Want A More Productive Workday? Try These Tips
Being productive at work is something most people strive for — but it eludes many as the day drags on and the to-do list seems no shorter than it was in the early morning. According to many business commentators, there are simple tricks that can help boost your productivity. They have the effects of increasing your mood and comfort level, and giving you space to recharge so you can tackle everything you need to do in a day.
To start off, don’t discount the benefits of busywork. Busywork includes those rote but necessary tasks like sorting files and emails. Forbes points to research that shows workers are actually happiest when doing this type of activity. Although it is devoid of the challenge of more advanced work, it provides people with the sense that they are getting stuff done. Essentially, feeling productive increases work happiness and draws workers one step closer to being productive.
As for feeling better, Forbes also points out that temperature affects mood. Cold offices or working spaces lead to feelings of loneliness, which can make it more difficult to be productive. Consider bringing in a space heater if you feel a chill, or indulging in little comforts like hot tea during the winter months. An empty office space can be made to feel more at home with personal items, which make the working hours go by more quickly — and the workday finish with more tasks actually completed.
Entrepreneur contributor Sean Kelly recommends setting aside that lunch hour for just that — lunch. While many people have been taught to use lunch to network, Kelly says eating by yourself on occasion can actually recharge your batteries. Kelly says that while regular interaction with others in your field is essential to build up relationships, it does not always have to be in person and does not have to be at lunch. Sometimes your workplace productivity depends on the energy you get from food and quiet time.
Another writer at Entrepreneur, Aaron Small, is an advocate for the concept of mindfulness. Small says this practice of falling off the grid increases happiness and workplace productivity. He says that simple breathing and time away from electronics can work wonders. He recommends scheduling periods away, as little as 30 minutes at a time, and even participating in extra-curricular activities with others.
You can also make use of those spare five minutes — but not to check email. Speaking to ABC News, author Laura Vanderkam recommended having a “five minute list” of things to do when you have a little bit of time but are not sure how to fill it, and doing one of those items at least once a day. Instead of defaulting to email, she recommends doing what makes you happy, such as reading poetry, writing in a journal, or texting a close friend.
Vanderkam also describes the “4 p.m. triage.” An hour before your workday is scheduled to end, review what you have left to do and do as much as you can. Then you will leave with a sense of accomplishment. No staying late!
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