Increased productivity in the Work Place
It seems like there are always demands on our time. A study done by Basex Research shows that if you’re “in the zone” on project or deadline and you get interrupted, it takes 20 minutes to get back to where you were. That adds up to a lot of wasted time in a day and drain on company resources. With the number of demands on our time and the distractions that come every day, it can be hard to increase productivity without burning out. Today on the blog we will be talking about three productivity tips to help you streamline your work week and increase your effectiveness.
My number one tip for increased productivity is to first and foremost, eliminate distractions. Turn off notifications on your phone and your computer when you’re in the middle of time sensitive or focus required tasks. If you have a coworker who always messages you on the company chat, mark yourself as busy. If you have people who interrupt you in your office, put a sign on your door or cubicle when you’re in the middle of a project that needs your full attention. Take control of your focus, no one else will do it for you.
Even if the distractions are gone, some employees still struggle to be effective in their workday. My advice for those who could use additional help would be to marry your to do list with your calendar for routine tasks. Here’s what I mean - most people keep a to do list, even in their own minds, but they are constantly putting routine tasks on their lists. Most employees and business owners have routine tasks that need to be done daily, weekly, monthly or annually. Go through your routine tasks and create action lists of items that you do on a regular basis, and then schedule appointments for those items in your calendar. If you have a report do every Friday morning, block out time Thursday afternoon to complete it. If you regular post or comment on Social Media, schedule time every day in your calendar to create that routine.
In my book I talk about weekly planning and how it is the key to success. I have had a few people ask me what weekly planning looks like for me.Plan is the four letter word for success. We may not want to spend time planning each week, but when you do, you’re much more likely to be in control of your clock. Each week ask yourself, what worked this week, what didn’t work this week and what needs to change. Once you’ve identified your routine action items and the days and times you complete them, you may find that things need to shift or move. Take 30 minutes Friday afternoon to plan for your week ahead and you’ll get more done, and have more peace with the clock. In my book I share a number of other productivity tips such as the how’s and why’s of delegating, and there is a whole chapter dedicated to time management.