What makes someone a productive person? Productive people are those that can get more accomplished throughout the day. They have self-will which allows them to focus on the task at hand and see it through completion. In today’s world, employers are giving employees remote work flexibility. This fact alone makes it even more to self-disciplined for productivity.
The key to productivity is to establish smart goals to work towards, work smarter not harder, and to use time wisely. Stay on point with these 7 productivity tips that will make you more organized and focused.
1. Organize tasks by priority level.
Eisenhower's Urgent/Important Principle, “Using Time Effectively, Not Just Efficiently” illustrates the importance of compartmentalizing activities as important vs urgent. It is important to take a proactive approach to work. That is why taking a minute to organize tasks by level of urgency is so important. Order your tasks by estimated effort, time consumption, outcome, and urgency. If you do not you do not prioritize tasks, the workload will become overwhelming.
2. Establish concrete goals.
Establishing goals allows you to avoid loads of busy work and increases success rate. Making it a practice to establish concrete goals helps you organize your ideas to make real headway towards the finish line. Try using the SMART goal framework as a way of structuring goals.
- Specific – what exactly do you want to achieve?
- Measurable – What means/metrics will you use to track progress?
- Achievable - What is the required course of action to reach your goal?
- Realistic – What does the REAL scope look like to reach your goal?
- Time-bound– How long will it take for you to reach your goal?
3. Make plans and checklists.
Outlining tasks that you want to accomplish within the day helps you track productivity. This includes scheduling time blocks for each work-related activity. This will help you stay organized and provide a visual tracker of your work progress overtime. There are loads of task management technologies readily available which can help provide framework for creating project plans. These tools also allow you track your progress.
4. Remove all distractions.
When you are operating during the dedicated work hours, it is important to remove any distractions that will deviate your focus. Distractions slow down output and places barriers on the capacity to get things done. It is important to create a disruption free work environment to stay productive. Try not checking your social media accounts every five minutes and disabling notifications on your smartphone if these are the common barriers to productivity.
5. Take advantage of peak productivity hours.
We all are preferential in our work styles, the way we communicate, and the times we operate best. Identify what hours of the day you are most focused will help you organize your workload. If you feel more focused early in the day and more and more inattentive as the day goes on, start your day with the tasks that require the most critical thinking. Save the easier tasks for the times you feel less inattentive.
6. Get enough sleep.
Sleep is essential to revitalizing your body for the next day. It is important to take the time to rest your mind so you can handle what tomorrow will bring. If you have trouble falling asleep due to thinking about work, remind yourself that sleep is a precursor for being productive.
7. Take care of your health.
Productivity is directly linked to your personal health. When your mind, body, and soul are in a healthy state, productivity will feel easier. Eat healthy foods such as nuts, fruits, and vegetables that will sustain consistent energy levels throughout the day. Avoid sugary and salty junk food that lead to energy spurts and crashes. Take control over stress levels by exercising. Exercise is a natural stress reducer and will help you feel calmer. If you feel unfocused or overwhelmed by work, take a quick walk around the block to re-center yourself.
Takeaway
Implementing some of these tips into your daily life will help you increase productivity levels over time. In addition, some tips may work better for some than others because everyone’s work and organization styles are different. Test out what strategies work best for you. You will feel better physically and mentally, while being more productive at work.
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At RGBSI, we deliver total workforce management, engineering, quality lifecycle management, and IT solutions that provide strategic partnership for organizations of all sizes. We leverage our expertise to fill workforce gaps and deliver full range business solutions that optimize client operations worldwide.
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