Increase productivity with these 10 terrific tips
If your pilot light has dimmed and you’re not working at your best, try our tips to get you fired up and back in business.
In the office or working at home, few of us are immune to that dreaded slump. Energy levels plummet. Inspiration fades. Our get-up-and-go has… forgotten the end of its own cliché. The need to increase productivity is real — but just out of reach.
For many of us, the coronavirus pandemic blurred the lines between home life and work, shining a light on how many distractions and commitments we deal with each day. We made allowances. We understood. We supported each other.
But while the lockdowns are behind us, the slowdowns still happen. Most of us are not immune to those battles to stay productive and keep our eyes on the prize.
If we’re home alone at our desks, it can be easy to lose motivation without others around us to keep us on our toes. Back in the office, on the other hand, the hubbub can sometimes make it hard to focus (especially if we’re still excited to be in the same room as our colleagues!).
As employee engagement experts, we’ve faced a lot of challenges to boost productivity – and conjured up a fair few tried and tested tricks to bring back the magic. So if you or a colleague need to get back on track and regain your mojo, try a few of these.
1. Make a plan – and stick to it
You’ve probably heard this one before – it’s tossed around so often that it’s practically a buzz-phrase. But the value of a solid, well-thought-through plan can’t be underestimated – especially when facing multiple distractions!
Start by making a note of all your most pressing tasks. It doesn’t matter where you jot them down – just as long as you’ve got sight of them so none slip your mind.
Then, as you complete each task, tick it off your list. And celebrate it as a small win (that’ll motivate you to keep going). Once you’ve worked through most of your to-do list and new projects start heading your way – create a new plan so things don’t get muddled up!
You don’t have to just stick to one comprehensive plan – if it helps, break your task list into smaller chunks so it’s easier to organise and manage (and also doesn’t seem like as much to do). You might find this will not only increase productivity, but also your motivation to see them through!
Which leads us nicely onto…
2. Prioritise (realistically)
Once you have your plan, prioritise what’s on it.
After all, there’s no point in spending loads of time on something that doesn’t need doing right away – when you have much more pressing projects to get over the line!
So before you start working through your tasks, consider how important each one is in relation to the others on your list.
Is a major deadline looming?
Has someone requested something for a specific time?
Are there any tasks you can afford to push back to focus on another, more urgent project?
Taking the time to organise your plan will save you getting caught out at a later stage. And increase productivity in the long run!
3. Get smaller and simpler tasks out of the way early
Have someone ever advised you to ‘tackle your biggest frog first’?
If so, you’ll know it means you should get the most pressing, challenging and substantial task on your list out of the way early, before moving onto other, less important tasks later.
But is this really the right approach to getting stuff done?
In fact – research suggests you should do the opposite.
Studies have shown that experiencing periods of low stimulation and boredom can actually boost productivity and increase creativity later on.
So, it stands to reason that tackling smaller, less challenging and uninteresting tasks first may help you build up the creative stamina needed to focus on more intensive projects later in your day. It’s like a warm-up to the main event – and lifts the mood by building up a busy, can-do mindset.
Tackling those smaller tasks first is also a great way to get some quick wins ticked off your to-do list, which (as we’ve already touched on) can significantly boost your motivation to keep pushing through.
So in short – if there are any jobs you’ve been avoiding simply for their sheer dullness… do them first!
4. Use definitive action language
How many times have you fallen prey to ‘should’ syndrome? Saying things like, “I should start this report”, or “I should take a break”?
By succumbing to this affliction – you’re already well on your way to falling behind on your to-do list.
Instead, use more direct, action-oriented language like “I will”, or “I can”.
“I will follow-up this email.”
“I can finish this presentation today.”
When you frame your commitments as definitive actions – you’ll be much more motivated and prepared to see them through.
When you frame your commitments as definitive actions – you’ll be much more motivated and prepared to see them through.
5. Respect your rhythm
You’ll know it’s not always easy or even possible to complete a certain task at a specific time.
How many times have you stuck your head down to tackle a particularly challenging project – and realised fairly quickly that you simply couldn’t muster the energy or motivation to see it through?
Your energy might have been lagging, or you might not have been able to rustle up any worthy creative ideas.
You might have experienced writer’s block, or creative block.
And like a dam stopping the flow of a stream – you’re stopped dead in your tracks.
Frustrating, right?
The good news is there’s an easy way to solve this problem.
The answer? Just don’t do it.
When you sense yourself losing your drive, stop. Take a break. Have a drink or a snack. Make small talk with a colleague over Teams.
Truth be told, we all have individual rhythms. Some of us are early birds, whereas others might be night owls.
And at the end of the day, it’s not a competition to see who can get things done the fastest.
So when you need some time out – don’t be afraid to take it. It’s one sure-fire way to increase productivity.
6. Automate processes
With all the technological marvels, gadgets and gizmos now at our fingertips, it’s easier than ever to automate task-based processes so we can free up our precious time to invest elsewhere.
It also means you won’t have to spend as much time on things you’re not interested in, which can be a killer for motivation and drive.
For example, an automation programme we use frequently is Zapier.com. It enables us to seamlessly automatically transfer data, log information, and integrate different online applications and processes.
It’s like having an extra pair of hands working alongside you to hugely increase productivity and power through your to-do list.
So here’s the nub – if a task doesn’t require a pair of hands, give it to the robots!
7. Cut out distractions
The number of distractions constantly competing for our attention now can be overwhelming.
Social media notifications.
TV.
Phone calls and video chats.
…the list goes on!
But the solution isn’t to cut out the distractions. Some of them are crucial to helping us get stuff done.
But sometimes, switching off completely (yes, even your phone!) makes it much easier to get into the ‘zone’ and zip through those niggling tasks.
And if you still find yourself succumbing to the allure of various distractions – give a bit of thought as to why that might be.
Are you feeling isolated? Bored? Or perhaps daunted by the scale of the task at hand?
If you don’t get to the nub of what’s causing you to be distracted in the first place, you won’t be able to put strategies in place to help you stay focused.
If you’re feeling isolated, set aside 15 minutes to chat with a colleague or friend to create that sense of connection. If you’re feeling bored, stick some music on in the background (for many us, this can instantly increase productivity). And if you’re feeling intimidated by a challenge, consider breaking it down into bitesize chunks, or asking a team member for help.
By getting to the heart of the problem – you’ll find it much easier to stave off distractions and stay in the zone.
8. Take regular breaks – outside
Taking regular breaks among nature can really keep the creative juices flowing. And that can be as simple as a quick trip out into the garden or onto the street for some fresh air, sunshine or the invigorating sensation of cold wind and rain.
After all, spending all day at your desk can be exhausting. Yet many of us don’t realise when we’re doing it.
So make a habit of stepping away for a bit, making a drink or a snack and just breaking your state.
And take it outside if you can. Because getting out into nature is one of the best ways to recharge the batteries and ‘flush’ any nagging thoughts out of your mind.
Freeing you up to return more focused, energised, and productive.
And it’s great for your wellbeing too!
They’ve shrugged off the shackles of their inner critic – and are more confident sending their ideas out into the world as a result.
9. Relax your inhibitions
When you think of a new idea, do you spend a lot of time wondering whether it’s the most ingenious in the world, or will make you the laughing stock of the office – rather than just getting it out there?
And have you ever encountered one of those people who just seem to be able to reel off pie-in-the-sky ideas one after the other like the Roadrunner, while you struggle to come up with anything at all?
As it turns out, there’s a simple explanation for why these folks seem so infinitely imaginative.
And it has nothing to do with them being more creative.
In fact, research has shown that they’ve simply mastered the art of lowering their inhibitions. They’ve shrugged off the shackles of their inner critic – and are more confident sending their ideas out into the world as a result.
Of course, we all naturally want to avoid saying anything that might raise an eyebrow or send funny looks in our direction. Every one of us wants to give the impression that we add genuine value to our team – fearing that one bad idea might make us seem out of touch, or less worthy than our colleagues.
But if you ever find yourself wrestling with an idea you’re not sure you should share, just remember: it could just be the best idea anyone’s ever had.
And if you keep it locked away inside – then no-one can benefit from it.
And finally…
10. If you need help, ask for it
Sometimes even the most efficient people need help getting things done!
Just like wanting to share the very best ideas, it’s easy to bite off more than we can chew in an effort to prove our value to our team.
You might have a colleague who seems to always take everything effortlessly in their stride, spinning more plates than a clown on Red Bull.
And you might think to yourself, how can I keep up?
Leading you to pile your own plate higher and higher – until you find yourself tumbling down a rabbit hole into certain burnout.
But saying ‘no’ every once in a while doesn’t make you inferior, incompetent, or a failure to the organisation.
Instead – it makes you responsible.
Recognising your limitations, and sharing your workload with others, will help everyone increase productivity because it reduces the risk of burnout.
Which means it’s less likely someone else will have to suddenly pick up the pieces, and keep the vicious cycle ticking over.
And remember that everyone has had to ask for help at some point. Just because you don’t see it happening, doesn’t mean it never did.
So when you hit a sudden roadblock in a project, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Be confident about asking for a helping hand – and you’ll likely find it much easier to overcome.
Want to increase productivity in your organisation?
Did you know that organisations strategically focusing on employee engagement typically increase productivity by 41%? See for yourself the extensive impact that good communications can have on all aspects of the employee engagement in this handy IC Field Guide: The Anatomy of an Engaged Employee.
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