11 ways to become more productive at work Viewpoint careers advice blog

11 ways to become more productive at work Being productive at work is not about working harder, it’s about working smarter. It’s about careful preparation, smart use of your resources and the effective streamlining of tasks.  But before even any of this, it’s about your attitude. In order to maximise your productivity you need to have a yearning to do better and succeed. I can provide you with a multitude of ways by which you can increase your productivity, but they aren’t going to count for much unless you’re prepared to go the extra mile to further your career. Are you ready and willing to do what it takes to become more productive and successful? Here are 11 ways to help you get there: 1. Plan ahead Schedule your routine tasks around low energy periods Such a large part of being productive comes down to being organised. Plan tasks for specific times of the day based on their difficulty. I often tackle my most challenging task of the day first. The sense of achievement I get from doing so helps to sustain my energy and productivity for the remainder of the day. Similarly, schedule your routine tasks â€" those which you can do with your eyes closed â€" around low energy periods. I spend my low energy periods, which normally occur at around 4-4.30pm, signing papers or reading market analytics; most people experience a mid-afternoon lull at around 3pm. I would recommend also always creating agendas for meetings, conferences and calls. This saves you and whoever else is in the meeting from veering off-piste. 2. Put pressure on yourself A really great way to make sure you don’t slack on your schedule is to let your team members know when you plan on completing a certain task. Now it won’t just be yourself you’re letting down if you miss the deadline. 3. Look after yourself Many workers feel increasingly under pressure to go to extraordinary lengths so as not to appear lazy. A report featured in the latest issue of the Hays Journal discovered that almost half of us have gone into work when ill in the last year. This is a phenomenon that is prevalent in lunch breaks also. Desperate not to appear idle, most of us eat lunch at our desks, whilst an alarming number don’t even venture outside the office. Reclaiming your lunch break is vital to getting your adequate nourishment, which the World Health Organization believes leads to a 20 per cent increase in productivity. The mind is a muscle also, and as such requires rest throughout the day Working to your maximum capacity for excessive periods will quickly lead to mental fatigue and exhaustion. The mind is a muscle also, and as such requires intermittent periods of rest throughout the day. If possible, try and work in 90 minute blocks with 10-15 minutes of downtime in between â€" helping to sustain your productivity for a longer period. A recent study found that even very brief diversions from a task can dramatically improve your ability to focus on that task in the long-term. Those who are familiar with Steven Covey’s ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ will remember the story of the golden egg laying goose. In order to enjoy full productivity we need to know not to cut the goose open (overwork) for the few golden eggs in the short-term but to nurture the goose (foster a healthy work-life balance), thus enjoying one golden egg a day for a longer period. 4. Be punctual Just as many of us feel peer pressured into relinquishing our lunch breaks, many of us are also coerced into working long into the night to such an extent in Japan that the government has had to intervene. It’s important that you think about the bigger picture. If you leave in good time today then you’ll feel fresher and more capable tomorrow. Being productive is about making the most of the time available to you, not working for as many hours as possible without any sort of urgency. Be punctual with your meetings also. Don’t hold them unless necessary â€" I’ve known quite a few people who schedule meetings simply because they think it’s the proper thing to do â€" and keep them brief when you do. 5. Optimise your workspace Your workspace has a significant impact on your overall mood and, consequently, how well you’re able to perform. We spend so much of our week at our desk that it’s foolish not to make an effort to create a warm and pleasant atmosphere for yourself during this time. Here’s a very comprehensive list of workplace tips. 6. Delegate The most valuable tool a leader has at their disposal is delegation The most valuable tool a leader has at their disposal is delegation. Richard Branson recently remarked that, “if you want to learn as an entrepreneur, then you’ve got to learn how to delegate” â€" I would go one step further and say that this applies to not just entrepreneurs but all leaders. Don’t shirk responsibility for tasks, but don’t overburden yourself either. Focus on the most important tasks to you, and defer everything else to your most competent team members; thus letting you get more done in less time. Teach your people how to hold the rod properly instead of fishing for them all the time. By spending time helping them grow in the short-term you can reap the long-term rewards of their added value and expertise. 7. Prioritise Work on one task at a time, starting a new one only once the previous one has been completed. Juggling tasks has been scientifically proven to “decrease the performance of workers, raising the chances of low output, long duration of projects and exploding backlogs”. Having the resolve to stick with one task is actually not that simple, especially when people are pestering you to lend a hand with theirs. You have to know when to say no to colleagues, and even your boss â€" here’s a Viewpoint guide to help you do so. The Pareto Principle (or The 80/20 Rule) observes that most things in life aren’t distributed evenly. In business terms this could mean that 80 per cent of your revenue comes from 20 per cent of your customers or that 80 per cent of your bonus depends on 20 per cent of your responsibilities. Decide which tasks are most important to you and then focus the majority of your energy on them. 8. Collaborate Sometimes you can get so caught up in a project that you can’t see the wood for the trees. Seeking the feedback of others can help you to gain a clearer perspective on the task, both helping you to complete it in quicker time and, from soliciting their feedback, to make the task as successful as possible. 9. Change your thought process Changing the way you think about stress can increase your productivity A real mark of someone’s professional merit is how well they’re able to perform under pressure. Changing the way you think about stress can increase your productivity and overall chance of success â€" our CEO has some useful tips on this in his LinkedIn Influencer blog. Reinforce positive thoughts and discard of the negative. Instead of thinking “I’ve got so much work on, how am I ever going to manage?” put together a manageable plan of action, tackling each task in order of priority. A systematic approach such as this will help you to rationally assess the urgency and relevancy of each project. Negativity is highly infectious, so try and resolve the problem at its stem by coaching those who are prone to negative outbursts into becoming more positive and optimistic. 10. Get things right the first time Getting things right the first time can be helped by remaining cool and keeping your focus. If you’re struggling with your workload and think that blitzing through each task might be the solution then think again. Your colleague, client or boss is unlikely to be happy with work that’s been done without your full attention and effort. 11. Just do it! Last but not least, just do it. The previous ten points are of no use unless you’re determined to put in the extra effort required to maximise your productivity. You’ll often find that once you’re in the groove and are busy getting on that it’s easier to keep working than it is to stop. “Immediate action fuels a positive feedback loop that drives even more action,” says author and leadership expert Robin Sharma. The need to succeed There are many different ways you can increase your productivity, but in order to benefit fully from them you need to be truly committed to the cause; a desire to succeed is essential to maximise your output. If you’re someone who is used to cutting corners and doing the minimum required then all of the above might be difficult at first. That’s OK, change can be uncomfortable but reward is never too far round the corner â€" new habits are created after only 21 days of constant practice. Stick with it and you’ll soon create a profitable cycle of productivity and success to drive your career forward. I hope you have found the above advice useful. Here are some other Viewpoint blogs and a SlideShare presentation to help you effectively manage your career: Are you suffering from career burnout? Its time to make a change How to optimise your LinkedIn profile What size company is the right fit for you? Common cover letter mistakes How I coped with relocating 11,000 miles for my new job, twice 6 leadership styles you need to succeed Stop waiting to be recognised Great leaders put themselves second Do you know how and when to say no?