Companies of all kinds strive to increase productivity. One effective strategy to do so is by helping employees work smarter rather than harder.
Studies of scientific productivity have uncovered numerous determinants, including psychological characteristics, demographic characteristics, environment factors and cumulative advantage/reinforcement mechanisms.
1. Prioritize your tasks
Assembling too much work can be an exhausting burden. One solution may lie in prioritizing tasks.
Start by compiling a list of all of the projects and tasks you must undertake, then order them according to their estimated effort - placing more important projects/tasks towards the left side.
Use the Eisenhower Matrix to sort through your list and determine which projects and tasks require immediate attention, while others can wait until later in the day or week.
Make sure to revisit your task prioritization regularly, especially as circumstances or opportunities may alter priorities unexpectedly. A review and reprioritization process is key for maintaining effective management, and can also help avoid spending too much time or energy on low-value or unnecessary tasks.
2. Break your responsibilities into manageable pieces
Breaking large tasks down into manageable pieces is one of the key strategies for increasing efficiency. No matter the complexity or simplicity of a project, breaking it into manageable sections will help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and ensure it gets completed on schedule.
Start by identifying your overall goal or the 'parent task', which will help you understand more fully how each smaller task fits within that larger one. Doing this will allow for better organization of timelines and dependencies among smaller tasks.
Break your task down into small, manageable segments that can be completed within 20-30 minutes (known as "pomodoros") for maximum productivity and ease of completion. Doing this will enable you to tackle large projects more easily while feeling more assured in reaching your goals without becoming distracted by larger, potentially distraction-causing projects.
3. Take regular breaks
Working without taking regular breaks can cause cognitive boredom, which in turn has detrimental effects on productivity. Studies show that most workers only receive two hours and 53 minutes of productive time from an eight-hour workday; therefore it's vitally important that breaks are taken at regular intervals.
Try engaging in activities that are intrinsically motivating, such as taking a short walk or practicing mindfulness. Doing this will allow your mind and body to reconnect so you can return to work feeling renewed and focused.
If you find it challenging to take breaks within your schedule, setting alarms or reminders might help! Doing this may make it easier to stick to your break plan when temptation strikes!
4. Eliminate distractions
Distractions can be an impediment to productivity. They come from all corners, requiring efforts from all departments and employees alike to eliminate them entirely. Forming habits to reduce distractions and eliminate them where possible will result in more productive work days.
Use noise-canceling headphones, block distracting websites with apps, take regular breaks and follow the Pomodoro Technique; create an ideal working environment and even establish a dedicated workspace; as well as reflect on your progress regularly and set boundaries.
At its core, increasing productivity means making more out of each available minute. By employing these simple strategies to overcome distractions and maximize efficiency, increasing productivity means having more time for self-care, improved health and achieving your goals more successfully.
5. Get enough sleep
Gaining enough sleep is key to staying productive. Sleep can improve cognitive performance, memory retention, reduce irritability and facilitate more creative problem-solving techniques.
Successful people set boundaries between work and life, prioritize regular breaks, and know when their workload exceeds capacity. Furthermore, they're adept at making quick and decisive decisions quickly and efficiently.
Personality traits, demographic characteristics, and environmental factors all influence productivity in various ways. For instance, people high on conscientiousness tend to be more organized and detail-oriented while those able to delay gratification often experience greater productivity.
Although many factors of productivity cannot be controlled directly, you can still increase your efficiency using productivity hacks and techniques. Staying healthy by eating well, exercising regularly and getting enough rest are all ways that can increase efficiency.
