8 Ways for a Productive Workplace

 

Do you ask yourself at the end of each day How much was I really able to accomplish today?‚ π

Are you often disappointed about how little you were able to achieve?

It’s time to think of ways on how you can work smarter rather than harder. Remember that keeping yourself busy, does not mean that you are working productively. You need to plan intelligently and carry out your tasks in an efficient way.

Gold Coast HR, a provider of recruitment, employment and HR services, would like to share some tips on creating a more productive workplace.

 

# 1 ‚ ¨ Be aware of your most productive time.

This is the time when you feel most alert and ready to tackle any challenge. Some people might be more productive in the morning hours, while others may perform particularly well in the afternoon or evening hours. It is important to prioritize your tasks accordingly. Gold Coast HR advises to focus first on the most dreadful task, and then continuing with activities you really enjoy doing.

# 2 ‚ ¨ Set yourself goals.

If you set yourself realistic and challenging goals, write them down and set a deadline. Gold Coast HR is a strong believer that this will help you to stay more focussed. At the same time, it will help you to achieve your goal more effectively. Once your goal is achieved, reward yourself for accomplishing difficult tasks.

 

# 3 ‚ ¨ Don’t get distracted.

There are many distractions around which might tempt you to get side-tracked. For example, your mobile phone, checking constantly your emails or reading lots of not work-related content online. Also listening to music or engaging in lengthy conversations with colleagues, might prevent you from getting on with your tasks.

 

# 4 ‚ ¨ Make your work environment pleasant.

A productive workplace is a place that stimulates and motivates team members. This can be achieved by organizing employees’ offices in a way that is tidy and free of clutter. Allowing employees to decorate their workstations and offices in a more personal way makes them feel more comfortable, happier and more productive. This will have a positive impact on employees’ performance and end results. Surely something that every Human Resource Management Team would be proud of.

 

# 5 ‚ ¨ Follow the Pareto Rule.

Pareto’s rule (80/20) states that 20 % of your actions should lead to 80 % of your results. Gold Coast HR suggests to focus on those activities that are results-oriented. This can be achieved by delegating minor tasks to other employees, while the CEO can focus more on the strategic part of the business. It’s crucial to trust your employees and to equip them with all the resources they need in order to accomplish their tasks successfully. Every Human Resource Consultancy would tell you to prioritize your tasks according to their importance and urgency. It would be helpful to create every day a to-do list, with estimated timings and the desired outcome.

 

# 6 ‚ ¨ Attend only relevant meetings.

We all know how time-consuming business meetings are. Many professionals across all industries consider them often as a waste of time. In a productive workplace you should attend only those meetings that are relevant to your job and really require your presence. Gold Coast HR advises to read the notes from other corporate meetings in order to be always well informed.

 

# 7 ‚ ¨ Group similar tasks together.

Try to do similar tasks in one go, e.g. making phone calls, answering emails (don’t check them on an hourly basis but just twice a day), writing a blog article etc. You will get more things done in a shorter period of time.

 

# 8 ‚ ¨ Take regular breaks.

If you have to work on a task for many hours, make sure you take regular breaks. Use the time to have a snack or coffee, engage in a productive chat with a workmate, go for a 5 minutes’ walk or do something not work-related. This will help you to take off your mind for some time. After every break, you will feel more focussed and alert. Your level of concentration will improve and your performance will be steady.

 

Last but not least, ask yourself each day

Was I really productive today?

Did I waste any time on particular tasks?

Could I have used that time to do something more productive instead?‚ π

As Crystal Paine stated once If you want to be more productive you need to become master of your minutes.‚ π

 

Written by Karin Schroeck-Singh, 1 October 2015