There are always those mornings when you don’t feel like going to work while on others, you feel so energized that you can take the day’s challenges by its horns. In both cases, one thing still remains; you need to be productive. Employers will always have you work for them if they feel you have something to bring to the table. And keeping in mind that the work environment is extremely competitive, you need to do your diligence to ensure that they regard you as a productive employee. Well, several things can make you unproductive at work, including stress, lack of focus, not getting enough sleep, and so on.
In this article, we will be looking at some of the ways you can improve your productivity at work and even get yourself the promotion you have been working hard for;
1. Learn how to manage your time
In the quest of being a productive employee, the first thing you need to learn is how to manage your time. Proper time management is what will help you get things done accordingly. Typically, many organizations working day consists of about 8 hours. As such, you need to ensure that you always have a plan on how you will use your time efficiently within the 8 hours and get all the day’s work done. Truth be told, it is quite unhealthy having to extend your working hours every day trying to reach your targets. Besides, you might end up jeopardizing your relationships as your family members and friends will feel like you no longer have time for them. Therefore, always have a weekly schedule whereby you highlight your tasks alongside the time you plan to do them. And this leads us to our next point- set goals and objectives.
2. Set your goals and objectives
Take a pen and paper and write down what your goals and objectives are. This is one of the surefire ways to ensure that you achieve your targets. Also, the goals are a great way to keep yourself motivated while working. The moment you feel like you do not have the energy to complete a given task, always look at your goals, and believe it or not, you will feel motivated after going through them.
3. Be an active employee
There is no doubt that being an inactive employee earns you nothing less than inappropriate titles. As such, always make sure you attend all organizational meetings as well as participate in any ongoing discussions. This is the only way that your bosses will remember you, and in case of any management vacancy, they will always have you in mind. Employers always have an eye for active employees as they feel like they will always strive to come up with solutions or ideas in the workplace.
4. Ensure that you meet your deadlines
Another way to be productive at work is to ensure that you meet all your deadlines. Time is indeed a valuable resource, and having all the work reports submitted in time will for sure earn you favor from your bosses. Here is a pro-tip, if your boss gives you work and expects you to deliver in a week, always set your deadline to be about two days earlier. This will enable you to have time to review the work and submit a polished report, rather than leaving it until last minute and rushing through.
5. Take breaks in between
Sitting on your desk all day long does not do you justice at all. If anything, as the day passes by without taking breaks, you will notice that your concentration levels are going down. Research has shown that taking breaks has a significant impact on both your moods and productivity at work. Men, especially, are always too hard on themselves. You will find them not taking a break in the name of trying to complete a given task; that is why websites such as IconicMan always highlights ways through which men can improve their well- being even at work. As such, after an hour or two, it is vital to take a break from your desk; go and say hi to your colleague, watch a short clip or make a phone call- the idea is to take your mind off work, just for a minute.
6. Do a self-assessment regularly
Most organizations will always assess you alongside your key performance indicators. But before then, it is imperative always to do a self-assessment to gauge if you are meeting your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) or not. This is an excellent way to prepare you for the assessment that will be held with your supervisors or your bosses.