We all know that our time is the most precious resource we have, and as such it’s important to make the most of it. To do that, you need to find ways to increase your efficiency at work, which will enable you to get more done in a shorter period of time
Working efficiently doesn’t happen by accident, however. It takes determination and discipline to create a productive work environment and keep your focus throughout the day. But if you’re able to implement some of the following strategies into your daily routine, you will see your efficiency grow and feel less stressed about doing your best work while meeting deadlines.
1. Finish What You Start
A project that is incomplete is something that just breeds stress. It is difficult to move onto the next task if you still have one hanging over your head.
By finishing a task, you’ll give yourself a boost of energy that comes with knowing a portion of your unfinished work won’t come back to haunt you some time in the future.
This tip has its limitations – like, when you’re waiting for another individual or department to get back to you with information that is essential for a project to move ahead. What tip #1 refers to is work that is under your control. Moving a project ahead as far as you can creates completion for that phase, at which point you can move on to other priorities knowing that you have done your best to move the work as far forward as possible in the moment.
2. Keep Track of Your Time
Being efficient isn’t just about completing tasks, but also understanding the time it takes for your processes. Logging the amount of time it takes for each item on your to-do list will help you identify the parts of your work day that are consuming the most time, and where you can streamline activities.
Don’t forget to also make note of your breaks, conversations with colleagues and other random day-to-day events to get a thorough picture of how much time is truly being devoted directly to projects.
3. Take Regular Breaks
It may sometimes seem like taking breaks is counter-productive to an efficient workday, but breaks are essential to your productivity. It is very difficult to be effectively focused on a screen or paperwork for more than 90 minutes at a time.
Set a timer for no more than 90 minutes and get up for some water (hydration is important, too – see the next tip) or take a quick walk when it times out. Your brain can only focus for around 90 minutes before it needs a break. This time frame is called the ultradian rhythm, a cycle that’s present in both our sleeping and waking lives.
4. Hydrate
Adult bodies are composed of about 60% water. This makes even mild dehydration an issue, since a deficit of water can make it difficult to concentrate and perform mental tasks like problem solving.
Drink water throughout the day to keep your mental performance optimized.
And, when you drink liquids be careful about your caffeine intake. If you become accustomed to drinking sizeable amounts of coffee in the morning, you may be setting yourself up for a crash in the afternoon when the mental stimulation from the caffeine wears off.
5. Limit Distractions
Whether you work from home or in an office, there are always plenty of items that can take you attention away from any task at hand. Your technology – like your phone’s email and social media alerts – are one of the key sources of distraction that destroy productivity during the day.
“Highly productive people can seem like they are superhuman. Most of the time, the most efficient people have methodically overcome inefficiencies by incremental improvements in their habits.”
6. Delegate
There are times when you might find it difficult to delegate tasks, since it can seem like it’s easier to get the job done yourself rather than spending extra time explaining it to a colleague. This is classic micromanaging and can ruin productivity. Get to know your co-worker’s strengths and delegate tasks that they can complete. That way you can focus on the most important aspects of any given project and get them completed faster.
7. Exercise
Exercising during work time may help improve productivity, according to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Set some time aside where you can go for a walk at lunch or even attend a quick gym class. If you’re squeezed for time, you could even squeeze in some exercise time at your desk. Getting your heart pumping even for a short period of time can help clear your head and get your focus back.
8. Natural Light
Depending on the design of your office, artificial lighting may be everywhere in your work environment. But if you are near a window, try to keep the blinds up and the light flowing into your space. Natural light helps you feel more alert and rejuvenated and improves overall productivity.
9. Don’t Multi-Task
Contrary to the belief that multi-tasking can hep you spread your efforts across multiple tasks, it has been shown that multi-tasking makes you less productive. Research conducted by Stanford University shows that ‘productivity can be reduced by as much as 40 percent by the mental blocks created when people switch tasks and lowers your IQ.’ Stick to focusing on one task at a time and watch your productivity rise.
10. Avoid Pointless Meetings
Meetings can eat up a lot of time, and often make you question why you had just wasted 30 minutes of the day on something insignificant. Unless the meeting is compulsory, avoid pointless meetings that aren’t relevant to your line of work or serve as quick updates. Use asynchronous communication like email, text, or team communication systems like Slack to keep information flowing between you and your colleagues. This will give you more time to focus on tasks to complete and will probably allow you to complete them faster.
These are just some of the examples of ways to limit disruption and productivity-killers that can drain your time and energy. By following these tips, you can make life easier for yourself, and produce high quality work that benefits the company and opens doors to advancement.
