15 Ways to Increase Productivity at Work | Inc.com

15 Ways to Increase Productivity at Work · 1. Track and limit how much time you're spending on tasks. · 2. Take regular breaks. · 3. Set self- ... logoLoginnavigationTopStoriesTopVideosGettyImagesThereareonlysomanyhoursintheday,somakingthemostofyourtimeiscritical.Therearetwowaysincreaseyouroutput--eitherputinmorehoursorworksmarter.Idon'tknowaboutyou,butIpreferthelatter.Beingmoreproductiveatworkisn'trocketscience,butitdoesrequirebeingmoredeliberateabouthowyoumanageyourtime.Thispostwillwalkyouthrough15simplebuteffectivestrategiesforincreasingyourproductivityatwork.1.Trackandlimithowmuchtimeyou'respendingontasks.Youmaythinkyou'reprettygoodatgauginghowmuchtimeyou'respendingonvarioustasks.However,someresearchsuggestsonlyaround17percentofpeopleareabletoaccuratelyestimatethepassageoftime.AtoollikeRescueTimecanhelpbylettingyouknowexactlyhowmuchtimeyouspendondailytasks,includingsocialmedia,email,wordprocessing,andapps.2.Takeregularbreaks.Itsoundscounterintuitive,buttakingscheduledbreakscanactuallyhelpimproveconcentration.Someresearchhasshownthattakingshortbreaksduringlongtaskshelpsyoutomaintainaconstantlevelofperformance;whileworkingatataskwithoutbreaksleadstoasteadydeclineinperformance.3.Setself-imposeddeadlines.Whileweusuallythinkofastressasabadthing,amanageablelevelofself-imposedstresscanactuallybehelpfulintermsofgivingusfocusandhelpingusmeetourgoals.Foropen-endedtasksorprojects,trygivingyourselfadeadline,andthensticktoit.Youmaybesurprisedtodiscoverjusthowfocusedandproductiveyoucanbewhenyou'rewatchingtheclock.4.Followthe"two-minuterule."EntrepreneurSteveOlenskirecommendsimplementingthe"two-minuterule"tomakethemostofsmallwindowsoftimethatyouhaveatwork.Theideaisthis:Ifyouseeataskoractionthatyouknowcanbedoneintwominutesorless,doitimmediately.AccordingtoOlenski,completingthetaskrightawayactuallytakeslesstimethanhavingtogetbacktoitlater.Implementingthishasmadehimoneofthemostinfluentialcontentstrategistsonline.5.Justsaynotomeetings.Meetingsareoneofthebiggesttime-sucksaround,yetsomehowwecontinuetounquestioninglybookthem,attendthemand,inevitably,complainaboutthem.AccordingtoAtlassian,theaverageofficeworkerspendsover31hourseachmonthinunproductivemeetings.Beforebookingyournextmeeting,askyourselfwhetheryoucanaccomplishthesamegoalsortasksviaemail,phone,orWeb-basedmeeting(whichmaybeslightlymoreproductive).6.Holdstandingmeetings.Ifyouabsolutelymusthaveameeting,there'ssomeevidencethatstandingmeetings(they'rejustwhattheysoundlike--everyonestands)canresultinincreasedgrouparousal,decreasedterritoriality,andimprovedgroupperformance.Forthosetimeswhenmeetingsareunavoidable,youmaywanttocheckoutthese12unusualwaystospurcreativityduringmeetings.7.Quitmultitasking.Whilewetendtothinkoftheabilitytomultitaskasanimportantskillforincreasingefficiency,theoppositemayinfactbetrue.Psychologistshavefoundattemptingtodoseveraltasksatoncecanresultinlosttimeandproductivity.Instead,makeahabitofcommittingtoasingletaskbeforemovingontoyournextproject.8.Takeadvantageofyourcommute.Thisgoesforanyunexpected"bonus"timeyoumayfindonyourhandssuggestsauthorMirandaMarquit.InsteadofCandy-CrushingorFacebooking,usethattimetopoundoutsomeemails,createyourdailyto-dolist,ordosomebrainstorming.9.Giveupontheillusionofperfection.It'scommonforentrepreneurstogethunguponattemptingtoperfectatask--therealityisnothingiseverperfect.Ratherthanwastingtimechasingafterthisillusion,bangoutyourtasktothebestofyourabilityandmoveon.It'sbettertocompletethetaskandmoveitoffyourplate;ifneedbe,youcanalwayscomebackandadjustorimproveitlater.10.Takeexercisebreaks.Usingworktimetoexercisemayactuallyhelpimproveproductivity,accordingtoastudypublishedintheJournalofOccupationalandEnvironmentalMedicine.Ifpossible,buildinsettimesduringtheweekfortakingawalkorgoingtothegym.Gettingyourbloodpumpingcouldbejustwhat'sneededtoclearyourheadandgetyourfocusback.11.Beproactive,notreactive.Allowingincomingphonecallsandemailstodictatehowyouspendyourdaywillmeanyoudoagreatjobofputtingoutfires--butthatmaybeallyougetaccomplished.MyfriendandbusinesspartnerPeterDaisymefromfreehostingcompanyHosttsays,"Setasidetimeforrespondingtoemails,butdon'tletthemdeterminewhatyourdayisgoingtolooklike.Haveaplanofattackatthestartofeachday,andthendoyourbesttosticktoit."12.Turnoffnotifications.Noonecanbeexpectedtoresisttheallureofanemail,voicemail,ortextnotification.Duringworkhours,turnoffyournotifications,andinsteadbuildintimetocheckemailandmessages.Thisisallpartofbeingproactiveratherthanreactive(seenumber11).13.Workin90-minuteintervals.ResearchersatFloridaStateUniversityhavefoundeliteperformers(athletes,chessplayers,musicians,etc.)whoworkinintervalsofnomorethan90minutesaremoreproductivethanthosewhowork90minutes-plus.Theyalsofoundthattopperformingsubjectstendtoworknomorethan4.5hoursperday.Soundsgoodtome!14.Giveyourselfsomethingnicetolookat.Itmaysoundunlikely,butsomeresearchshowsoutfittinganofficewithaestheticallypleasingelements--likeplants--canincreaseproductivitybyupto15percent.Jazzupyourofficespacewithpictures,candles,flowers,oranythingelsethatputsasmileonyourface.Forotherideasonincreasingyourhappinessquotientatwork,seemypost15ProvenTipstoBeHappyatWork.15.Minimizeinterruptions(tothebestofyourability).Havingacolleaguepopherheadintoyourofficetochatmayseeminnocuous,butevenbriefinterruptionsappeartoproduceachangeinworkpatternandacorrespondingdropinproductivity.Minimizinginterruptionsmaymeansettingofficehours,keepingyourdoorclosed,orworkingfromhomefortime-sensitiveprojects.Ifyoufeeltheneedtoincreaseyourproductivityatwork,resistthetemptationputinlongerhoursorpackmoreintoyouralready-fullcalendar.Instead,takeastepback,andthinkaboutwaysyoucanworksmarter,notharder.Lookingformoreproductivitytips?Checkoutmyposts7ProductivityHacksEveryBusyEntrepreneurShouldTryand5ThingsProductiveEntrepreneursDoEachDay.Whatareyourbestwork-relatedproductivitytips?Haveyoufoundthesecrettomaximizingyourownproductivityintheoffice?Sharebelow!Feb4,2015SponsoredBusinessContent