How to Increase Workplace Productivity
You can increase workplace productivity through effective time management, reducing distractions, and taking breaks when necessary. Map out a calendar and have a daily checklist of tasks to complete. Don’t forget to eat a proper diet and always get a good night’s sleep to recharge your body and brain.
Productivity is key for business growth as it determines profitability. Increased productivity also makes employees more likely to be promoted.
This post teaches how to increase productivity in your workplace.
Let’s dive in!
1. Map out a calendar and have a daily checklist
Add dates to your calendar to help you track your goals for each week. If the due date for a project is in six days, your deadline should be in three days. Setting deadlines days before the actual due date will help you complete tasks promptly.
Use these timelines to create a daily checklist of goals to meet. You don’t want to be stressed at work, as it negatively impacts productivity.
Trying to keep up with everything you need to do all at once can get pretty overwhelming. That’s why you should put everything down on paper. This way, you’ll successfully put things into perspective and become more efficient in dealing with your work demands.
Excellent time management skills will go a long way to keep your schedule as stress-free as possible.
2. Track your time
Your alarm clock is an excellent tool to track your time during working hours. Use it to avoid spending too much time on a project or a break. There are many other time tracking apps to use, such as RescueTime, My Hours, Timing, and more.
You must have great time management skills to be more productive at work. There are many tempting sites, including social media platforms, to explore on your computer. That’s why people get carried away easily while working.
But these distractions are not a problem if you can track your time. You can enjoy some time on your favorite sites and social platforms during break times. This way, you’ll prevent burnout and stay focused.
Always review how you spent your time at work to see where you can improve.
3. Get a good night sleep
A good night’s sleep goes a long way to repair your body and make you fit for the day. You can’t keep up with everything in the world, as this can backfire and hurt your concentration abilities.
Additionally, reading before going to bed is an excellent way to improve concentration.
Concentrating on characters, words, and storylines without any visual aids is a surefire way to strengthen your concentration abilities. It trains your brain to stay focused throughout the day. So, grab a good book each time you relax in bed after your day.
Knowing how to speed read is a plus, as it will help you do things faster and more efficiently.
Reading before bed helps with:
- Stress
- Mental health
- Concentration and memory
4. Start your day early
The early morning hours are not for everyone, but you can get a head start on the day by waking up as early as 4:00 AM. Some successful CEOs and executives have reported that getting up as early as 3:45 AM gives them a head start on their daily activities. So, try not to hit that snooze button on your alarm clock in the morning.
Waking up during the early hours gives you time for self-care before the day kicks off. The early hours are perfect for self-care practices such as meditation. This is a fantastic way to reduce stress and anxiety.
You’ll also find that most popular executives and CEOs begin their mornings with a cup of coffee. So, if you love coffee, then you’re off to a great start. If you race out to work every morning, you’ll be skipping breakfast a lot.
However, if you give yourself more time in the morning by waking up early, you’ll have enough time to eat a healthy breakfast. You can’t be productive without staying healthy.
5. Have a brain exercise routine
Find out what exercises work best to keep you sharp and have a routine. You can try meditation, memorization, learning something new, and reading.
These five exercises will keep your brain active, which is an excellent way to boost productivity:
Meditate
Meditation not only helps you become more productive, but it also improves health and well-being. It makes for an excellent activity for employees to prevent burnout while at work.
Meditation before work helps you quiet your mind instead of focusing on your to-do list. It prepares you mentally for the day and keeps you tuned with what your body and mind say.
This way, you’ll know when to take a break from a project to avoid making mistakes.
Working for long periods without taking breaks is not the best technique as it can negatively affect your work.
Memorize
Games such as a jigsaw or crossword puzzle are great for memory stimulation. You can also play the suitcase game with your coworkers at lunch.
As a professional, you need a good memory to excel. For example, a salesperson will be more likable if he can remember names and facts about his clients.
Learn something new
While you love your job, it’s important to expand your knowledge beyond what you do weekly.
Many people opt to learn a new language, which is achievable both at the office and at home. Understanding a different language can help you navigate through your career.
There are many other options to explore outside the office. You can keep your mind busy by picking up a hobby. Some examples include knitting and woodworking via YouTube, bird watching, books, gardening, and more.
When you have a hobby, it becomes easier to take breaks. This will help with your brain activity and avoid burnout.
Use your non-dominant hand
If you’re right-handed, try using your left hand to brush your teeth or eat your lunch.
Give your brain a workout by using your opposite hand. Using your non-dominant hand may seem like no big deal. But it is a big deal for your brain. Such exercises are super challenging for the human brain.
Read
Reading keeps your brain active every day. So, make sure you read regularly. You can read fiction or nonfiction depending on which one you enjoy more.
Read one of each for some variety as none is better than the other. You may find that you have lost interest in a book for a while. In this case, you should have another in progress and keep going.
There are many books to read, and if you need recommendations, Iris Reading has plenty of book suggestions!
6. Eat a proper diet
Eating a healthy diet helps you to sleep well at night. When you eat well, the blood vessels in your body will keep moving oxygenated blood to your brain. Go for foods rich in B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants.
For example, include berries, fatty fish, green leafy vegetables, and nuts in your diet. These foods contain the right components to keep your brain healthy.
7. Reduce distractions when working
Reducing distractions at your workplace is an excellent way to increase productivity. You can do this by focusing on one task at a time. This way, you’re more likely to complete tasks with greater efficiency.
However, don’t get too focused on work that you forget to take breaks.
Wake up early, take a shower and drink a cup of coffee. Try to develop a sense of normalcy to prevent showing up at work unmotivated and groggy. You may find that having a regular routine helps to keep your head in the game.
Get away from your desk when necessary and give yourself some time to recharge. You’ll be surprised how energetic you will feel after a brief relief from work.
8. Have a day off
Taking a day off from work is an excellent way to maintain fresh energy and increase productivity. You can’t achieve peak performance when experiencing burnout at the office. Remote workers are not left out when in this situation, as experiencing burnout at home is even worse.
Off days are great for traveling or enjoying many different things locally. Try exploring places in your community that you have never visited.
You can hike, go on a bike ride, or catch up on some fun reading at a nearby park. Try to get some exercise.
You can perform water activities. The goal is to step away from work, which will help keep your body and mind healthy.
Conclusion
Increasing workplace productivity is a must for businesses that are looking to grow. It puts you in a better position for more profits and better business relationships. As an employee, it makes you more likely to get that promotion you’ve been chasing.
You can increase your productivity at work with the following tips:
- Map out a calendar and have a daily checklist
- Track your time
- Get a good night sleep
- Start your day early
- Have an exercise routine
- Eat a proper diet
- Reduce distractions when working
- Take a day off
You will also benefit from taking the personal productivity course that Iris Reading offers. It contains over 133 hours of video content on life hacks that maximize productivity and the best productivity apps you can start using today.
Join many other busy professionals taking bold steps to increase their productivity.
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