Wondering how to increase your productivity at work? You’re in the right place.
Think about it, your workplace is where you spend the majority of your waking hours.
You wake up, head into the office or job site, spend 8-10 hours physically and mentally devoted to the tasks at hand and head home for a few hours of free time with your family or friends before sleeping and restarting the process. It’s a necessary routine.
However, sometimes routines can be troublesome. They can become mundane and tiring causing negative thoughts and a lack of productivity. This can make the daily routine seem more like a chore than something you’d like to devote your time and commit to.
Below are actions you can take today to make your work days more enjoyable and boost your productivity.
1. Practice Thorough Planning
Productivity starts with proper planning. By starting each day with a 10 minute period to focus on the tasks you must achieve for the day, prioritizing your efforts and making a list, you’ll be better prepared to face whatever is thrown your way. Crossing items off as you go through your day can be a major motivator and productivity will be a natural result.
2. Create a Mantra
It’s no wonder that individuals with a focal point or phrase are more likely to maintain a level of relaxation that lasts throughout the day. But, coming up with a motivating phrase can be difficult on your own. Instead, look online for phrases that will help you find your center throughout the day. Something like “success comes in cans, not cannots,” or “keep moving forward,” can be a positive reminder to concentrate on productivity. Print out your phrase and tape it to the bottom of your computer screen for a regular reminder.
3. Take Breaks
Small breaks are important to maintaining a high level of focus without tiring yourself out. Try for 2 minutes an hour or in between each task. Get up and do a few jumping jacks, walk or grab a drink of water or tea, take a second to look out the window and focus on something far away.
4. Choose Positivity
Sometimes choosing to be positive is half the battle. Whether you work in a position that requires a strong positive focus for the benefit of others, like a hospital or drug rehab or you work in customer service taking complaints day in and day out, positivity can seem like an unobtainable gift. Instead, make it your choice. Take every opportunity to see the positive features that surround you and choose to stay there.
5. Start with the Difficult Tasks
While making your list of to-do items for the day, put the most difficult tasks, or those that you enjoy the least, at the top of the list. By crossing off your most difficult tasks in the beginning of your day, you’ll be able to know the worst is behind you instead of around the corner, leading to a more productive day with less stalling.
6. Commit to Continual Learning
Put an effort on finding ways to better yourself as a professional as frequently as possible. Join a professional networking group that provides seminars or ask questions of your superiors to better understand your tasks. When you take the time to learn, you’re taking the time to boost your self-confidence, which will later help your productivity.
7. Change Your Diet
It’s not a secret that office diets can be harmful to your health. But, they can also affect your mind. Greasy, fast and freezer foods are known for causing sluggish behaviors and lingering effects. Look for ways to incorporate fruits, veggies, nuts and lean proteins. Look online for recipes and find a way to boost your energy naturally throughout the day.
8. Stop Multitasking
While some situations require multitasking, many times we bring it on ourselves. Instead, focus on completing one task at a time and doing it well. Stop checking e-mails while writing reports, instead, finish each task before moving onto another.
9. Decorate Properly
Your office – whether you’d like to admit it or not – is your home away from home. Find reminders of home, positive photos, sports memorabilia and other items that help you to remember that your life does continue outside of work. Positive thoughts are powerful forces for productivity.
10. Build Office Relationships
Find a way to reach out to your co-workers and to build office relationships. Share your interests and invite coworkers out for coffee breaks. Find out their likes and dislikes and build basic relationships. You don’t have to become best friends, but, by making an effort to learn more than their first names, you’ll have something to look forward to during work hours.
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