Productivity is significant to your success at work. Making the most of your time at your workplace is critical. Your managers and colleagues as well as business owners, regularly note your performance. If you are lacking behind and not performing efficiently, your long-term job prospects could be in trouble.
So, you might be thinking how you can be more productive in your work, while not affecting your personal life. The answer is simple, work smarter! Being productive at work is not difficult; you just need to manage your time. Consider these seven tips for increasing your work productivity:
With a heap of files and loads of work to do, you might be confused on where to start. Prioritize your tasks for the day. Instead of getting started immediately, give yourself some time in the morning to get organized. Not only will a proper schedule help you stay focused and organized, you’ll also get the satisfaction of completing your “to do” list.
Hence, take the record of everything you have ahead of your day and then begin prioritizing your tasks. Discover which tasks can be done quickly and which tasks will require more attention. Group the same work together and assign proper deadlines. Having a definite picture of what you require to do, how challenging each task will be and when everything is due will surely take some burden off your shoulders. This is one of the best things you can do for yourself.
Many people these days see multitasking as an essential skill for increasing efficiency, but it is just a myth. In fact, if your attention is divided into various tasks, it has a negative impact on concentration, productivity, and energy. Hence, make a habit of committing to a particular task before moving on to your next task.
The same way you manage your budget with proper financial management, you can do the same when you manage your work. Setting deadlines and creating milestones for your work will help you in getting the work done on time. A manageable level of self-imposed stress can actually prove to be helpful in terms of meeting your goals. You can even stay ahead of your schedule and ensure optimum efficiency by setting deadlines. Also, you may be surprised to realize just how focused and productive you can be when you’re watching the clock.
Walking across the street to get a cup of coffee or to get fresh juice is actually good for increasing the productivity. Try taking short breaks of 5-10 minutes when you hit that brick wall and your mind starts to wander.  It’s the best time to step away and can really help! It is also recommended to eat away from your work area and listen to some tunes. You will go back to your work feeling refreshed! Brief intervals from work can truly increase your productivity by getting your blood flowing and enabling you to return to your work with a fresh mind and eyes.
As per the old saying, “A cluttered desk is a symptom of a cluttered mind.” Hence, it’s worth taking some time to tidy things up a bit on your desk. Put away documents or files that are just taking up space. Throw away any wrappers inside your desk. Get the scraps out of your keyboard and clean any rings left over from drink spills.
Although interruption during workday seems harmless, even small interruptions seem to affect your work pattern and may lead to a corresponding drop in the productivity. Reducing interruptions may mean setting office hours, keeping your door closed or working from home on time-sensitive projects. Just make sure not to brush off any of your superiors.
These days, everyone is addicted to smartphones and any notification coming on can distract you from your work. It is difficult to resist the appeal of an email, voicemail or text notification. But during working hours, they can lead to distraction. So, it is recommended to turn off your notifications and instead build in time to check email and messages.
It’s reasonable to go through times when we feel more productive than others, but by using several approaches, we can help keep ourselves on track. By a little planning and organizing your things at work, you can easily manage your workplace and keep things under control.
Hold yourself responsible for how you are spending your day. Be honest about your faults and flaws so that you can discover ideas to maintain a proper balance. Most importantly, be proactive. This small planning will go a long way!
Thinking of hiring a career coach to help you get more organized and prevail at work? Browse our directory of career coaches and get a FREE consultation or request a personalized coach recommendation!
Sarath CP is a business consultant at IncParadise, a business incorporation and registered agents in all the US.