Is your day running you, or are you running your day? It’s easy to feel like our schedules are running us ragged. If you’re constantly interrupted by instant messages, texting, or email or spend too much time getting caught up on the Internet, you’re likely going to be less productive than you can be. We have a few tips for how to regain control of your workday to become more effective.

Plan Out Your Day in Advance

If you’re still working from home, you could even consider getting up a little early to set out your schedule and goals for the day over your morning java. Whether you do it the night before or in the morning, plan out your day in advance and follow the plan. We recommend carving out specific times on your calendar every day to answer emails, so you don’t feel too distracted. Also, make time to take a short break throughout the day to walk around the block. Working in a little bit of exercise will refresh your brain and lessen your stress. Finally, set the three most important tasks you need to complete at the beginning of your day to get them done. Block time to work on these items on your calendar. Also, block out your lunch.

Getting a jump start on your day in this way means that you’ll go in totally focused on what you need to do that day instead of trying to figure out what you need to accomplish. If you’re planning your day the night before, try to pre-establish some simple tasks to give you a jump start. For example, set up your coffee pot, so all you have to do is push the button. Or layout your clothes the night before. You can even do your lunch meal prep the night before.

Skip Email Plus a Few Other Essentials

Another way to be more productive and take back control of your day is to avoid scheduling meetings before lunch and skip checking email until the afternoon. That way, you can work on the two or three most important tasks first thing. Let your team know what you’re doing and that your goal is to be more productive and less stressed about your schedule. Then put your phone on, do not disturb, and get to work.

Use Better Tools

You will feel more in control of your schedule if you have the right tools to keep you organized. Exelare is an AI-driven applicant tracking system that can help you with a centralized communication and organization hub to coordinate all of your recruiting efforts in one place. Our customizable dashboards can show you at a glance exactly where your work is on any given candidate or job req. Online applications, candidate search, submissions, and much more exist in one easy to use place. You won’t lose any time looking for what you need to do the job; everything you need is right here.

Recruiters are more productive with Exelare. Talk with our team today about how this tool can help you work smarter every day. Contact us.