Are you always running up and down trying to sort out issues yet at the end of the day you feel like you still have so much you haven’t accomplished? Do you use the phrase ‘busy as a bee’? If you do, do you think you as productive as the bee? Do you wish the day had 30 hours instead of 24? What is time worth to you? If this is you, here a few tips you could use to ensure that you don’t feel the same way and increase your productivity.
Make a time log
Write down all the time spent on all your activities everyday for a whole week period. This will give you a draft of where your time goes and give you an idea of the things that are stealing your time. Identify the ways that will make you more efficient and add to your productivity.
Do not multitask, you cannot be superman
Research has shown that skipping from one task to the next more than 10 times in a day will make you dumber. When you multitask, your IQ decreases by ten points on average; five points in women and fifteen points in men. Avoid switching from one job to the next because it does not work. Concentrate on a few tasks each day and work towards accomplishing them.
Avoid distractions at all costs
Emails, instant messages, texts and social sites are the common distractions encountered in work places. Avoid them completely. Let your IM stay offline, switch off your cell phone or set it to silent mode. If your work does not need the use of an internet connection, you can switch of the connection. This will help you focus better on your job and you will be able to finish it on time.
Work at your own pace
We mostly tend to compare our progress with other peoples’ progresses and get the need to compete with them. Then we want to accomplish as much or more that they have accomplished. Realise that your productivity can not be measured by theirs. You could have a clean desk but that does not mean that you had a very good work output. Do not let someone or something else dictate how you work. Set your own objectives and adhere to them.
Take deep breaths
Every time you find your head wandering and not focusing on a task at hand, breathe in and out. This breathing will serve as a reminder to assist you refocus on the job at hand.
Be attentive
Pay close attention to what you are doing to avoid mistakes. Open your mind, this offers something for your mind to think about and avoid wandering. Make sure that what you are thinking about relates to the task at hand.
Take a rest in between jobs
You are not a super power, your body needs to be recharged after one completed task before you can begin another. Find something to eat during this break too. This will provide glucose for the brain. It will also refresh your body and you won’t get tired fast.