How can we perform everyday tasks smarter and with greater efficiency? When it comes to productivity, smart and efficient rule the day. We have chosen six tips to help you and your teams become your most productive selves.

1. THE SILENT SMARTPHONE

There’s nothing like a buzzing, beeping, or musical notification to pull you out of your zone. Noncritical notifications have their place, but not in your focus space. Turn them off.

2. MEETING MANAGEMENT

Try scheduling an hour meeting for only 45 minutes. Better yet, keep most meetings at 30 minutes. People will be more focused and, hopefully, the one-hour-plus meeting will become a thing of the past.

3. MULTITASKING DOESN’T EXIST

Science shows that our brains don’t multitask. We simply switch from one task to another – usually without com-pleting any to a greater or lesser extent. Choose a task, focus on it and be done.

4. TRACK YOUR TIME

To see how much you can actually accomplish in one day, take to-do tasks, email reading, and responding and myriad tasks and schedule them on your calendar. It will help you set realistic workday goals.

5. GIVE ME A BREAK!

Our minds aren’t geared for hours of nonstop concentration. Take breaks to make sure your brain can recharge. Get up and go for a short walk, stretch, and then get back to your task. Don’t under-estimate the power of a break.

6. USE PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS

There’s an app for that: use handy helpers to gain control of things that bounce uncontrollably around your day.

For time management, try Toggl.

Do you find yourself stumbling across something but don’t have time to read it now and want to save it for later? Try Feedy, Pocket or Evernote – they work across all your devices.

Keep passwords in one place LastPass or Dashlane