Is your productivity at work in need of a boost? You are not alone. One third of the workforce admit to falling asleep at work. Add procrastination and bad habits (such as spending time on social networking sites) and it’s no wonder that people are struggling to get things done at work. However, if you want to excel at your job and thus ensure that you end up making more money, get a promotion, and most importantly, feel that the whole experience is rewarding in some way, then there are certainly a few things you can do to make certain that it happens:
Get an early start
Most people that are salaried per hour do not understand this concept. I come from a different breed. I’ve always been either on commission or running businesses. Why would a salaried employee start earlier if they don’t get paid for it? Well, it’s all about increasing your value, as so well explained in the video post How To Turn Your Life Around. I have always found that by getting an early start, I end up bringing a bit more value each and every day. More value equals more opportunities for promotions, raises, and more leverage for you to get what you want later on. If you run a business or are on commission, getting a head start early is a must, otherwise you will never be as successful as you can potentially be.
Tie all loose ends
What I mean by this is that every situation that needs to be taken care of, take care of it as soon as possible. Don’t put it off and delay handling it. They add up and eventually you will be looking at the stack of things that need your attention and you will be overwhelmed. Overwhelm leads to stress, anxiety, procrastination, and paralysis. To make sure that you have a productive day, you cannot feel overwhelmed. You need to be flowing seamlessly throughout your day. Work isn’t supposed to be a struggle…we made it that way with our habits. Trust me, working can be a very rewarding experience as long as you do what needs to be done quickly and efficiently.
Avoid distractions
Spending time chatting away with your friends, or procrastinating on social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace is a guaranteed way to ensure that you will never move up in your position, make more money, or feel like you are actually accomplishing something. It’s a very big problem with employers, and many have blocked those sites completely. Still, employees find ways around that. I know people that can bypass any web surfing restrictions at their office. So at the end of the day, it’s up to the employee to know better. Be wiser and think long term. You can socialize with your friends when you are at home. When you are at work, your entire concentration should be about bringing more value to your work. Doing that will ensure that you reap the benefits later on.
Break apart larger tasks
What I have noticed while managing employees is that one main reason why they end up procrastinating or looking for distractions, is that they feel “paralyzed” by a given task due to the fact that they do not know how to start it because of its sheer size. We all have those big projects to accomplish, and the key to starting it properly and making sure that it gets finished is to chop it down into smaller pieces, and then attacking each piece one at a time. Doing a little bit all over the place will only fuel the feelings of stress & overwhelm. Break apart, and do each part one at a time until fully completed. Adding this habit to your daily arsenal at work will make your productivity skyrocket.
Eat a healthy lunch
What good is it for you to wake up feeling wonderful, have a great morning, only to see your energy level deplete and your motivation gone right after lunch? I’ve seen it over and over again, with people slacking off in the afternoon because they ate junk food, when in fact, it should be “crunch time”! Do yourself a favor and always pack a light, healthy lunch. Eat fruits & vegetables, and have healthy snacks on hand for your breaks. Avoid soft drinks, and aim for water if you are thirsty. Our work days can be quite long, so we need all the energy we can get to finish all that we need to. Not only is it good for your health overall, but this habit can help you be alert, productive, and in control for your entire work day. If you do happen to feel some fatigue at work, take a moment to read up this article I wrote on 7 Ways To Cure Fatigue Instantly.
Have an effective to-do list
Just like when you are going somewhere, you need a map, the same applies to where you are going within the realms of your job. You need a plan. Your to-do list is your map. Without it, you can potentially be all over the place and thus feel overwhelmed as you do not know where to start or where to focus your attention. You might want to read up this quick post I did about An Effective To-Do List. Basically, it explains how you can associate rewards next to every task, and accentuate the emphasis on the reward, so that you are aware of what you are working towards. It’s a great way to build momentum to finish everything on the list, which leads me to my next point.
Finish everything on your daily list
What’s the point of having to-do lists if you never have the satisfaction of fully completing them? You see, having a to-do list and never fully completing it can have a negative effect on you. You may end up feeling not competent enough, and over time, the effectiveness of to-do lists will dissipate to the point where they become pointless. This is why it is extremely important to discipline yourself so that you always finish everything on your to-do list. Even if you have to finish a little later…remember, it’s like getting an early start. It will bring value to your work which will pay off later on for you.
Be there for your coworkers
Lending a helping hand to people that work with you can not only be very rewarding, but it can also ensure that you all succeed as a team. No company is a one-person effort. It’s cohesiveness and teamwork that can make the difference. Making sure that everyone around you is doing what they should be doing only benefits the greater good of the company and everyone involved, which will positively impact you. The better the company does, the more opportunities will open up for you and the more your position and employment will be secure. A simple gesture of encouragement to a coworker that is feeling a little down can make a tremendous difference 😉
Finally, another point I wanted to make is that waking up motivated is absolutely necessary to have a productive day at work. I have already written a detailed article on 7 Ways To Wake Up Motivated. Check it out for useful tips to have great motivation in the morning. If you work on a desk most of the day, you may also want to read this other article I wrote on 10 Tips For Productive Desk Work. It has very good advice on how you can make working on a desk highly efficient.
