Workers and productivity in the workplace are akin to breathing. It is essential to keep an organization thriving. When things are going well, chances are you do not think much about it. However, when there is a major blockage or things get labored, things quickly go to a halt. On the contrary, when things are running smoothly, not much intervention is needed and that is a good thing. But just how do you reach this point? Well, here are some tips that should help you boost productivity in the workplace:
- Create Robust Time Management Skills
An aspect of being truly efficient and productive is knowing how to properly manage your time. The key to proper time management is to organize your life and responsibilities in a manner that enables you to dedicate the least neural resources to your tasks. This implies:
-Creating a task list
-Using your calendar actively
-Knowing your limitations
-Developing routines
Workers shouldn’t be afraid to say no to overextending themselves by doing too much. When you help them keep a realistic workload, you will be helping them to feel less stressed and thus better focus.
According to neuroscientist Levitin, effective time management does not entail organizing your time to a level where you turn to a Lieutenant commander or Spock-like automation. When you and your team get into the habit of practicing organizational skills in personal life, the benefits of this practice will roll over to the professional life as well, thus boosting productivity in the office.
- Limit Multitasking
Most people are not aware of this, but doing more is not always better. While most companies encourage multitasking and see it as the standard of productivity, research shows otherwise. Workers are not completely engaged when they attempt to focus on many tasks at once. Utilising a work time tracker can increase efficiency and productivity no end.
Neuroscientist and Big Think expert Daniel Levitin actually claims multitasking is a myth. By constantly changing concentration and focus across an array of tasks, workers tend to hinder themselves in a manner that has a pretty high neurobiological cost. Multitasking tends to deplete chemicals that your brain required to function optimally and effectively.
According to the expert, what you are really doing is paying attention to one ask a bit, then another, and so on until you come back to the first one. Keep in mind that all these separate tasks are happening in varying parts of your brain and call for separate start and monitoring time and process. What you end up doing is fractionating your focus and attention to little bits and not really engaging fully in one activity.
Instead of encouraging multitasking in the workplace, ask employees to focus on one thing before moving on to the next.
- Leverage the Energy Found in Colleagues
Showing a higher level of mental exertion can be contagious. According to a study done by psychologist Kobe Desender, participants showed more mental effort when other individuals did more difficult iterations of the task compared to simple ones.
The group behavior called swarm theory has been a subject that has fascinated many over the years. The basic premise is that individuals tend to work better, faster, harder, and in a more efficient manner when they leverage the energy of a group instead of working alone.
Maybe it all comes down to the aspect of competition, but this is not certain. However, what we do know is that it works. So, if you are looking to have a more productive workplace, then encourage your employees to work closely with others and monitor the results.
- Breaks For Clarity to Thoughts and Freshness
In any line of work, it is vital for workers to take breaks every now and then. Simply getting up from the desk, walking around the workplace, restroom, or chatting with a colleague for a few minutes in the breakroom is enough to give the desired results. A brief break gives your brain the time it needs to rest, allowing you to be more productive when you go back to your desk.
According to Big Think Expert and women’s leadership coach Tara Sophia, it is imperative for people to find downtime when working. She refers to it as ‘white space’ as it’s crucial to the creative process and time people spend engaged in projects.
Unfortunately, we live in an era where being over-busy is highly valued. In most companies, the hero is the individual who is doing extra and putting in long hours. However, the hero should be that individual that gets amazing work done in a reasonable time.
- Read on a Regular Basis
People who read more frequently don’t have a problem in increasing their fluid and emotional intelligence as it calls for diligence, patience, determination, and concentration. According to studies, individuals who constantly engage in reading tend to process information in a more efficient manner and create more white matter in the brain (essential for connecting grey matter regions and helping system-wide communication within the nervous system).
A great way to encourage reading in the workplace is by starting a book club. Allowing workers to schedule brief periods where they can engage in reading is another. By encouraging and allowing employees to read and learn more, they will develop new skills and tools that they can apply in their tasks and projects, thus boosting productivity.
And there you have it, simple and straightforward ways of boosting productivity in the workplace.
Also read: 5 Ways to Nurse Your Relationship Back to Health
