Jun 17,2017
Since the work environment is full of noises and distractions which deviates the concentration of an individual from their task, it is important to strategize and plan to boost productivity. It’s necessary to adopt a proactive approach and manage workspace in a way that helps clear one’s mind to give their best.
Here are 10 ways to increase productivity at work:
1.Track and limit the time spent on tasks: It is important to accurately estimate time taken to complete a task and minimize the excess time spent on it. Being able to complete the required task in less than the expected period motivates the worker and hence improves productivity.
2.Save the pessimistic or leisure thoughts for later: The human tendency to process their personal thoughts while working on an important project is quite common amongst workers. To avoid such distractions one should jot these thoughts down on a paper and save it to ponder about it later. This way an individual has a highly productive level of concentration and it also prevents mental exhaustion.
3.Avoid multitasking: Multitasking reduces creativity, causes a higher ratio of mistakes and makes it harder to remember important details. One might be confident about their ability to work on more than one activity simultaneously to save time, but instead it diminishes their productivity hence wasting time.
4.Eliminate inefficiencies: At a workplace there are always some tasks that do not require one’s individual attention and even does not has to be performed everyday. There are many tasks one simply doesn’t needs to do, and it may be possible to minimize others. Also some tasks, which do not require one’s personal attention, can be delegated to others.
5.Productivity tools: With the advancement in technology, many tools have been launched to enhance the productivity and make work easier and accurate. Some of them are Rescue Time, Sanebox, TextExpander or FastFox, Gmail, etc.
6.Dealing with interruptions: Interruptions usually disturb the work flow and reduces efficiency. It is important for a worker to find ways to tackle such interruptions. The ways differs with the intensity of interruption and human behavior.
7.Being proactive instead of reactive: Plan your schedule daily and what work is to be done in advance, instead of changing plans according to incoming phone calls and emails, dictating how to spend the day in an unorganized manner. Set the tasks to be carried out during the day. This allows the worker’s mind to be more creative and efficient.
8.Taking Regular Breaks: Scheduled breaks are the most important because it helps building up concentration levels and being more creative. Taking short breaks during long tasks helps maintain a constant level of performance, lest it leads to decline in performance.
9.Setting Deadlines: While stress is considered to be a bad thing, a manageable level of self-imposed stress can actually be helpful in giving focus and meeting goals.
10.Hold Standing Meetings: Standing Meetings can result in increased group participation, decreased territoriality, and improved group performance. Since meetings are usually avoided and ignored, standing meetings can prove to be a better idea.
Being more productive at work isn’t rocket science, but it only requires being more deliberate with time management. One only needs to be more cautious and considerable of his actions according to the working environment and obtain the maximum output with the minimum of efforts.