Productivity should be defined as workers doing the right things, at the right times, and with the right tools in order to achieve set objectives in a timely manner. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Productivity means different things to different people. To some, productivity means finishing a given quantity of tasks within a set timeframe. A worker who finishes a hundred tasks, in this case, is considered to be more productive than a colleague who finishes 80 tasks, for example, the importance of the tasks completed notwithstanding.
To others, productivity means doing quality work (top priority work) and exceeding set expectations within a reasonable timeframe. Quality supersedes quantity in this case, so a worker who finishes one top-priority task is considered to be more productive than a colleague who completes two or even more low-priority tasks.
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Although both concepts aren't wrong, maybe there is a better way to look at productivity: Seeing it as a measure of how efficiently workers use their time and effort. In other words, productivity should be defined as workers doing the right things, at the right times, and with the right tools in order to achieve set objectives in a timely manner. Here are 4 effective ways to get your team (or yourself) back on the right productive path:
1. Invest in smart productivity tools
The more efficient the tools you use are, the easier it will be for you to prioritize tasks and plan your work, the faster you will finish tasks, and the better the quality of your work will be. There are many virtual productivity tools that you can add to your workstation, some for free and others at a small subscription fee. One of the most essential productivity tools to have is a software to help you convert to PDF all your Excel and Word documents. The versatility of PDFs makes them great for record-keeping, paperless billing, encrypting and sending invoices, and converting paper documents to digital records without typing everything by hand. They make it easier and more convenient to share project data especially for digital businesses and remote teams.
Others include:
Project management software such as Trello. Such tools provide team leaders with the stage-based workflow organization that they need in order to stay on top of team projects without compromising their own productivity.
Note-taking applications such as Evernote. They help you to note down, archive and keep track of ideas. You can integrate these tools into your web browser so that you can annotate important content from webpages.
A to-do app such as Google Calendar helps you plug in time for tasks, schedule meetings, and stay within set deadlines especially for long-term projects.
Time-tracking software, e.g. Toggl, synchronizes your activities with your cloud storage in real-time to help you keep track of your billable hours and analyze your productivity.
2. Learn to manage interruptions and distractions
Unless you work in a vacuum, completely alone, it is hard to create a distraction-free work environment either at home or in the office. That's why you need a strategy for managing your most common distractions. The greatest distraction in the digital era is your smartphone. Start by turning all phone notifications off. You can then schedule a time for responding to any missed calls, voicemails, or text messages preferably after reaching reasonable milestones in your workday. Another notable distraction would be emails; don't check your emails unless you have time for them.
Then there is this hotly debated distraction: Multitasking. Many people would disagree with this but, according to experts, your work tasks morph into distractions whenever you have to break your concentration from one task in order to focus on another task. Running many tasks simultaneously gets you disorganized, interrupts your line of thought, slows you down, and messes your productivity big time. Learn to complete one task at a time.
If you work in a noisy workplace, you can minimize noise distractions by playing "white noise" or classical music on your computer and then listening to the artificial noise through high-quality headphones. White noises drown unwanted noises and help you focus on the tasks at hand. Also, make it clear to your colleagues that you are never in the mood for unnecessary distractions and chit-chats whenever you sit at your desk.
3. Stay healthy
An unhealthy worker is an unproductive worker. Take good care of your health by exercising regularly. If you don't have the time or the money for gym enrollment, biking or walking to/from work can be a good workout option for you. Apart from that, you need to limit your consumption of unnecessary and unhealthy snacks during the workday. Only eat healthy foods that will not only keep you healthy but also make you sharper and more focused. Normalize drinking at least a liter of clean water every day and sleeping at least 8 hours every night.
4. Become an avid reader
Reading is a proven way of reducing stress. It allows you to let go of life troubles, lose yourself in the book's storyline, and consequently relax. A relaxed mind is a healthy and productive mind. On top of that, reading is a great way of exercising your brain "muscles." It has the same effect on growing the strength of your mind as gaming or solving puzzles has.
Besides encouraging cognitive stimulation, reading is also a sure way of adding extra words under your belt so that you can become more articulate and confident in your professional life. It equips you with new snippets of information, information that helps you handle new challenges better and faster. It increases your thinking skills too.
Learn to communicate effectively and be honest with yourself. If you are not sure about anything, ask someone. If you are lagging behind in most projects, be open to evaluating your work performance. Be responsible for your own weaknesses and get the most out of your strengths. Talk to your colleagues and listen to their struggles and success stories. That is how you will get effective ways to achieve better results.
Sara Nickleson is an HR consultant with three years of experience in creating, implementing, and evaluating all human resource department policies, procedures, and structures.
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