Productivity at a workplace has always been an issue, but now, it has become an even more pressing concern when more and more professionals work from home. We all want to have our job done right and spare some time and energy for personal matters. Sadly, too many people struggle to find this delicate balance between work and personal life. If we try to put it simply, the key to productive work is a focus on working smart. When a daily routine is carefully organized, you won’t need to work exhaustingly long hours to cross out all issues on your to-do list.
In practice, this sounds easier said than done. How can you work smarter? Even though all of us have different job peculiarities, there are a couple of (more or less) universal pointers that can help you come up with a smart job schedule.
Understand your productivity limits
Working ten hours a day is impressive but hardly ever effective. Sure, a lot will depend on your work specifics, but usually, productivity drops almost to zero after seven hours. On average, six hours a day is the limit for any intellectual activity. Not that your brain turns to mash on the seventh hour, but still — most people lose not only productivity, but also their focus and a chance at creative thinking.
Also, different people have different productivity peaks. Some are most productive at the beginning of the day, others — somewhere in the middle; for a chosen few, the end of the day is the productive peak. So, you should think about your own internal clock and plan your day accordingly.
Develop routines that help with your day
Routine can be the greatest buzz and creativity killer. But, it can also be your #1 helper if you develop useful routines. Every day, we do plenty of things that are not exactly part of our job, but each detail is still a part of our work process. Cleaning up your desk, checking your email, replying to messages, even making yourself a cup of coffee — all of those require time. And, even though none of them is in your job description, you wouldn’t be able to work productively without sparing some time for such organizational matters.
So, add these little routines to your schedule. Consider how much time it takes you to go through planned tasks, communicate with colleagues, or invoice completed tasks/due hours. Even a five-minute social media break can be a helpful routine if you stay focused and don’t turn these five minutes into half an hour. And that brings us to the next point.
Stay focused
Plenty of people claim they can multitask, but the only scenario when multitasking is possible is replying to an email while your lunch is being heated in a microwave. And even that is not exactly multitasking because you’re not using your brain or hands to power the microwave. You can also think about your next work-related task while doing the dishes — that would be a fine example of multitasking. But, combining two intellectual activities at a time is unrealistic.
So, to make sure you work smart, forget about the multitasking principle and always stay focused on the task at hand. Half an hour of uninterrupted work can bring more results than two hours of switching your attention focus. When handled without distractions, some chores can take no more than 10-20 minutes of your time.
Of course, not everyone can focus naturally. For some, it is an acquired skill. If you have trouble concentrating at work, consider the famous Pomodoro technique. The logic is simple — you work for 25 minutes without interruptions (and preferably without losing your focus), and then take a five-minute break. After three or four of these cycles, take a more extended break — up to half an hour. To stay on this Pomodoro track, you can use old-school timers or download special apps.
Use the right tools for the job
Today, we have plenty of tools that can help with practically any job. No doubt, you have some indispensable job software that has long been a part of your daily routine. But, even the best pros often waste time manually doing something that can be automated. If you occasionally need to proofread something, there is Grammarly. If you need to create an image or an infographic, there is Canva. Even if you need to look up someone’s contact details, you can use email finding tools instead of wasting time on Google or social media search. Any — literally any — task that is not a part of your daily job can be handled with special software. And it’s often quicker (and easier) to find the right tools for the job than to waste hours of productive time working this task manually.
Plan all business meetings in advance
We’ve already mentioned that the best way to stay productive is to avoid distractions. Avoid checking your email too often (ideally, schedule specific timeframes for it), limit the number of personal phone calls, make a rule of not checking your social media at work, etc. Most importantly, plan any of your business meetings (both personal and online ones) in advance. Do not agree to urgent video calls unless absolutely essential. What’s convenient for someone can become a real schedule and productivity killer for you. Also, when planning any video calls, make sure you do not chitchat for more than half an hour. In most cases, 30 minutes is more than enough for a productive video conference.
Allow yourself some time to recharge
Do not think you can pull a six-day workweek for a year without a single vacation. We are not robots, and we need time to recharge. Once again, people have different stamina levels, but there is a reason why so many businesses start working four days a week instead of five or six. Sure, a four-day business week may not be possible in your company or industry. But, recharging after a week at work is something everyone is entitled to. Choose activities that work best for you — some people go out, others make short trips, some binge watch Netflix, etc. Choose your drug and plunge in! After a relaxing getaway, your next business week will be more productive.
A final, but still highly important, piece of advice is to set adequate goals. We all try to plan ahead, but before we get to planning, it is vital to understand what we can and cannot achieve. Setting the right goals and understanding your limits should be of great help in any business niche or professional activity.
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