Do you feel like you just aren’t making the most of your workday? This nagging feeling that you can do a lot more to optimize productivity?
You aren’t alone in feeling like you can do more as studies show that, on average, office workers are only productive for two to three hours a day.
Don’t worry, though. We bring you several ways to increase your productivity, and most of the tips call for you to structure your day better. No need to feel stressed any longer, as you can seize the day using the following information to improve productivity at work.
Plan Your Day In Advance
You will find that successful people plan their workday activities and don’t deviate from these plans unless something important comes up. And that’s exactly what you should do. Take out an extra 15 minutes to half an hour the night before to plan out your day.
Create one giant to-do list of all tasks and allocate time to complete each for added efficiency. You can then keep ticking off tasks as you complete them! Remember to treat yourself once you have completed it all to keep yourself motivated.
Organize Your Wardrobe To Take The Guesswork Out Of Mornings
Have you ever spent an hour just figuring out what to wear? You can waste a lot of time from your planned day if you spend precious time deciding what to wear to work. So instead, decide on an outfit the night before.
Have you ever seen Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama? Noticed how they wear the same type of clothes every single day? That helps them preserve energy to make more important decisions.
Schedule Tasks In Order Of Importance
To manage tasks effectively, remember to keep your focus on the most critical studies first. These should be the tasks that you HAVE to finish that day. Other functions that can be completed at another time should be out of focus for now.
Group Tasks By Similarity
Even though multitasking can be good, research shows that productivity levels decrease by 40% when multitasking.
So, it may be better for you to group similar tasks and give yourself a deadline for when you should be done with them. For example, if you need to make some calls, take an hour out of your schedule to make all of them in one go. If you are supposed to prepare drafts for presentations or emails, do them one by one on the same day.
Avoid Interruptions And Distractions
Did you know that employees get interrupted every three minutes? It sounds impossible, but it is actually true.
Don’t be a part of this statistic if you want to maximize productivity and be unreachable if possible and isolate yourself until a chunk of your day’s to-do list is crossed off. Try to find a quiet corner, put in your headphones, and focus on work.
If that is not possible, voice your feelings and ask your colleagues politely to keep their voices down because you are working on an important task.
Take Proper Breaks
You may think taking breaks would decrease your level of productivity, but that is not true. It is impossible to stay productive 24/7, so make sure you keep your mind relaxed so the work you do attempt is completed in the best way possible.
However, try keeping your breaks to a maximum of twenty minutes because otherwise, you may start to procrastinate. You can even plan out your free time and activities beforehand, such as going for a walk, meditating, etc.
A study showed how 86% of workers agree that taking breaks helps them be more productive. However, the same study showed that 66% of employees felt guilty about chilling out in the middle of work, even if it’s just for a few minutes. So, they don’t.
Remember that you deserve it and that it will only help in making you more productive.
The Bottomline
Planning and sticking to a schedule can help you achieve the level of productivity you are striving for. It won’t take a lot; take out some time the day before to plan and get used to the routine. Voila, you will then be ready for success.