There are only so many hours in the working day, so making the most of your time can be crucial. With different styles of working and different work environments, it’s important to understand how you work best and how this can help you remain productive. Here are our top tips for increasing productivity in the work place.
1. Prioritise tasks
It is easy to put off large/time consuming tasks until the end of the day when we feel like we will be in a better work flow. But by the time we get to them, we’re often burnt out and lacking attention to finer details. Figuring out your optimum work flow and prioritising your tasks according to how you work best is key to getting those big projects done on time and effectively.
2. Focus on one task at a time
Whilst multi-tasking may seem productive, it may be more efficient to focus on one task at a time. When we concentrate on more than one task at a time, it’s easy to get distracted by hopping to and from each activity, leaving certain tasks incomplete or of a low quality. Prioritising tasks and focusing on a single objective allows you to consider your tasks in order of importance so you can dedicate realistic timeframes for each.
3. Take regular breaks
Consider planning out regular breaks throughout your day to help you remained focussed and refreshed. Most offices have allocated break time, allowing for a short break after a few hours of work, alternatively taking time to breathe and gather your thoughts in between tasks could also be productive.
4. Block out your schedule
Set time limits for each of your tasks (consider 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes for each task for example). Time blocking helps visualise your schedule and keep you on track.
5. Reduce distractions
Whether it’s distractions from technology, a cluttered desk or a busy office environment, eliminating distractions naturally makes us more productive. Many of us check our devices throughout the day which can break our concentration. Silencing notifications can help us remain focused.
Keeping desk space clean and tidy can also help keep us productive and distraction-free. It allows us to find what we need, when we need it, without the added stress of trying to locate items and documents amongst personal items and clutter.
6. Temporarily turn off email notifications
Another simple way to increase your productivity is to manage your notifications. If you are hoping to focus on a task without any distractions, one option may be to temporarily disable your email notifications for a set period of time, ensuring you do not go on and check any new messages. This allows you to get into a work flow without checking up on your incoming emails that may disrupt you.
Whilst office atmosphere and colleague conversations are an important part of work, they can also distract us from ticking off our to-do list. When faced with time sensitive and highly important tasks, retracting from such activities and dedicating yourself to your to-do list is an easy way to increase productivity.
