Top 10 Tips to Improve Productivity at Work

Often people think increasing man-hours can increase productivity at work. However, working smart is more important than working for more hours. The inherent  organisational culture is such that a person working 14 hours is always appreciated more than the person who manages to leave office on time.

For a certain task, if there is a constant need to stretch office hours, then there is certainly something hampering productivity.

The ideal aim is to complete the work within the stipulated time period without making an error. It is very important to manage time to increase productivity at work. Here are top ten tips for ^[1] at work.

1. Monitor time for each task:It is estimated that out of a group, there are barely 17% of people who can anticipate the exact timing of their work. If you do not fall into that group, you need to monitor time you take for each task Over time, you can estimate how much time you need and accordingly you can plan your tasks.
2. Set the schedule for next day: It is very important to set the timetable for the next day. Your schedule should be according to the priority of the tasks. There must be provision for unexpected and emergency assignments. This will help in managing time in the best way possible.
3. Prepare short-term goals: Suppose, you have an assignment which needs to be completed in next two weeks. You need to prepare your own deadlines for the project. You can segregate different parts of the project and assign a deadline to them. Try meeting these shorter deadlines, and your final goal will be accomplished.
4. Breaks are necessary:Break are essential for the human brain and a continuous strain will freeze the thinking capacity after a point of time. Thus, taking break whenever you are feeling over-pressurized is necessary. Follow a rule of five to ten minutes breaks in between work. You can have a cup of tea or just freshen up a little. This will increase and improve the quality of work as well.
5. Think about alternative ways of accomplishing tasks: There are different ways of doing a task, what matters is the final result. So, if you are not comfortable in doing a task as described by your boss, twist the process a little and maybe it can yield better results. Well-thought improvisation often leads to better results. This can shorten the time required for a task without affecting the quality.
6. Stop multitasking: In fast-paced workplace, multitasking is a common thing. However, studies have shown that performing various tasks together can reduce the productivity and efficiency of work. When you perform various tasks simultaneously, you keep on distracting yourself which leads to poor results.
7. ^[2]: Steve Olenski, a well-known entrepreneur, suggests a “two-minute rule” for better productivity. Suppose, you have a small task which can be completed in just two minutes. If you leave the task to get back to later, it can take more time unnecessarily. If you do that as and when it arrives, it saves time.
8. Avoid Distractions: For increasing productivity, you need focus. For focus you need to avoid distractions. While working on a tight deadline, try avoiding unnecessary conversations, meeting.
9. Have an organized workplace: An organized workplace can motivate you to work efficiently. If it is not, it shows that you are not organized in yourself.
10. Do not just tick off the checklist – Analyze it: Productivity is not about ticking things off your checklist, rather how efficiently you have accomplished the work. Analyze if you could have done taken shorter time or improvised it for better.

In this age of rat-race, someone who cannot efficiently work will eventually lose their job or at least some golden opportunities. Essentially managing time to improve productivity is critical at workplace. For managers, it is very important to recognize the smart work of people over how many hours they are sitting in their cubicles. Appreciation of this work culture plays a great role in improving productivity as well.

^[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2018/02/17/ten-ways-to-be-more-productive-at-work/#3866b36d126a

^[2] https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/15-ways-to-increase-productivity-at-work.html

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248754