15 Rules for finishing off the day

15 Rules For Finishing Off The Day

1. Clear, clean-up and tidy your desk – by clearing your workspace you will enable you to start the new day with a clean slate in all respects.

2. Try to have only one working or project on your desk at any one time, ensuring you to focus your attention on that one activity.

3. Throw unnecessary paper in the bin – get in the habit of removing rubbish and unwanted paper from your desk each day. This will also assist your ‘clear desk policy’ if that works for you.

4. Put files away each day – keep files off your desk unless you are working on them. It is not good for office security to have valuable company information available to anyone who might wander past your desk. Place them in locked cabinets or drawers.

5. Adjust your priority on tasks for the next day. What may have been B minus today can become A double plus tomorrow

6. Check the time of your first appointment the next day – if you know what your first commitment for the day will be, you can plan the rest of the day around it. It also allows you to book travel time to that appointment and any preparation you may need to do beforehand.

7. Start your “to do” list for the next day – carry over important tasks form your current day’s list, add new tasks for the following day and your planning will save you a few minutes the next morning.

8. Put your reading file in your briefcase – start a reading file and carry it with you to read on your way home on public transport or while you are in a queue – you can get through your reading easily if you carry it with you and make the most of each opportunity,

9. Wash your coffee cup or empty your water bottle – start each day afresh by cleaning up the night before.

10. Switch your phone on voicemail if appropriate – if you are not going to be in the office until later the next morning, this will allow any early morning callers to leave you a message.

11. You may like to change your voicemail message if you are not going to be in the office the next day to advise callers where they could reach you or an alternative number.

12. Get those final email messages and memos out tonight, not tomorrow. Rule number one of business momentum is to have other people busy for you, not the other way around

13. Switch off your computer, screen and printer – be environmentally friendly and save power and money where you can.

14. Remind yourself of your achievements of the day – take a minute to remind yourself of what you achieved in your day. You may like to record it in a journal or diary. Celebrate your success

15. When you switch off, switch off! Let go and go home


An initiative of the Financial Services Sales Academy www.financialservicessalesacademy.com.au.