Improving your efficiency and productivity is in your hands…
Spruce up your productivity by making small and effective changes that will help you become more efficient in a short time.
Work culture makeover
- One of the most effective changes you can make in your work culture and attitude is to delegate. Practice the habit of delegating work, making sure others understand and are committed enough to do their work.
- Most often, time is wasted due to meetings that may not be necessary after all. Ensure you organize meetings only if needed and check if you can make do with emails and calls. If you have to attend meetings, ensure your presence is required and go well-prepared. You can also excuse yourself once your role is over and your presence is not needed. Make it known in your office that you are very serious about meetings and would like to attend only if your presence is required.
- Avoid procrastination. If a task takes just a short time, it is better to do it at once. A lot of work can be cleared this way and will also give you the satisfaction of having completed substantial work.
- It is important to be assertive with regard to your work and extend help only if it does not make a huge demand of time on you. Learn to say a polite but emphatic No.
- Understanding the work ensures it gets done. If you are the team leader, ensure your team members understand their work. And if you are a team member, make it a point to understand your tasks from the boss.
- Seek advice when you must, from those more knowledgeable and experienced, and you will be surprised to find easier and better ways of doing things. Also seek feedback on your work which will give you a different perspective.
- Focusing on one job at a time improves your efficiency instead of multitasking, which actually decreases productivity.
Eliminate productivity killers
Smartphones have created an obsessive culture, reducing productivity in workplaces. Try to kick out some of the habits that are slowing you:
- First thing to do when you enter office is to stop checking emails, WhatsApp and notifications both on your phone and laptop. Turn off notifications as soon as you enter office. Set apart timings for checking your emails and batch process them at intervals, attending to priority emails first and putting off your responses to all other mails for a later time.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters that may clog your mailbox.
- Use software and apps that are helpful such as CloudOn, Activewords, Sanebox, Evernote, etc that help save a lot of time.
Nurture your body for boosting productivity
Understand your natural body rhythm and match your work with your natural productivity cycle. Do the most important and demanding tasks when you are most productive and lighter tasks when your body goes into a slower mode.
- Hydrating the body appropriately ensures that you remain energized throughout the day.
- Eat smartly to get the best out of your body. Proteins and carbohydrates help maintain our energy. Omega oils and superfoods boost our concentration. Understand your body and give it the right foods to ensure you give your best to your work.
- The importance of exercise cannot be overlooked. Regular exercises such as a brisk walk, or a workout will give you the mental and physical stamina to work more. The feel-good hormones generated due to exercise keep your mind and body energized throughout the day.
Mind your mind
- Meditation and relaxation techniques are proven means of reducing stress, improving focus and concentration and enhancing your temperament.
- Yoga and meditation are a good combo to push up your productivity.
- Try to adopt a positive attitude and keep away from negative people.
- Outside of work, ensure you indulge in pleasant hobbies such as listening to music, reading, etc.
Super habits for super productivity
- Productive people are more organized and systematic. Make a list of work to do the next day, at the end of the day. Start your work in the morning by going over the list, add new tasks and delete those not necessary. Check your list from time to time and tick tasks you have completed. This by itself will motivate you to finish the remaining ones with enthusiasm.
- Give yourself a break in between tasks to go out and eat a snack, listen to some music or engage in light banter with a favorite colleague.
- Ensure you do the most demanding tasks during your peak time and that you are completely insulated from any outside disturbances while you are at it.
Introspect at the end of the day, going over the list and also reflecting upon ways in which you have wasted your time or ways that have helped you work more efficiently.
