Productivity is important for success in many spheres of life. In both career, school or any other endeavours one is able to achieve more within the shortest time possible through productivity. Therefore, increasing your efficiency may enable you to reach your dreams within a shorter period. Here are 7 effective and varied ways to boost your productivity:Here are 7 effective and varied ways to boost your productivity:
1. Time management: Plan your work and Work your plan
Lack of organization and confusion on goals and objectives are some of the biggest time wasters. When there are many things to do on your mind or when there are many things on your desk, it becomes difficult to decide which one to tackle next hence wasting a lot of time. That is the reason why the concept of organization and prioritization is very important.
The first step is to write down all activities and initiatives to have a clear overview of what is on your plate. After that, divide the list of tasks according to their urgency, high, medium and low. Make certain that high priority tasks are connected with your greatest objectives. Also, segregate large tasks into smaller achievable goals within a given time frame with specific sub-tasks. Finally, you will know exactly what to target and what doesn’t need your consideration and this will make your work easy.
2. Eliminate Distractions
Nowadays, it is no longer a secret that distractions have a detrimental impact on efficiency. Whether it is phone alerts, people around you talking, clutter or emails, all these things which at first glance seem trivial are quick to capture our attention. It is a fact that even if one is interrupted briefly, attention spans are affected in a way that it becomes hard to go back to the original task.
Minimize distractions by incorporating distraction-free time blocks into the calendar. At that time, they need to avoid any distractions such as phone vibrations, other opened tabs and apps, phone ringtone and headphones. Create a clean workspace. Set ‘do not disturb’ signals by informing people around you that you are busy and do not wish to be disturbed. Finally, give an effort to engage in intensive tasks during moments of high alertness. There will be better productivity in the amount of time and more focus not to be diverted by other vices.
3. Take Regular Breaks
It should also be noted that breaks are not only necessary for health but also contribute to increased effectiveness. We are not designed to concentrate for such long hours, be it our bodies or our brains. Studies have proved that short breaks are effective in improving concentration, motivation and creativity. According to one research, taking breaks can result into an increase in productivity of about 390%.
The best way to work and create a balance with breaks is the 52-17 rule, work for 52 minutes and take a 17-minute break. Thus, in order to avoid losing focus and productivity, the duration of a break should not exceed 5-20 minutes. For instance, engage in walking outside, eating or doing some light exercises. Avoid pursuing other activities that are mentally tiring. Apps should be used to remind you to take a break after a certain duration of work is completed. Taking breaks can eliminate slumps and get you back on track or provide you with a breather while working.
4. Acquire Good Time Management Skills
We are all given 168 hours every week but we seldom find ourselves having enough of the time. The real question is not about the amount of time available but how this time is utilized. Lack of time management is a hindrance to the efficient use of time and on the other hand efficiency enhances the flow of time. Principles such as planning, scheduling, and avoiding procrastination and the use of timers all enhance time management.
Additional ideas include: Each Sunday, write out main tasks and objectives for the week. Allocate time to complete each while incorporating contingency time for the unpredictable. A person should write down the tasks in checklists and allocate time for important tasks. Use timers so as to avoid getting distracted. Last but not least, do not procrastinate and complete unpleasant tasks when you have the most amount of will power left. These time management techniques help individuals to achieve more in less time hence should be practiced to the later.
5. Work Smart, Not Hard
It is not always true that if one spends more time in doing a particular activity the outcome will be better. It is here that it is more important that people get smarter about the way they work. Smart work means that you are applying your effort, your intentional effort on the things that matter most. It is the use of personal assets to do things effectively. It also includes the ability to prevent oneself from becoming too obsessed with the quest for perfect scores and unnecessary tasks.
The best way to do this, begin by identifying the hours or days that you are most productive. They are the 2-3 hours of the day when you’re most focused and might have the most motivation. To safeguard these windows, one should only concentrate on key concerns. Secondly find out what you are competent in doing. Ensure you direct your efforts towards projects based on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. It is also important to avoid procrastination - make efforts to work effectively even when the work will not be perfect. Tack smart by deciding on who do what based on priorities and individual capabilities and talents.
6. Cultivate More Self-Discipline
Temporary motivation and the desire to do the right thing can always be present, but the individual must have the ability to follow through, to have the self-discipline to stay on course is essential. Something as simple as how one manages time and allocating focus in a day can be well regulated by self-discipline. With higher discipline, we do not waste our time on unnecessary things but keep progressing step by step. However, self-control is finite – using willpower to suppress or redirect a desire or a cognition is cognitively costly.
One way is to make self-discipline a routine by creating habits aligned with your goals. It’s better to start with baby steps and link them to a preexisting habit such as drinking coffee then progress. Get up early in the morning and engage in activities that are in line with the set goal before engaging in any other activity. Discipline rises in the morning. Permit planned interruptions to effectively recharge the energy that is necessary in exercising self-restraint and concentration. Acknowledge achievements and progress, which encourages further effort. Far more than anything, self-discipline keeps productivity in check to matters of most importance.
7. Optimize Work-Life Balance
Lack of a good working balance reduces efficiency. Overwork, lack of adequate rest, and exhaustion are taken to the extreme in this aspect. It is doing your best when you are most consistently for long periods, not when you spend long hours in a day. Energy management in organizational performance is done in the following aspects of life, namely, health, relationships, leisure, and purpose.
Self-assess the amount of work that is done at the present and reorganize the allocation towards other facets of life necessary to recharge. Work reasonably to allow adequate personal time. Manage time by setting realistic limits and avoiding taking on more work when there is already too much on the plate. Subdivide work into chunks of time so that you can have time to rest and get off the task. This way one is able to free their mind tobetter solve problems. Finally, use stress management and relaxation techniques in an endeavor not to get fatigued. When energies are balanced into these areas, you have optimally used the energy resources in maximizing the performance.
When it comes to achieving efficiency and productivity, everyone has their own course to follow. It may be equally possible that the best set of approaches has to be tried and tested. First, concentrate on the 1-2 adjustments that yield the greatest reward. Then, one can introduce other techniques as time progresses. Hard work pays and with a lot of effort, one can be assured that they will record good productivity growth.
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