In today’s fast paced world, we don’t have too many hours in a day and it makes sense to do everything you can for best utilization of your available time. To be honest, you have two options to reach your maximum output – either work smarter or increase your working hours. Among these two choices, the former is probably the best thing to do because even if you increase your working hours, you can’t perform at your optimal level right throughout the day.
There is no rocket science in increasing your productivity at work. However, it does need you to be more deliberate about managing your time. Here we have discussed some of the possible options you can try for improving your work productivity. Let’s take a look.
1) Track & Limit The Time You Are Spending On Different Tasks
It is quite possible that you might think of yourself highly when it comes to gauging the amount of time you are spending on different tasks. But according to research, it’s only 17% people who are accurate with their estimates. Tools like ‘Rescue Time’ may be of great help in determining exactly what time you’re spending on your routine tasks, including emails, social media, apps and word processing.
2) Regular Breaks Are Necessary
Though it may sound counterintuitive, taking regular scheduled breaks at work can be a great source of improving concentration. According to research, short breaks amidst long and hectic tasks prove to be helpful in maintaining constant performance level. On the other hand, working on a job without any kind of breaks whatsoever can steadily lead to declining performance.
3) Set Your Own Deadlines
Even though we all generally believe that stress is not a good thing, manageable self-imposed stress may turn out to be helpful when it comes to focusing on our goals and trying to meet them. When you have open-ended projects or tasks at hand, try to set your own deadlines and then stick to those deadlines. A good idea would be to set online alarm or use an online timer or stop watch to give a dedicated effort to your work. You’ll, in fact, get surprised after discovering how productive and focused you can get when the clock is running out.
4) Follow ‘Two-Minute Rule’
Implementing ‘Two-Minute rule’ is considered really important for making most of those small time windows you get at work. Here’s how it works. If you see an action or a task at work which you believe can be completed within a couple of minutes, you should do that right away. When you’re receptive towards something, doing it instantly will take considerably less time as compared to trying to do it later. There are many success stories around who have reached many of their life milestones by simply implementing this rule.
5) Meetings Are A Big No
When it comes to time management at workplaces, meetings turn out to be the biggest time-suckers. However, still we keep on attending them. Research suggests that an average office employee spends more than 31 hours in unproductive meetings every month. So, before you decide to attend the next meeting, make sure that you ask yourself if the goals on the agenda can be accomplished over a phone call or through an email or web-based meeting? If yes, then try to avoid meeting in person and give a slight boost to your productivity at work and will help you to increase trust levels in your online business.
6) Attend Standing Meetings
If a meeting can’t be avoided at all, it is advisable that you should go to standing meetings only. There has been some evidence suggesting that such meetings lead to improved group arousal, better group performance and decreased territoriality. So, even if you have to hold a meeting, take this route and enjoy increased productivity at work.
7) Avoid Multitasking
Even though all of us think that multitasking is necessary for increased efficiency at work, that’s not actually the case. The research conducted by psychologists suggests that trying to perform several tasks all at once would lead to loss of productivity as well as time. Therefore, it is often advised that you should develop a habit of committing yourself to one task at a time whether you are at home or at work. You must complete the task at hand first before moving to your next project. This way your mind won’t be occupied all the time and you’ll be able to better focus at your work.
So, if your productivity at work has long been an issue for you, try these simple tips and tricks to achieve better performance and results. You’ll surely see a notable change in your performance at work.
