What Is Productivity? a Definition and Proven Ways to Improve It

 




What is productivity to you?

Why do you want to increase your productivity? The most obvious answer which will probably come to mind is that you’d like more free time to try to the items you enjoy doing.

If you’re ready to reach your goals sooner, that leaves you time to line and achieve other goals, whether that’s relaxing with a book or learning a replacement skill.

As a bonus, if you accomplish tasks with more ease and frequency, you’ll see a decrease in life stressors – instead of running around trying to urge everything done, you’ll see your duties completed in a timely manner.

It’s getting the results you want with less time and effort. When you’re trying to know the way to be productive, what you’re really seeking may be thanks to achieve your goals while having time to spend on what matters.

To me, productivity is a personal measure. Especially in the 21st century where most of us work independently. We’re no longer machine operators. We’re skilled knowledge workers who manage their own time and energy.

Based on the above, there are two types of productivity:

Workforce productivity: The total amount of goods and services workers produces in a certain period.

Personal productivity: The relevant output of an individual in a certain period.

Benefits of Improved Productivity

The benefits of accelerating your productivity are clear: once you work on the proper things, you'll get more and better results. That’s how we realize growth. Here are three additional benefits of improved productivity:

1. Innovation

Modern-day life and work have always been about change. However, the pace of change has substantially increased in the 21st century. Also, technology has increased our productivity.

But the reverse is also true; our increased productivity leads to more innovation and new technology. The more productive we become, the more we will innovate.

2. Self-confidence

In 1952, Bernice Milburn Moore published an article called Self-Confidence for Competence in the journal of Educational Leadership. In the article, she shares how self-confidence is boosted by your competencies.

In other words: the higher you get at something, the more self-confident you'll be. The more productive you’re, the more competencies you'll develop. Hence, the more confident you will become.

3. Higher engagement

The more involved and passionate someone is about their work, the higher their levels of work engagement are.

The research into productivity is robust. But it doesn’t require research project to experience the facility of productivity. Simply improve your personal productivity and see what effects it's on your work, energy, mind, rewards, happiness, etc.

Common productivity challenges




It’s challenging to live knowledge based workers purely by the output of their productivity. Quality is often important, meaning that the sheer amount of time spent on a project, or the final work delivered may not be directly related to the person’s productivity level.

In today’s workplace, if organizations focus solely on measuring productivity because the volume of output of people’s work, they're likely to seek out themselves with a stressed and disengaged workforce that feels misunderstood.

Yet it's still important to make sure that regardless of the work being done, people are spending their time wisely, being efficient, and feel they're having an impression within the workplace. Here are a number of the foremost common productivity challenges for today’s knowledge workers, and the way you'll address them:

1. Employee Disengagement

Disengaged employees are likely not the most productive employees since they don’t feel attached to the company. Research backs this up. According to a Gallup study, organizations with high rates of engagement experience 21 percent higher productivity.

This is one among the most important productivity challenges companies face and to beat it leaders got to work to form their employees feel connected and motivated if they need to see a true boost in productivity levels.

In addition people require timely, meaningful, recognition. By letting they know their work has had an impact on business results, people get a sense they are part of something important and form a mental and emotional attachment that becomes mutually beneficial for both them and their employer

2. Ineffective Performance Management

A Gallup study found that half of workers don’t know what’s expected of them at work. That’ a huge problem. When this happens it can cause them setting the incorrect priorities, feeling confused, and ultimately performing on the incorrect things, which successively decreases productivity all around.

However if managers assist their reports in setting goals for every work period, clear expectations can cause 5-10 percent gains in productivity. This is probably one of the productivity challenges people don’t think about regularly.

This is why it’s essential for managers to guide their team members not just through goal-setting but also by regularly aligning with them and creating opportunities to check-in.

3. Tools, Training and Development

Even after setting clear expectations and goals, people will still need continuous guidance and coaching throughout the quarter or sprint. Not eager to appear incompetent, some people may attempt to wade through their difficulties on their own, either taking longer or making mistakes along the way, which could impact overall productivity.

Instead, it’s important to develop a culture of continuous learning so people feel able to ask questions and empowered to learn on the job.

4. Excessive Meetings

Today’s workplace is filled with distractions: open office spaces and app notifications create more distractions than ever. But an often overlooked culprit is meetings!

There are times when your whole day is back-to-back meetings, or worse, days when you have short 30 minute periods in between, which are not quite enough to get back into work, but also enough to feel the minutes of productivity slip away.

One way to cut down workplace distractions could be by instituting no meeting Thursdays, creating silent rooms in the office or setting up a signal for when someone needs absolute distraction free focus time.

5. Non-work Related Reasons for Productivity Challenges

One of the biggest productivity challenges can be personal. But during those times, pushing too hard to squeeze out work only results in high stress and burn-out. Thinking back to your company culture and an engaged workforce, it’s important to make sure people fee supported during those times instead of squeezed.

Non-work related stress can have a major impact on people’s ability to focus and get things done. Rather than wasting resources, give people the time and support they have to recover and make dedicated company ambassadors reciprocally.

One way to make sure people feel supported by their employer is by instituting regular 1-on-1s between managers and their direct reports. If they frequently check-in, not just on work but on how they're feeling about work, this creates a chance for people to talk up in difficult times.

At the core, you want to ensure that your people feel valued and are giving back to the business. Helping them feel more productive and having the proper structure to support them, contributes thereto.

How can you be more productive?




There are some ways to extend your productivity; the key's choosing those that are right for you and your ultimate goals. As you're employed toward becoming more productive, you’ll hamper on wasted time and you’ll revisit to that specialize in what it's you actually care about.

So, if you want to maximize your productivity, don't resolve to put in long hours at work; and try these tried-and-tested tips instead:

Take regular breaks

You might think it's counterintuitive, but taking short breaks between works actually boosts concentration, creativity and memory. Continuously working for long stretches of your time results in stress, exhaustion and decision fatigue. Maximize your efficiency at work by taking frequent breaks to refresh and refuel your mind.

Learn to single-task

So boost your productivity by focusing on only one task at a time. You can also use tools like Rescue Time or Timelier to form sure that you simply don't lose sight of your time within the process. In addition, avoid over-committing and assess your priorities regularly to stop burnout.

Follow the 'two-minute rule'

In his bestselling book Getting Things Done, author and productivity consultant David Allen talked about his 'two-minute rule.' The gist is — if you've got a pending task which will be completed in two minutes, you should do it right away as it'll take longer to review and finish it later.

Think about daily chores like answering emails, making your bed, doing the dishes, etc. This time-management strategy can drastically improve your productivity by eliminating procrastination and helping you accomplish more tasks during a day.

Plan each day the night before

To-do lists, as you would possibly already know, are an excellent productivity tool. They help you stay organized and focused. Creating a to-do list before going to bed gives you a head start on your morning as you've already planned what needs to be done in a day. However, it is vital to notice that your to-do list shouldn't include quite two or three items.

Keep it realistic and simple. Cramming numerous items on your list will only cause you to feel disoriented and overwhelmed.

Take advantage of your commute

Instead of whiling away some time on social media, use those precious hours to realize more knowledge. Read thought-provoking books and articles or listen to a good podcast.

Get organized

Start by getting rid of all the non-essential items and assigning a proper place to everything. The best thanks to keep things organized without feeling overwhelmed or exhausted is to wash up your work desk a day before you head home. In addition, inspect these useful recommendations on getting and staying organized.

Eliminate digital distractions

Set a limit on the amount of time you spend on the Internet. Also, disable app notifications or keep your phone on silent mode while working in order that the constant updates won't distract you.

Make a not-to-do list

While we've already discussed the advantages of making a to-do list, a not-to-do list is additionally a productivity game-changer. The idea is to make an inventory of all of these activities you're getting to stop doing so as to become more productive.

Take some time to analyze the things you could have done differently or more efficiently, tasks that aren't contributing to your personal and professional goals, any unproductive habits that you need to ditch, etc. Now prepare a not-to-do list supported that self-analysis and work on incorporating those changes in your daily routine.

Get enough sleep

Getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night is crucial for your physical and mental well-being. Being well-rested elevates mood, boosts creativity, reduces stress and improves memory.

It also sharpens your focus and enhances your ability to accurately take split-second decisions. In addition, establishing a healthy morning routine is additionally a crucial step to line you up for a more productivity day.

 

By Shaikh Umme Amara