How to stay productive at work: The 6 Rules.
There have been speculations of why is it that some individuals are more productive than others at work. We all have those days when completing our assigned tasks seems beyond reach. With the temptation of staying long on the internet and playing mobile games — not to mention chatters in the office — it’s easy to fall prey to distractions at work.
What really does it mean to be productive at work?
This is an age-long question with several answers to merge for being productive at work, do you actually know that completing more tasks on your list or working longer hours doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being more productive.
Basically, being productive literally mean “achieving effective said results in a short amount of time as possible, leaving you with more time to enjoy freely”
The rules: Of being productive at work
Avoid Multitasking:
Multitasking can give the illusion that more tasks can be accomplished as you’re doing multiple things at once. But, that is actually not true.
Research has shown that attempting to do several things at the same time takes a toll on productivity and that shifting between tasks can cost up to 40 percent of someone’s time. That’s because your focus and concentration is constantly hindered due to having to switch between tasks.
That means while your concentration and time are divided with the assumption that several things can be done at that pace, but it is often the opposite as you are not
readily concentrated on a particular task and so more time is taken to accomplish a single task.
Therefore, do not multitask, rather set priorities like a to-do list and channel your time and concentration on a task at a time, get it done and then move to the next. More time would be saved and more jobs would be done with ease.
Set Deadlines:
This is more like being your own supervisor, take out time as you create a to-do list for yourself set deadlines for every task. A deadline check will enable you to keep your focus on the task and set you on your goal.
Be Strategic with Meetings:
This part is a major part of bosses and supervisors of any level of office. Meetings are one of the biggest time consumers, yet somehow we continue to unquestioningly book them, attend them and, inevitably, complain about them. Before scheduling your next meeting, ask yourself whether you can accomplish the same goals or tasks via email, phone, or Web-based meeting (which may be slightly more productive).
Also, as the leader of the meeting be considerate on the timing for the closure of the meeting, having a meeting run for hours aids unproductivity not only for you but for others in the meeting.
Take breaks.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” The school cliche that reminds us to take breaks as it enables us to rejuvenate. Having break times would actually help improve productivity, If possible, set times during the day to stay off office duties and just enable your nerves to calm down to clear your head and get your focus back. Whatsoever, works for you could be listening to music or any other thing do it to get back handy.
Provide your office with ambiance
It may sound naive, but some research shows decorating an office with aesthetically pleasing elements — like plants — can increase productivity by up to 15 percent. Jazz up your office space with pictures, beautiful wall frames, flowers, or anything else that puts a smile on your face.
Manage Interruptions
This most time is evitable, as you can be called upon for an impromptu meeting by your boss or supervisor. In the office, your colleague could call your opinion on a trivial to discuss be it sport or fashion which would be wrong to reject. In all of this, you should be able to manage these distractions and still meet your deadlines.
One way to avoid distractions at work is to let your colleagues know that you need to concentrate and would really appreciate not being interrupted for the moment, especially if you are on a deadline or work from home if that’s a feasible option for you.
The bottom line
The 6 rules on how to be productive at work aren’t all that there is. You and the company where you work for may have other tips on how productivity is best increased and maintained so easily blend in.
No development is experienced over-night, so consistency is required for productivity.
