daily list? They’ll often surprise you with their performance, and you can cross off a few more things. It’s a win-win situation.