Since I was a child, I have been listening to this word but never fully understood its meaning, or, you can say, I was not much interested in knowing the meaning of this word. But once you grow up and step into a phase called adulthood, leading on to many other phases, like professional life. You think about certain things more than you ever did. What is productivity at work? How do you make the most of your work day?
Let me assure you, it stays with you for the longest part of your life because you are always doing something that needs to be completed in a certain amount of time. You look for ideas that can enhance this aspect of your personality, and here I am with the ideas that help improve your productivity.
How do you define productivity?
What is productivity at work for me and for everyone else? Productivity at work is all about your efficiency and the ability to complete a task in less time with less effort put in and get the desired output. Every person can be productive, but the ratio of productivity differs from person to person. How is that? Let’s take an example.
A team of 15 individuals is given the task of writing a report about a certain topic in two hours. Do you think all 15 individuals will take two hours to complete that task? They will take different amounts of time, and the one who completes it in the least amount of time is going to be considered the most productive. But what else needs to be considered is that there are certain factors that can have a positive and negative effect on the productivity of every individual. Let us have a look at the ideas to improve your productivity at work.
Decide the priority
Decide what exactly is your priority at a certain time. If you prioritize using a mobile phone when you are actually needed to complete a task in your office, then you have not set your priorities right. When you set your priorities, you automatically allocate the time for it and eliminate other tasks, and this practice is going to add to your productivity.
Reserve time for the most important tasks
You should always have some time reserved for the tasks that have the most significant impact on your work. By using this method, you could identify the tasks that yield the best results for you, and likewise, you would start prioritizing those tasks each day. Even if you could not pay attention to the high-priority tasks throughout the day, you would still have some time to spend on your top priorities.
This practice will yield more results as you will spend less time but perform more result-oriented tasks, and this is what productivity is all about.
Clean your work area
Once the area where you spend your time working is clean, it will automatically draw your attention, and you will feel compelled to work there. Nobody feels at ease while working in a messy workspace. A clean desk with everything in order is something that will help you improve your productivity.
Allow fewer distractions
One of the most time-consuming distractions these days is your mobile phone, and trust me, you lose track of the time you waste on your mobile phone once you use it. So, all you have to do to be productive while performing a task is allow yourself as few distractions as possible and focus on the task.
Have a plan of action
While performing any task, it is better to write the agenda, points to remember, or sequence of actions that you have to perform. This would help you take responsibility for what you have to handle and how. This practice will save you from recalling everything at the last minute or even while performing the task, and ultimately, it will add to your productivity.
Get enough sleep
When you allow yourself an ample amount of time to sleep, you actually put your body and mind to rest and refuel your brain and body for the next day. You wake up fresh, and therefore, you can focus better and accomplish more during the day. People who do not get enough sleep have their productivity affected big time throughout.
Find love in what you do
You will not want to put your heart and soul into a task you are least interested in. So, you need to make sure that whatever task you are performing is something you are passionate about. This is the ultimate key to increasing your productivity.
Group tasks together
You need to sort the similar tasks into their respective groups. You can categorize the tasks into indoor and outdoor tasks or further group them into the tasks that you can perform at the same time. Group phone calls, emails, and research on a topic using your laptop in one group. This practice will save you time as these tasks are similar and, as a result, boost your productivity.
Get some sunlight
You must consider taking a slight break during the day to get exposed to sunlight for a few minutes. Studies have shown that people who are into this practice do better in tasks that involve mental function and improve their productivity.
Do exercise regularly
Even if you get some minutes during the day, allow yourself some physical activity. It not only keeps you physically healthy but also improves your quality of sleep, your mood, and your problem-solving skills.
Reward yourself often
No matter whether you accomplish a minor task or a gigantic task, rewarding yourself to keep you intrinsically motivated is very necessary. You know you are the best buddy to yourself, so treat yourself like one and never forget to pat yourself on the back for every little milestone that you achieve and give yourself a small token of appreciation.
Prepare beforehand
There could always be some last-minute issues that might end up taking more time than you could imagine. It is always the best approach to prepare for the next day, the night before. This can include pressing your clothes, polishing your shoes, charging your laptop, or planning the minutes for the tasks for the next day.
Take breaks
You should definitely take breaks for a few minutes every two to three hours while working. Walk around, grab a cup of tea, or get some sunshine so that when you get back to your task, your brain is ready to focus on it for another two to three hours.
Allocate your productive hours
We all have a certain time period during the day when we feel like working more than at any other time. Some people like working in the morning, and likewise, some like working in the afternoon or at night. You need to allocate your productive hours and optimize your work schedule accordingly.
Write about your personal growth
Each day is a different day for us, and it definitely brings something good or bad to us. It either teaches us a lesson or adds to our experience. You should never stop writing about what each day brings to you and how it changes you as a person. Your achievements and your words about your daily journey will always bring improvement to your life.
Question your productivity often
How can you question your productivity? It is very simple. Keep asking yourself at regular intervals if you are making the best use of your life or if you are just spending it with no constructive goals.
Setup procedures
To maximize efficiency, make your task systematized as workable. This reduces the time you have to spend deciding, which may help you perform better and be more productive daily.
Allocate time for podcasts
I would like to mention another little tip that is no less than a treat for you. While traveling to work, cleaning the home, exercising, or preparing a meal, you may listen to instructive podcasts or any audiobooks on the topics of your interest. Audio learning may extend your day by many hours. Not to mention the fact that your skull will be grateful.
Add information to your daily diet
Information should always be a part of the diet you take daily, as it will keep your intellectual health in order. Most of the world is inundated with information. But we must put an end to aimless internet browsing. Stop reading three newspapers a day and monitoring your social media feeds many times a day. You would get nothing done if you didn’t. The idea is to limit yourself to the facts that you can act on right away.
Daily dose of gratitude
You got your regular hours in a day to work; you made the maximum use of those hours. Now that you are done with all the tasks, you are ready to go to bed and embrace sleep. This is the time to give yourself a dose of gratitude that you feel for every blessing you were given throughout the day. This practice is always going to keep you content with yourself, your efforts, and the outcomes of your efforts. It is the ultimate key to keeping you optimistic each day about everything.
Conclusion
This was a little input from my side—ideas to improve your productivity at work. Even if you just use a few of these tips and incorporate these ideas to improve your products into your daily routine, you will see a significant improvement in your productivity at work.
Sana Ahmed Khan is a life coach and author of multiple books from Islamabad, Pakistan. As a certified life coach and author, Sana is keen on helping women from all walks of life. Sana empowers you to overcome self-doubt, find balance, and become your best self through her guidance focused on mindful living, social skills, and personal development.
