Ever felt that your workday is over, but you have not been able to accomplish most of what you had ventured out to do at the beginning of the day? You had probably started with a to-do-list in your mind but at the end of the day, your list only got longer because you got distracted with low priority tasks or you simply procrastinated!
What can you do to increase productivity at work?
Here are 6 simple tricks:
1.Stop multitasking, take it slow, focus on one task at a time - Sometimes we pride ourselves thinking we can juggle multiple tasks at the same time; for example, calling a colleague while replying to an email and scrolling down your Instagram page for some unrelated posts. “Multitasking is not humanly possible,” says Earl K. Miller, a neuroscience professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We all have limited cognitive bandwidth- we can process only a limited number of thoughts at the same time. When we try to concentrate on more than one thing, we tend to use more time to transition between tasks which ultimately delays the tasks more. This invariably results in numerous errors or the tasks being ‘completed’ at an inferior quality. So, our aim should be to focus on one task at a time- be it for 5 minutes or even 5 hours!
2.Prioritize the biggest tasks at the beginning of the day- The tasks that are the most time consuming should be your priority when you start your day. The mind is alert, energized and at the zenith of productivity when you start your work- it is easier to handle these tasks at this time. You should consider planning your day accordingly – where you can dedicate the maximum amount of time towards completing the biggest tasks at hand and then focus on the smaller ones which do not require that much of your time and energy.
3.Take short breaks- Taking regular breaks not only helps freshen up your mind but it also helps reduce burn out. Your productivity diminishes the longer you go without breaks-at a certain point your mind and body simply stop working. So, take a break - grab your favorite cup of coffee or simply stretch your legs, go out for a brief walk, or have a chat with a colleague!
4.Follow the “two-minute rule” – According to David Allen, as he writes in his bestselling book Getting Things Done: If you see that an action or task can be completed within 2 minutes or less, consider doing it immediately. The idea is that completing this task right away takes less time than pushing it to the back burner.
5.Track your deadlines, set reminders– Not all your tasks need to be completed at the same time. Make a note of the impending deadlines. There are many time tracking apps which might aid in this regard- they can help you plan your work, set reminders so that you do not miss any due dates. You can also track how much time you have taken to complete a piece of work. After all, it is widely known that organizational and time management skills are conducive to being productive at work!
6.Limit your time spent on social media – Social media is a major addiction which wastes a large amount of time because our apparently ‘harmless scrolls’ release dopamine to our brain making it crave for more. What we do not realize is that this causes serious damage to our mental health leading to anxiety , disrupted sleep patterns, distraction from life and work goals – to name a few. So how do we control this addiction? We can pick a specific time of the day during which we allow ourselves to use social media. And we can also work on increasing our concentration levels by meditating for at least 10 minutes every day-take a deep breath in and breathe out for 5 to 10 seconds and repeat this process as many times as you can.
It is important for employees to perform their best. It is a competitive environment wherein the end product of your service is what matters to employers. Daily Work assists people who are struggling to find employment to help support themselves and their family, but our responsibility does not end at helping people find employment , we also provide support to help them keep employment. Daily Works believes everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the positive impacts of work. Our case managers provide end-to-end assistance to job seekers including looking for ways to be productive at work . So, if you are in search of employment or want to be more productive, please reach out to us to set up an appointment and we would be happy to help!
