Nothing ruins a productive workday like rushing around at the last minute. You've worked hard all day long, done a lot, and almost reached your daily goals. Then you glance at the clock and realize only 10 minutes remain. A panic sets in and you begin to rush through tasks. You find yourself attempting to finish your to-do list without staying late. As a result, mistakes are made and details forgotten. You sacrifice your best work to the constraints of time.

A Productive Workday to the Very End

If you find yourself in this situation often, it may be time to re-evaluate the way you work and the way you leave work. Time management remains the number one drain on personal productivity. It makes sense that managing those last ten minutes effectively makes for a more productive workday. This infographic from STL provides some insight into how you can wrap-up your workday productively and prepare yourself to tackle tomorrow.

By using the last 10 minutes to say a proper goodbye to the working day, you set yourself up to come back strong tomorrow. Reset your to-do list, organize your workspace, sign out of your email, and set tomorrow's schedule. Then do a "brain dump." Write down anything you need to remember for tomorrow, and simply walk away.

In the end, you'll find yourself more productive and healthier, both physically and emotionally.

How to Spend the Last 10 Minutes of Your Working Day

Do you often end up rushing around at the end of your workday, attempting to get everything done on time? Make those last 10 minutes really count by implementing a few simple changes.

1. Update Your To-Do List

Use your last 10 minutes to set tomorrow's activities, and make sure you've checked off everything you've completed so you have a clear plan for the following day.

Use a tool, such as Todoist, to keep all your ideas, tasks, and goals in one place.

2. Move Non-Urgent Meetings to the Next Day

End-of-day meetings can be unproductive as energy levels wane towards hometime and people begin to switch off.

Schedule time to catch up the next day instead, and explain you'd like to give it your full energy and attention.

3. Say a Proper Goodbye

A friendly goodbye to your team helps build rapport with them while also signaling that you're leaving for the day.

Say goodbye once to those around you to minimize distraction if others are focused on work.

4. Organize Your Desk

Fifty percent of time is wasted on low-value activities like finding information. Have an organized desk to help you to think clearly and prioritize effectively.

Limit your stationary to only what you use every day and file away unneeded paperwork.

5. Sign Out of Work Email and Chat on Your Phone

Taking a real break from work is important to allow your brain to recover and re-energize.

Disable email and chat notifications on your phone in the settings, and use an auto-responder to explain you will respond to emails the next day.

6. Perform a Brain Dump

Reduce mental clutter by writing down anything that's on your mind or that you need to remember.

Take a blank piece of paper and simply list everything that is on your mind. Afterwards, reorganize your items into to-dos.

7. Reflect on Your Day

Writing down your achievements can help boost long-term happiness. Reflecting can help you leave the day behind and create a good mood for the evening.

Ask yourself two questions:

• What was your biggest achievement of the day?
• What do you plan to do differently in the future?

Before you leave work today, pick just one of these tips to try. With just 10 minutes, see what you can do to feel more productive and in control of your day.