PRODUCTIVITY

Productivity Killers: 4 Ways to Make Better Use of Your Working Hours

Even on the busiest of days, it can be hard not to get distracted by social media, smartphones, chatty colleagues, or personal to-do list items. So how do you keep your professional blinders on and power through your tasks with efficiency? Practice these four tips and witness your productivity skyrocket—easing stress and bringing renewed energy to your daily duties.

1. Create a sense of peace and quiet

The office may not be your idea of a tranquil oasis, but for most, focus requires quiet and calm to best lend attention to the task at hand. If you find yourself seated next to talkative coworkers or in the center of a bustling office atrium, consider noise can-

celing headphones, earplugs, or carving out an empty conference room for your work day. Turning the volume down creates fewer chances for disruption, allowing you to make the best use of your time.

2. Organize your workspace

A messy work area breeds anxiety and distraction, but a clean and organized desk inspires efficiency. If you’ve got a busy day ahead, take fifteen minutes and organize your workspace: gather miscellaneous papers into their proper place, dispose of out-of-date or unnecessary documents, or give your keyboard a dusting. Not only does cleaning and organizing your workspace prepare you for the work ahead, it also helps you transition to a productive, goal-oriented mindset.

3.Create a goal-oriented reward system

Coffee breaks, coworker catch-up, and social media check-ins tend to break up our workflow on an hourly basis. Instead of trying to go cold turkey on these workplace routines, reframe them as rewards. For every to-do list item you complete, allow yourself a fives minute treat, whether that’s a fresh cup of coffee or a walk around the block. Not only will creating a reward system help you stay motivated throughout the day, it will also provide you with much-needed mental breaks that actually boost long-term productivity.

4.Take your smartphone off the table

The number one productivity killer in this day and age? Smartphones. With access to endless social media portals, web browsing, text conversations, and games, smartphones are one-stop shops for distractions. While you may not want to delete apps from your phone, try leaving your smartphone in a locked desk drawer until your next break, or safely in your car. By simply putting your smartphone out of your line of sight, the impulse to distract yourself is muted.

Even though technology and the modern office create ample opportunity for distraction, making these few small adjustments can go a long way in safeguarding your productivity. After all, a productive day allows you to enjoy your time at home and outside the office, without the worry of incomplete tasks and looming deadlines darkening your day. Keep these productivity tricks in mind as you mount your daily to-do list and you’ll be thanking yourself tomorrow.

JACQUE VENEY

Jacque Veney began her real estate career 20 years ago, selling homes in a new-construction community. “I’ve always loved houses and always been drawn to them,” Jacque says. She later worked as an appraiser, an experience that enabled her to acquire a deep knowledge of home values. In 2013, Jacque decided to become an agent full-time, and she says, “I feel like I’ve really found my niche.” Her clients value her expertise, personal attention, and the excellent service she provides.

With Hill & Associates, Jacque serves Marion County and the surrounding area, including Hendricks, Hamilton, Boone, and Johnson Counties. A whopping 90% of her business comes from repeat and referral clients. “I try to go above and beyond for my clients,” she says. “I work hard to make sure their interests are protected, and stay involved with every step of the transaction because I want people feel completely at ease when they work with me.”

Another advantage that sets Jacque apart is her staging expertise. “Most agents hire an outside agency to do staging – for many of my listings, I do it myself,” Jacque explains. “Having a design eye really helps, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to get a house ready. Sometimes just new paint, flooring, and staging can transform a listing (pictured). My goal is the same for every client: give each one the best possible result for the least amount of money.”

These transformations also help garner Jacque’s listings more attention. “It’s fun to share the before-and-after pics,” she says. “I put them up on social media to show how much of a difference it makes to prep, stage, and professionally photograph a house. People seem to like them because they’re always my most popular posts. It also helps people remember me, and it can increase interest in the property.” Jacque not only has professional photos taken of her listings; she also makes a video to be shared on social media. The results speak for themselves: her average annual volume is about $5 million.

Involvement in her community is also important to Jacque, and she is very active in her neighborhood homeowners’ association. She volunteers her real estate knowledge to her neighbors, whether helping them look for contractors, offering ideas for updating their homes, or educating them about property maintenance. “I see a lot of damage caused by lack of routine maintenance on home inspections, so I try to save others the heartache by sharing tips.” When she’s not working, Jacque loves tinkering with her own house. “I’m a big DIY-er,” she says. I have a small woodshop in my garage and while my husband isn’t a fan of the sawdust, I’ve done a lot of updates to our home. I love everything about houses and recently did my first flip, which was a super-cool rustic contemporary with a live tree in the entryway. It was so satisfying to watch it become beautiful again.”

In the future, Jacque plans to continue bringing the same great level of service to her clients. “I love sharing my knowledge of houses,” she says. “Buying or selling a home is often one of the biggest transactions a person will make, and I take that responsibility seriously.”

BEFORE

AFTER

To find out more about Jacque Veney, call 317-698-3674, visit www.hillplusassociates.com or email jacque@hillplusassociates.com