Many people feel that in order to be truly efficient in their workday, they must be constantly busy, constantly moving from one thing to another. These people constantly strive not to waste a single moment of their day.

Reality? Productivity has more to do with rhythm than perpetual motion. Just as the best athletes and artists need to find a personal rhythm, you, as a professional in your field, need to find the right rhythm for the way you spend your day. Let me share some time-saving productivity tips with you.

It is important to leave a margin of time between the appointments you have. If we have learned anything from the last ten years of our technology-oriented society, it is to expect the unexpected. There will always be interruptions to your schedule: the emergency phone call, the unexpected coworker, the kid at school who suddenly gets sick. There will always be someone who calls and asks for something. If we don’t create space in our schedule to deal with these interruptions, we will be constantly switching tasks, switching between tasks, instead of giving each task the full attention it deserves.

Every day when I meet with my clients, I schedule 30 minutes of in-between time between each appointment time. Does it sound excessive? I use those 30 minutes for a variety of things:

o I dictate notes from the previous meeting. This helps both me and my clients to review what we discuss.

o I give myself time to “wind down” from the meeting. Just being able to relax for a few moments goes a long way to avoiding a feeling of exhaustion.

o I give myself time to answer phone calls that happened during the meeting. The calls are meant to happen, and the extra space gives me time to respond to them in a timely manner.

o I give myself time to “turn on” for my next meeting. I prepare my notes, review important files, and prepare for the unique needs of the next client.

How can you find your own unique rhythm for your day?

First, understand that drastic task changes take more time. If you are switching from one email to another, the amount of the switch cost may be only one second. But if you’re switching from working on a creative design solution to answering financial numbers, it’s going to be a very difficult and very expensive change because the two are totally unrelated. Give your brain time to transition by building in extra buffer time.

Second, consider how often you are likely to be interrupted. The more likely you are to have interruptions, the more you will need to increase the amount of buffer time between appointments. Schedule for the unexpected by allowing time between appointments and tasks. Allow yourself space to answer phone calls, respond to emails, and answer questions from co-workers.

Third, consider the pace of your business. Certain businesses have key “money hours,” the time of day when sales are most likely to occur. Other businesses, like auto repair or hair salons, have “off hours” when customers are more likely to walk in with a need. Pay attention to the workflow in your business. Give yourself more space during periods of time when there are more interruptions. Also be sure to schedule “money dates” during money time.

Finally, be aware of your unique physiological rhythm. Each person is connected differently to the cycle of the day. Personally, I am a morning person. My most effective times for processing emails and completing tasks are before noon. Therefore, I work on projects or handle processing in the morning and postpone more structured meetings until the afternoon as much as possible. Become aware of how your body responds to the progression of the day and schedule tasks accordingly.