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
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