In today’s fast-paced world, productivity is key to becoming successful at work. The work day only has so many hours, so learning to make the most out of this limited time is important. Approaching the work day with a solid strategy can be beneficial for this goal.
Working harder is not the only method to get good results. Working smarter is another way to it, and can even lead to better results with less effort and resources spent. Let’s explore some of the smart ways you can boost productivity at work.
Set self-imposed deadlines, manage your schedule
Stress is an unavoidable part of work, so learn to manage stress early on. A great way to go about it is to set realistic and self-imposed deadlines to tasks, especially open-ended projects.
Watching the clock can instill discipline in you and can lead to improved focus at your job. Scheduling your day into manageable segments is also part of the deal, and can be a potent time-saving habit.
Reduce your multitasking or drop it completely
Research done by the American Psychological Association has shown that multitasking several tasks at once usually leads to time wastage and reduced productivity. Apparently, multitasking isn’t an effective tool to wield for the workplace – at least for a majority of us.
Gauge yourself and see how well you do at work when you multitask. If you find yourself struggling and overwhelmed most of the time, or the results from your multitasking aren’t the best that you’re capable of, then reduce the number of your tasks, or go back to good old fashioned single-tasking.
Take regular breaks to refresh yourself
Timed short breaks can be beneficial for your concentration at the workplace. Better yet, do exercise breaks like wall push-ups or quick walks along the corridors. A published study confirms that a brief exercise during breaks can improve productivity.
Research has also uncovered that you can maintain a constant level of performance all throughout a long task when you take occasional breaks in between.
Take care of your health
A healthy worker is a productive worker. An employee with a sound body and a sound mind will be at their tip-top condition for productive work. Take care of your health, especially your mental wellness. It’s this part of human well-being that often gets neglected.
Mind-altering substances can be a hurdle to your productivity. Cannabis in particular, while now legalized in certain parts of the world as a recreational drug, is still known to have short-term negative effects in the workplace. Some of these include a lack of focus, impaired memory, and in recent studies, even increased blood pressure. With that in mind, drug testing in the workplace is highly essential in companies or businesses.
While there have been leaps in decriminalizing marijuana, there are still companies that are not fond of marijuana users. Some companies hold pre-employment drug screenings to ward off potentially problematic workers. Just in case some slip through the net, they also randomly hold illegal substance testing, through marijuana drug test kits and other methods. It’s important to know the laws of your land, where your company stands on this issue, and of course, where your priorities lie in the end.
Wrapping up
Working smarter is the key to a more fruitful work life. It’s an ongoing, adaptive process that requires careful planning, but pays off greatly in the long run. Learn from your experiences, take time to learn what works and what doesn’t, and you’ll gradually become more productive at your job.