“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” — Paul J. Meyer
Being productive at work always pays off. Not only does this ensure that you get everything done that you need to, it also helps to keep on top of things. Working smarter and not harder is the mantra of today’s work culture and the more ways you find to be productive the more you can work smarter. There is also the added benefit of influencing others to be do better at their job.
But being productive is not always as easy as one might hope. It can take some serious dedication to get to the point where you are as productive as you can be. Nonetheless, it is perfectly doable. If you are interested in learning how to be more productive at work, then read on.
Time Management
This is far and away the most essential part of learning to be more productive. After all, productivity just means that you are using your time well. A lot of the time, people are not productive at work simply because they do not know how to use their time properly. Learning how to use your time in the most effective way possible is a huge step towards achieving excellence at work. Awareness is the first step to any change. To know where and how you spend your time is the key to know what works and what not. To that end, consider the following exercise. Set up a timer on your desk, and pay attention to it. Note how long various tasks take you. You might be surprised to discover just where your time is being wasted. Once you know where you are wasting time, you can start to reel it back in.
Time management is never easy and always a hurdle when we want to do more in the limited time we have, but with little discipline every day, time management becomes a habit.
Organizational Skills
If you are serious about your productivity, you need to learn how to save time wherever possible. This does not mean cutting corners to the point where it is detrimental to your work. There would be no use in doing that. What it does mean, however, is learning how to make those inessential tasks take up less time. Processes such as records management can be made more efficient by having an automated system installed. Of course, it might be that this is not your call to make. But there is nothing stopping you from raising it with your superiors. On a more simple level, you should try to develop some basic organisational skills. When you know where everything is, you will find that you have a lot more time on your hands to do the actual important work.
Energy & Motivation
To sustain being productive, you need to make sure you have the strength and motivation to carry on the work you have undertaken. If you are still struggling with producing a decent amount of work, then the problem might lie elsewhere. It is worth looking at your life in a more general sense and seeing if there is anything you can change to make yourself more productive at work. For many people, it is a simple matter of not having enough energy. If that sounds familiar, then consider taking a look at your diet. Is there anything you need to change? What’s more, you should also ensure that you are getting enough sleep. Being tired and grouchy is sure to make you less productive than you could be.
Invest time to gather the strength and energy to enjoy the work you do. Eat healthy and stay fit, your productivity rests on your pillars of strength. Here’s a list of some natural food targets that’ll give you the energy you need to sustain one or hundreds of productive days.