Do you find yourself daydreaming when you should be working? Do you find it difficult to concentrate after a few hours of work? Keeping your productivity levels high during the day is difficult. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why people end up working late in order to finish their daily tasks at work
But, the good news is, there are several ways you can increase your productivity during the working day. You just have to be prepared to make some adjustments. So, here are a few things you can try.
Make Your Break a Reward
It is a known fact that you should be taking regular breaks when you are working. This allows you to gain your energy back and means you can focus on a task again. You have got to take regular breaks because working for hours on end simply means that you are going to sacrifice the quality of your work. What you can do to be more productive is to make your break a reward. In other words, plan your breaks and you can have something to look forward to. For example, say to yourself that if you complete a certain amount of work, you can watch your favourite television show on Freeview. This can give you the extra boost you need to be productive during the day. Just make sure that you are strict with yourself because there is nobody there to tell you otherwise.
Do the Difficult Tasks First
We all have tasks that we put off because we do not want to do them. But, all you end up doing is delaying the inevitable. In the meantime, you can feel more stressed and you can end up working late because you have not completed the tasks you had to. So, to turn this around, start your day with the most difficult tasks you have to complete. First thing when you are at your desk tends to be when you have the most energy and are the most motivated. So, do the tasks first. It will be such a relief when they are done and this can make you more productive for the rest of the day.
Create a To-Do List the Day Before
Being productive means making the most of your time. If you do not know what you are doing in a working day, this can rob you of time and you can end up being behind. One way you can avoid this from happening is by arranging your work schedule the night before. This way, you can hit the ground running the next morning and know exactly all of the tasks you need to deal with. What’s more, you can tick off items from your to-do list when they are completed and this can give you some more motivation to carry on.
Put Away Distractions
Do you find yourself being distracted by your smartphone when you should be working? You want to do everything you can to keep your concentration and this means minimising distractions that are around your office. For most people, this is going to be your smartphone. For others, it could be the voices of other people. You can invest in a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Think about what your distractions are and eliminate them. This way, you can focus on getting your work done and being productive.
Focus on One Task at a Time
A lot of people assume that when you multitask, you are going to get more work done. However, this is not always the case. Studies have found that when you try to work on multiple things at once, you can actually use up more time trying to understand each task individually. It is actually better if you complete one task first and then move onto the rest. Therefore, prepare a list putting the high priority projects at the top. Then you can work through them one by one. Resist the urge to multitask, as there is also a risk you do not create quality work too.
To Summarise
There are going to be days of the week where you are more motivated and productive than others. But, there are things you can do to get all of your work done in the day. For example, you can take a lot of breaks and make them rewards. This gives you time to refresh, as well as acting as a motivator. Always do the difficult tasks first, create a to-do list the night before and minimise distractions. Do not forget to avoid multi-tasking.
