Increasing Your Productivity At Work

Our productivity can rise and fall at different times. While this is natural to an extent, why is it that some people seem to be more productive than others, and what can we do to improve our productivity?

Productivity at work can make a large difference to your wider feelings of contentment at the end of a day. Following a productive day, you may find it easier to relax and go to sleep with a positive feeling. On days where you are less productive, it can be difficult to switch off and you may have feelings of guilt or discontentment. But is productivity just down to good days and off days, or is there more to it?

Firstly, many of us approach productivity in the wrong ways. One of the most common reasons why we may not be as productive as we’d like to be is due to bad habits that interfere with workplace productivity. This could be anything from a messy workspace, poor nights sleep, too much caffeine or sugars, or poor timekeeping. Another common mistake is being reactive rather than proactive, using energy to put out fires rather than prevent them.

3 Simple tips to improving your productivity:

Pace your day – Certain tasks which may make you feel particularly burnt-out can cause cycles of procrastination and inactivity. Listening to your body and considering when you are the most naturally productive can help you to get through the necessary tasks for the day. For example, as many people are most productive in the morning, it may be best to start with the most important or difficult tasks when you have the most energy, and then move on to routine tasks such as answering emails when your energy is lower.

Stop multitasking! – Research revealed that multitasking reduced productivity by up to 40%. Tackling multiple tasks at once can reduce focus and increase stress, making it difficult to get anything done. Ordering tasks in order of importance will help you to approach one thing at a time.

Eliminate distractions – Digitalisation and increasing pressure to be constantly “available” may lead you to be checking your phone, email and social media too frequently. Scheduling business calls and allowing yourself time to respond to emails may help you to set aside time to focus on other tasks.