No matter how much you love your job, there are just some days that are impossible to focus. Especially during the Summer months where all you want to be doing is tanning poolside, getting in the zone to be productive can seem like a steep challenge.
Much of one’s productivity is related to their personality traits, behavior quirks, and brain functioning. For example, a recent study found that dominantly left-handed people are more likely to be creatively wired and work the most productively on Friday.
While you can’t (at least, it would be very difficult to) change your dominant hand just to increase your productivity at the beginning of the week, there are certain smaller changes you can make to your routine to build on office effectiveness. With these modifications, you’ll fly through your work weeks and become the best employee you can be!
Limit Your Screen Time
While nearly a quarter of people say they spend 15 minutes or less on social media while on the job – over 15% of people admit to using 2 hours or more scrolling instead of working. Even if your job permits this, it can be difficult to refocus your mind after seeing how much fun your friends are having on their lavish vacations on Instagram. If you’re one of those people that’s addicted to your phone, start slow by cutting back a few minutes each day. Plus, disconnecting yourself from the internet can be liberating – you won’t feel like you have to live up to your follower’s Instagram-worthy lifestyles on the daily.
Take More Breaks
Just because you reduce your social media doesn’t mean you have to be locked to your computer screen your entire shift. Sometimes all you need to refocus your mind is a lap around the office or a quick coffee run. There’s no point in wasting your time trying to get through a task that your mind is utterly blocked on. Take a moment to yourself to reset and you’ll come back more productive and efficient than ever – it’s definitely worth it.
Decorate Your Office Desk
Not only can this turn into a fun DIY project, having photos of your family and friends can motivate you to do your best work at all times. Sitting at a plain desk in a blank cubicle can get really old, really fast. Adding just a little bit of color or decoration can go a long way in brightening your mood and giving you the energy boost you need. If you need some inspiration, there are tons of online resources to get your creativity flowing!
Don’t Stress Out
Especially if you’ve been historically less than productive, tasks lists can add up very quickly. It’s easy to fall into an overwhelming tunnel of counting how many things you have to do, calculating how long each ‘thing’ will take you, and wondering if you’ll ever have enough time in the day to meet your boss’s expectations. This toxic cycle can be very discouraging and make even starting on your work seem incredibly daunting. Managing your initial anxiety can help you knock out those tasks much quicker so you’ll have nothing to worry about in the first place.
At the end of the day, if you’re productive at work, the downtime will feel even more rewarding. So no matter if your a male or female, rightie or leftie, old or young, figure out how to channel your most focused work-self and you’ll be feeling great 24/7.