Marketing Strategies

7 most effective techniques to increase productivity at work

18 May, 2018 |

This post intends to show you that increasing productivity is not impossible — you will also see that you do not even have to become a workaholic. Follow 7 techniques that will help you feel happier and more fulfilled at work!

Increasing productivity — and, consequently, the income — without jeopardising the deadlines and the quality of work is the goal of any professional. However, how do you fight some bad habits, avoid day-to-day distractions and beat procrastination?

Your routine is increasingly faster and sometimes too much information makes you think about several things at the same time and not focus entirely on anything? This is one of the plagues of the 21st century: people have this difficulty and the result is stress and results that could be better.

This post intends to show you that increasing productivity is not impossible — you will also see that you do not even have to become a workaholic. Follow 7 techniques that will help you feel happier and more fulfilled at work!

1. List and prioritise your tasks

The organization is the key to increasing productivity. Programming your activities and having control over how and when to carry them out is a great way to make sure that you will get them done and there will be time to carry them out in a single day.

So, on the previous day, make a list of your main obligations in order of priority. That is the moment to think about the urgency of each and to accommodate them according to your schedule.

In order to that, you can use spreadsheets, the mobile notepad or a simple list on a piece of paper. Interestingly, as you carry out each task, you can delete that item or cross it out.

2. Stay away from distractions

This tip may seem obvious, but often we do not realize that a distraction can be, for example, our mobile phone left innocently on our desk. Hearing the WhatsApp message tone or the notification when a new video is posted on your favourite YouTube channel may be other ways of distracting you from what is really necessary: your work.

Our suggestion is to disable notifications from social media and apps from your cell phone or just turn off the device while carrying out a task that demands more attention. We know how much these technologies are present and positive in peoples’ lives, but overusing them will not get your work done and will not let you submit it within the deadline.

It takes a good deal of discipline and willingness to understand that there is a time for everything. After all, no one is saying that you cannot check your emails or access your profiles on the internet; we are only saying that is more feasible to do so at the right time.

3. Know how to manage your time

Successful professionals know how to manage their time. In fact, they understand that this is crucial to the good performance of their tasks and to have a healthier routine. It is, therefore, interesting that you also improve your management of this resource.

Once you have identified your daily obligations, try to set a deadline for each of them, however simple they may be. This way it is easier to stay focused because the pressure of a deadline works as a motivation.

Another suggestion is to avoid the “multitasking mode” and carry out one task at a time. Sometimes, in a hurry to solve all the problems, the human being tends to extrapolate their limits and do several things at the same time. This is terrible because it sabotages productivity.

4. Use methods that facilitate the production

If it seems difficult for you to keep up with your tasks schedule, know that there are different methods that can make your work easier. Still, remember: although they are great to help, these strategies will only work well if they are combined with your effort and goodwill.

The best known is the Pomodoro Technique inspired by those tomato-shaped kitchen timers, which serve to let you know when the food is cooked. This basically consists of dividing your time into 25-minute work blocks and 5 minute-breaks to rest and for every 4 blocks — that is, every two hours — a longer break of 30 minutes. Simple, right?

Another technique that may help increase your productivity is the Eisenhower Matrix that serves to define which tasks should be carried out immediately and which tasks can be left for later. In order to do this, you need to define which are important and/or urgent in a table with four quadrants in a square. Check this, please:

  • upper-left quadrant: important and urgent that needs to be done first;
  • upper-right quadrant: important, but not so urgent, and can be scheduled for later provided you pay attention to the date;
  • lower-left quadrant: not important, but urgent, you must delegate them to someone immediately and oversee the results;
  • lower-right quadrant: neither important nor urgent, they may, in many cases, be set aside.

5. Have a hobby

Surely you did not expect this tip, but it turns out that finding a task that pleases you in your spare time helps greatly to increase productivity at work. This happens because taking pleasure in doing something can be invigorating and contribute to forgetting the problems for a while.

Therefore, look for a hobby that brings lightness, relaxation and fun to your routine. Experiencing daily, or at least weekly, an activity that makes you happy — such as reading, writing, painting, doing exercise and playing a musical instrument, for example —, in addition to allowing for pleasant moments, it also keeps the brain functioning, increasing productivity at work.

6. Have a healthy diet

How is your diet? Do you know that this influences the outcome of your work? For example: drinking too much coffee during office hours, contrary to what many people think, may be harmful because it can give you a strong headache and make you feel too agitated to be able to focus on what is important.

Another suggestion is to drink a lot of water since a hydrated body enables the brain to reason better. In addition to that, make sure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, giving preference to foods rich in fibre and protein, and avoiding foods whose digestion requires a lot of energy from the body.

7. Avoid the excess of perfectionism

Remember: a work will always have merit even if it is not entirely perfect, so do not make it an obsession. Always giving your best is great, but you must have both your feet on the ground when you set goals and objectives — never seek unattainable results.

Also do not waste time looking for or mulling over faults and defects, because, little by little, your spirit will become exhausted and your productivity will decrease considerably. Instead, roll up your sleeves and get down to work. You already know where the mistake is, so work to correct it and do not be unfair to yourself, your business and the situation as a whole.

By following these 7 effective techniques to increase productivity, you will be prepared to do a great work and get incredible results in your business, since distraction and procrastination will no longer be a problem in your daily life.

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