6 Ways To Be More Productive At Work

With the hours in the day seemingly disappearing more and more, it may seem as though your days are getting shorter and you’re not achieving everything you set out to do. When it comes to being productive at work there are two options: work longer hours or work smarter. We’re sure you prefer the latter (so do we).

Even though you may think that how you’re planning your work schedule and day is conducive of productivity, there may be some more simple tricks you could implement to help you finish everything you set out to that day. It isn’t quantum physics, it’s just a bit of planning!

We’ve compiled a few tips and tricks that will help you work smarter and make it on time to dinner with the family:

1.Set yourself deadlines

Even if you’re working on something that has no definite deadline, try giving yourself one. When you’re working on an open-ended task, the lack of deadline may be more harmful than positive. If you know you need to finish a task by a certain time, then you’ll focus a lot more on it. A little bit of self-imposed stress can actually be a positive thing, who’d have thought?

2.Multi-tasking: is it really a good idea?

In a society that puts multi-tasking on a pedestal it may come as a surprise to find out that it isn’t the most productive way of doing things. Studies have found that people are more productive when they focus on one single task and then move onto the next. If you’ve got your mind on one thing and stop jumping from task to task, you’ll find that you get your work done faster and to a better standard.

3.Take a break

Taking regular breaks is proven to help maintain a constant level of performance while working on long tasks. If you take short breaks regularly then your concentration doesn’t dwindle and you come back feeling refreshed after a bit of a breather. If you put your head down and work for hours on end your performance levels start decreasing steadily.

4.Proactive, not Reactive

Don’t let e-mails and phone calls shape your day for you. When you get to work, plan your day out and try to stick with it. While of course it’s important to give your attention to matters that are urgent, don’t try to put out fires everywhere. Instead focus on what you’ve set out to do and put aside some time to respond to e-mails and return phone calls.

5.Long commute? Take advantage of it

Instead of spending your commute in a zombie state flinging enraged birds at pigs, take some time to create an action plan for the day ahead. You can instead answer some e-mails, come up with a to-do list, or brainstorm some ideas. It doesn’t have to take up your entire commute, we know there’s nothing better than finally passing that level on Candy Crush, however if you get that out of the way you’ll save some time at the office with planning.

6.Say yes to meetings only if you really have to

Everyone complains about meetings, it’s true. Work life is rife with meetings about meetings, then meetings about the meetings you just had. Unless it’s vital, try to say no to them. Is it something you could easily sort through an e-mail or a quick phone call? Then do that. Instead of wasting so much time in a meeting room, free up your time without them and focus on the tasks that matter. It’s sure to make you more productive at work in the long-term!

So there you have it, 6 tips to help you be more productive at work. Next time instead of clocking an extra couple of hours, take a step back and figure out what you can do to work smarter and not harder or longer. Implement these and you’ll see how much easier your work life becomes! Thank us later.

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