In our technology driven world, workplace tasks have become more streamlined and easier to do. Yet at the same time, workers are seeing a drop in productivity levels across the board.
According to the Harvard Business Review, the paradox of productivity is that we are spending more time sending emails, chatting, and working on projects with the same technology that is meant to save us time. Below are eight ways you can boost your productivity in the office and navigate the complex modern day business world while staying on task.
1. Take Frequent Breaks
Taking small and frequent breaks at the office can actually benefit your productivity levels by refocusing your mind and giving you a break. If you have trouble pulling yourself away from your tasks, try setting an alarm on your phone every hour to remind yourself to take ten to fifteen minutes to step away from your desk.
2. Communicate Frequently with Coworkers
An easy way for everyone to stay on the same page in the office and avoid conflicts or confusion is by communicating with each other frequently. Make sure you are open and honest with your coworkers about meeting project deadlines and working together. That way you can all work as a team to get things done and boost your overall productivity levels.
3. Flexibility is Your Friend
Sometimes at the office, things go awry. Whether it’s a deadline that has been pushed up or a problem with a project, being flexible is the best way you can handle these kinds of situations. Having flexibility in the workplace can make you more productive by allowing you to switch gears from one project to the next.
4. Leave Work at the Door
When you leave the office every evening, it’s important that you leave your work at work. When you bring work back home with you, whether it’s phone calls or unanswered emails, you lose precious down time. Spending time with your family, relaxing, and doing the things you love is necessary to give your mind a break and increase your productivity when you get back to the office.
5. Prioritize Tasks
At the office, tasks can fly at you all at once. When this happens it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed. An easy way to boost your productivity is to prioritize your long list of tasks by importance and deadline. This way you get the things done first that are the most important and you aren’t rushing to finish them later on.
6. Organize Your Workspace
It’s easy to lose productivity when your desk is a mess. Think of all the minutes you waste searching for a file, a phone number, or even a pen. When you organize your workspace, whether that’s your physical desk or your computer, you save time and increase your productivity so you get more things done faster.
7. Get a Head Start on Projects
If you know a project is due in advance, it’s always a good idea to get a head start even if that project isn’t due until far in the future. Especially if you find yourself with down time at the office and not a lot of projects going on, working on things in advance will help keep stress levels low later on down the road.
8. Take Care of Yourself
The last tip for boosting productivity in the workplace is to make sure you take care of yourself, both physically and mentally. Your health is an imperative factor to being productive and doing the best work you can do. So make sure you’re exercising regularly, drinking plenty of water, and taking the time to relax and de-stress when you need to.
For more tips on how to create a productive workplace, check out our latest blog “How to Build an Effective Employee Wellbeing Program.”