15 Examples of How To Increase Productivity in the Workplace

Learn 15 examples of how you can boost your productivity at work. ... Even if you aren't able to focus on those high-priority tasks ... FindjobsCompanyreviewsFindsalariesUploadyourresumeSigninSigninEmployers/PostJobStartofmaincontent CareerGuideCoronavirusJobResourcesFindingaJobMoreCoronavirusJobResourcesFindingaJobResumes&CoverLettersInterviewingStartingaNewJobMoreCareerGuideCareerDevelopment15ExamplesofHowToIncreaseProductivityintheWorkplace15ExamplesofHowToIncreaseProductivityintheWorkplaceByIndeedEditorialTeamFebruary22,2021TwitterLinkedInFacebookEmailCopytoClipboardLearningtooptimizeyourproductivitycanincreaseyouroverallworkplaceperformanceandreputation.Itcanimpactyourearningpotentialaswell,positioningyouformorerapidcareeradvancement.Anyonecanincreasetheirproductivitybyemployingspecificstrategies,althoughidentifyingwhatworksbestforyoucantakepracticeanddevelopment.Inthisarticle,wediscussthedifferenttypesofproductivityandshare15examplesofhowyoucanincreaseyourownproductivity.Whatisproductivity?Productivityisameasureofefficiency,usuallyaperson'sefficiency,althoughtherearedifferenttypesofproductivity.Themostcommontypeofproductivityislaborproductivity,whereyouaremeasuringtheproductivityofpeople.Productivityisaboutcompletingtasksinlesstimeandwithlesseffort.Itcanhelpbusinessesbemoreprofitable,andifnationalproductivityisincreased,itcanalsoraiselivingstandards.TypesofproductivityTherearenumeroustypesofproductivity,including:PartialproductivityWhenameasureofproductivityusesonlyoneclassoffactors,itiscalleda"partialproductivity."Inotherwords,productivityisonlymeasuredapproximatelyandnoteverythingismeasured.Typicalpartialproductivitymeasuresarethingslikematerials,energyusedperunitofproduction,andworkerhours.Laborproductivityisalsoacommonpartialproductivitymeasure.Laborproductivityisequaltotheratioofoutputvolumeoverlaborinputuse—thetotalnumberofhoursworked.Multi-factorproductivityMulti-factorproductivityisameasureofeconomicperformancethatcomparestheamountofoutputtothenumberofcombinedinputsthatareusedtoproducetheoutput.Thistypeofproductivitymeasurestheinputofmultiplefactors,whichcouldincludepurchasedservices,labor,capital,energyandmaterials.TotalproductivityWhenyoumeasurealloutputsandinputs,it'scalledtotalproductivity.Foravalidmeasurementoftotalproductivitytobetaken,youmustconsiderallproductioninputs.15examplesofhowtoincreaseproductivityintheworkplaceHerearesomeexamplesofhowyoucanincreaseyourownproductivityintheworkplace:1.Focusonhigh-prioritytasksUsetheEisenhowerMatrixtohelpyouorganizetaskstodecidewhatyourhighest-priority,mostimportanttasksareandwhichthingsyoushoulddelegateandeliminate.Hereisanexampleofwhatitlookslike:Do:Dothistasknow.Decide:Scheduleatimetodoit.Delegate:Whocandoitforyou?Eliminate:Eliminateit.2.Reserve20%ofyourdayforimportanttasksBlockout20%ofeverydaytofocusonyourhighest-prioritytasks.Evenifyouaren'tabletofocusonthosehigh-prioritytasksthroughouttheremainderofyourday,you'llstillhavespent90minutesonyourtoppriorities.Related:The80/20RuleExplainedWithExamples3.CleanyourworkspaceAclean,orderlydeskandworkspacecanhelpyoufocusbetterandimproveyourabilitytobeproductive.Infact,studiesshowthatacleandeskcanhelpyoufocusonataskmorethanoneandahalftimeslonger.4.MinimizedistractionsTurnoffyourphoneandcloseyouremailwhenyouaretryingtofocusonhigh-prioritytasks.Researchershavefoundthatthesoundofyourphonebuzzing—evenifyoudon'tlookatit—cancauseyourmindtowander.Closeyourinboxsoyouwon'thaveemailsdistractingyouandimpactingyourfocus.5.HaveaplanformeetingsWhilemostmeetingsdon'tnecessarilyhaveanagenda,it'sagoodideatowritedowninadvancewhatyouwanttocoveratthemeeting.Trytolimitittothreeitemsorless,andsendoutnotesafterthemeetingsoeveryonewhoattendedknowswhatthey'reresponsibleforhandling.Related:TheBestWaystoMotivateYourTeam6.GetqualitysleepQualitysleepgivesyoutheabilitytofocuseffectivelyandaccomplishmoreduringtheday.Studieshavealsofoundthatpeoplewhodidn'tgetadequaterestweremorelikelytoneedsickdaysthroughouttheyear,impactingtheiroverallproductivity.7.IncreaseyouraccesstosunlightStudieshavefoundthatworkerswhosatnearawindowcompletedtasksfasterandperformedbetterontasksthatinvolvedmentalfunctionandmemoryrecall.Considertakingabreakduringthedaytogetafewminutesofexposuretosunlight.8.ExerciseregularlyNotonlywillexerciseimproveyourqualityofsleep,butresearchershavefoundthatregularexerciseallowspeopletocompleteproblem-solvingtasksmorequickly.9.HaveamorningroutineHaveamorningritualyoufollowatthebeginningofeveryday.Itcouldbemeditation,reading,exerciseorsomethingelse.Amorningroutinehelpsputyouintherightframeofmindtohaveaproductiveday.10.PreparethenightbeforeAttheendofeachday,writedownthreetofivethingsyouwanttoaccomplishthefollowingday.Youcanevengointodetail,suchasoutlininganarticleyouwanttowrite,orwritingdownthemainpointsyouwanttocoverinapresentation.Related:10TipsforBeingMoreGoal-OrientedatWork11.TakebreaksTakeabreakevery90minutestotwohours.Researchshowsthat'sthelongestyourbraincangiveataskyourcompletefocusatonetime.Duringyourbreak,getupfromyourdesk,walkaround,drinkwaterorgetoutsideforsomesunshine.12.CheckemailonlytwicedailyResearchershavefoundthatcheckingemailactuallygivesyouarushofdopamine.This,inturn,compelsyoutowanttocheckyouremailagain,interruptingtheflowofyourwork.Everydayyoustopatasktocheckyouremail,youimpactyourproductivitylevelsandalsogetarushofdopaminethatimpactsyourenergyattheendoftheday.Schedulespecifictimesofyourdaywhereyou'llcheckandrespondtoemailsbeforereturningtoothertasks.13.WritedownyourthoughtsKeepapenandpaperclosebytowritedownthoughtsastheycometomind.Thiswillallowyoutodocumenttheideaortaskyouneedtorememberwithouttakingupunnecessarybrainpoweranddistractingyoufromwhatyou'refocusingon.14.CreatesystemsSystemizeyourworkasmuchaspossibletoincreaseefficiency.Thiseliminatestheneedtospendtimemakingdecisions,whichcanimproveyourday-to-dayperformanceandproductivity.15.FocusononetaskatatimeResearchhasshownthatittakesanaverageof25minutestoreturntoataskafteryouhavebeeninterrupted.Thisiswhyit'simportanttofocusononetaskatatimeandavoidthetemptationtomultitask.Evenifyouonlyutilizeahandfulofthesesteps,aslongasyoumakethempartofyourdailyroutine,you'remuchmorelikelytoreapthebenefitsintermsofworkproductivity.RelatedArticlesWhatIsaFull-TimeExemptEmployee?HowToScheduleaMeetingbyEmailTakingBreaksWhileDoingRemoteWorkDuringCOVID-19