Increase Productivity / Inspiration

8 super simple ways to improve your productivity at work

. 3 min read . Written by Rasika Rane
8 super simple ways to improve your productivity at work

Making the most out of your office time is crucial especially if you don’t want to be spending your Friday nights stuck at work, meeting your deadlines! While we all have our own ways of being productive, working smart will go a long way in ensuring you are productive without being majorly stressed out.

We’ve outlined a few simple but often forgotten strategies to improve your daily output. Hope these help you leave work at 5 PM today.

1. Take regular breaks

Sounds counterintuitive, but taking scheduled breaks can help improve concentration. Researches has proven that taking short breaks during long tasks helps in maintaining a constant level of performance whereas working at a task without breaks leads to a gradual decline in performance. Schedule your breaks according to your work pace and workload.

2. Quit multitasking

It’s a given that the ability to multitask is an essential skill for increasing efficiency. However, attempting to do several tasks at once can result in lost time and productivity. Instead, focus on one job at a time and give it your full attention before moving on to something else.

3. Take advantage of your commute

Instead of checking on social media or playing games, use some of your travel time to pound out some emails, manage your daily to-do list, or do some brainstorming. This also goes for any unexpected bonus time you find on your hands.

4. Follow the “two-minute rule”

The idea is that if you see a task or action that you know can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately. Completing the task right away actually takes less time than having to get back to it later. Implement the “two-minute rule” to make the most out of the small windows of time at work.

5. Work in 90-minute intervals

Researchers have found that subjects who work in intervals of no more than 90 minutes are more productive than those who work more than 90 minutes at a stretch. Set one-and-a-half-hour alarms on your phone and plan your breaks.

6. Do the heavy lifting when you’re at your best

Start out by doing the most demanding tasks at the time that you are most effective. If you’re a morning person, have a good breakfast and charge up to ensure that you’ve got the necessary fuel for a productive day. Keep the routine chores for other time slots in between tasks. If morning isn’t your deal, find a time that works best for you. The point is, do your most demanding tasks in your personal peak productivity time, whenever that is.

7. Plan phone calls

Unless you are expecting an important call, keep your phone on silent and give your project your full attention. Set aside a block of time to make all your outgoing calls instead. This simple practice will help you in focusing your attention and stops you from mindless Instagram scrolling.

8. Self-care

Getting enough sleep and making exercise part of your routine is a few of the things you need to do every day to be at your best and most productive. Eat a healthy diet. Drink lots of water. Get rid of your bad habits, whether they are smoking or hanging around toxic people. And be nice to yourself as well as to other people. Take time for yourself and do what recharges and refreshes you. The healthier you are, the more productive you will be, and the more productive you are with your work, the more time you will have to spend as you please.

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