50 Ways to Be More Productive At Work
Looking for a change of pace from the daily grind at work? Here’s a helpful collection of tips to be more efficient at work that can help you ease your mind, and help you maintain a higher level of productivity.
Automate What You Can
From your bills to mundane tasks, you can free up time by building automated systems.
Find Out Your Most Productive Hours
Everyone has a certain time of the day in which they are more productive than others. Discover what hours allow you to work at your best, and schedule accordingly.
Meditate
Just five to ten minutes of this meditation can help you relax, clear your mind, and leave you more prepared for any mental activity, which can be really helpful during peak work hours or if you have trouble relaxing.
Don’t Multitask
Research shows that multitasking is not a healthy practice, so for optimum productivity, try to focus on one thing at a time.
Regularly Exercise
Consistent, regular exercise can make you more productive, since it allows your body and mind to operate better under increased amounts of stress. Research has shown that midday exercise boosts productivity and morale in the workplace.
Write
Writing can help you remember things more easily in the future. From Idea Journals, diaries, and note taking, you can better exercise your analytical ability and creativity through writing.
Keep a Pen and Notebook Handy
By keeping these materials nearby, you can jot down what you need immediately.
Take Breaks
Research shows that taking intermittent breaks during your workday can, in fact, make you more productive in the long run. Shoot for working in short bursts at your most productive times.
Learn to Read Efficiently
When you learn to read faster and with purpose, you can learn to focus more on the important elements of what you read.
Make a To-Do List
A great way to plan ahead is to start a simple to-do list and mark your tasks for the day based on priority.
Make a Do-Later List
A secondary type of list: the items in this list are tasks that don’t take much time but aren’t majorly important.
Learn How to Better Manage Your Tasks
The Eisenhower Decision Matrix is a great resource to help you prioritize your tasks, and limit yourself only to information that you can immediately take action on. Another great rule to follow is the 80/20 rule, which refers to the phenomenon that 20% of causes lead to 80% of the results. Utilize the best resource you can to manage your tasks better.
Listen to Audiobooks or Podcasts
If you want to take a proactive break, try listening to educational podcasts or audiobooks to get your mind away from work, and learn something new.
Listen to Music
Some types of music can be distracting, but having classical music on during work can actually make you more productive.
Laugh
The release of endorphins caused by laughter will reduce stress levels, and help you maintain a higher level of function and focus at work.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Sleep helps detoxify the workload your brain goes through during the day, and poor sleep can negatively affect the way you work the next day. A well-rested mind will likely make the better one, creating a more productive situation.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Our diets have a massive impact upon brain function. The brain consumes more than 20% of all oxygen and nutrients which we consume, so smarter food choices are the best route to help with concentration and overall well being.
Plan Your Meals in Advance
Planning your meals ahead, as well as cooking meals in bulk, are great ways to increase your productivity, as it saves you quite a bit of time and money.
Try Working Without Wi-Fi
Internet connection allows you to send, receive, and research your work. But you may find that you get more done without the Wi-Fi in between.
Don’t Check Social Media Until After Work
If your work doesn’t involve social media, it’s best to stay away from it until after work hours.
Stick to the Right Screen
Avoid opening multiple tabs in your internet browser filled with useless information, and stick with the tab you are working on.
Leverage Technology
While tech can be a great distraction, it can also help you optimize your work processes. Apps such as Freedom and Rescuetime allow you to keep track of your time spent on your computer.
Organize
Keep things clean and tidy, and you’ll find that it will also affect the way your mind works.
Set SMART goals
SMART goals help you define a target or a goal to work towards while making it trackable and manageable at the same time.
Say No
Saying “no” can actually increase your productivity level, and help you focus on your own goals.
Get Up Early
The quiet of a morning can help your mind begin to be energized.
Do the Hardest Tasks First
Morning is the best time to accomplish the hardest tasks because your mind is functioning at top speed. The rest of the day becomes more positive, and you’ll end up getting a lot more done.
Shop Online
Sometimes it is faster to shop for items online, rather than seek them out in person at the grocery store.
Manage Your Emails
Emails are one of the best communication tools out there. Learning how to control your inbox can make things more effective for your work.
Improve Your Typing Speed
There are many courses that can help you improve your typing speed to keep up with the growing demand for computer-based work.
Keep a Strong Signal
Don’t waste money on a slow internet speed. Invest in a faster connection, and you’ll see your pace of work improve.
Work Remotely
If your work allows it, save yourself a commute and try working from home. If you run a business, consider making some days remote days for your team.
Work Offline
The Internet has become the number one potential distractors. To increase your productivity, try to do as much of your work offline as possible.
Learn Keyboard Shortcuts
With technology’s help, you can double your work efficiency by mastering keyboard shortcuts.
Stretch
You hold tension in your body, especially during stress. Stretching releases the tension to improve personal productivity.
Try a Standing Desk
When you work while standing, you increase the blood flow throughout your body. It increases your oxygen, too, helping your whole body function better. Check out Haworth’s collection of height-adjustable desks.
Set a Deadline
A deadline promotes speed and action for any task. Estimate the time you need to tackle different tasks and set a timer for each of your tasks.
Take Shorter Showers
You’ll free up a lot more time than you realize when you reduce your time in the shower.
Reflect and Audit Your Productivity
As you go throughout your day, repeatedly reflect on how you are working, and audit yourself in areas where you are struggling to get through.
Tell Other People About Your Goals
When you tell others about your goals, you will instantly be held accountable.
Group Similar Tasks
When you batch things together, you can knock things off your to-do list all at once. For example, if you need to work on Project A, finish everything related to Project A in the same session rather than scattering the tasks throughout the day.
Use the Best Tools
Stay updated with the latest software and tools to allow you to perform at an optimum level. Some examples include productivity tools such as Evernote to organize and jot down notes or Google Calendar to manage your time.
Reward Yourself
If you want to be more productive, try motivating yourself with a nice reward at the end of your work.
Don’t Procrastinate
A pretty straightforward tip, but one that many people often find most difficult to follow.
Love What You Do
When you are really passionate about your work, you’ll find yourself the most productive you can be for any task you take on.
