Being productive is something we’ve all got an opinion on, depending on a variety of metrics, both literal and metaphorical. Business leaders looking for ways to inspire employees and motivate them to work better become sidetracked by targets, KPIs, and metrics, but these don’t fundamentally involve the person doing the work. Beyond hiring the right people, the right approaches to work can instantly boost productivity. Whether you are in business or looking to make headway in your personal life, here are some of the real productivity boosters you need:
Table of Contents
Consistent Energy Output
We’ve all felt that mid-afternoon slump where we instantly reach for a cup of Joe to keep us afloat. While there are many coffee machines for office environments that can certainly provide that instant energy boost, we should all strive for consistency in our energy levels. This involves regular breaks, snacks, and ultimately working with our chronotype: are you a morning person, a night person, or somewhere in between? We should give employees the freedom to do the work on their own terms. Ultimately, as long as the work is done, does it matter how they did it and at what time?
Time Management Techniques
There is an abundance of solutions available. The Pomodoro Technique is one of the most popular, as well as the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, but arguably, for the sake of productivity, we’ve all got to “eat the frog,” in other words, complete the most pressing task as a priority.
The Tools That Help You Work Smarter
Going back to the 80/20 rule, where the theory that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort, we should all think about how we can work smarter rather than harder. There are many tools we can use to work smarter, like voice dictation software to help us type, but we should also learn the importance of determining how urgent or important a task really is. This is where the Eisenhower Decision Matrix can work wonders in reevaluating your whole approach, and involves distinguishing between urgent and important tasks within four key quadrants:
- Important and urgent, which require prioritising.
- Important and not urgent, so you schedule a time to complete it.
- Not important and urgent, which are tasks that don’t require a specific skill set and need delegating.
- Not important and not urgent, which can be removed.
Focus on Effectiveness
Effectiveness trumps efficiency, especially when it comes to measuring performance. Many people believe they are being efficient when they are merely distracting themselves with irrelevant tasks. From the perspective of a business owner, ensuring the activities and tasks aligned with the company’s goals will generate more effectiveness. That’s not to say efficiency is unimportant, however, this is a type of metric that would benefit from a reevaluation of processes.
We can all tell ourselves that we are adhering to productivity standards, but there are so many different variables that we need to cut through the chaff and understand, not just the things that work for individuals, but actually generate real results.