Five steps to increase productivity

We’ve all been there. It’s the end of a busy week and we look back only to find that our ‘to do’ list is not quite done; in fact, a lot of the boxes are unticked.

When you’ve worked so hard, how can it be that you’ve missed goals?

Well, it could be you’ve been dealing with ‘important’ things that come up along the way. By being distracted by these ‘urgent situations’, you’ve been pulled in a completely different direction to the one you set off in at 9am on Monday morning.

Thankfully, the solution to becoming more productive is simple and comes in five easy steps.

1. Set achievable goals

By setting out what needs to be achieved and in what time frame, ensures you and your colleagues are all on the same page – with a clear sight of what’s actually important.

2. Write an achievable to-do list

Checklists are one of the best and easiest ways to increase your productivity at work. But checklists for an entire week’s worth of work can be very distracting.

Breaking these tasks down into daily segments can ensure you set yourself achievable goals and provide you with more focus. It’s very rewarding being able to tick things off your list.

3. Do one task at a time

Multi-tasking is an absolute productivity killer. Look at your new to-do list, start with the most time sensitive and important tasks and work your way down.

4. Remove any distractions

Limit your time on social media and turn off your email notifications – and even your phone notifications for full concentration. If that’s not enough, you could book a meeting room or find a quiet space if you really need to concentrate on a big project.

5. Clean up your workspace

A cluttered workspace provides constant distractions for your mind, which can cause stress. This goes for your computer files also, having things organised can help you perform tasks quicker than if you have to hunt for that file.

Anyone who can master these five steps deserves to bring their talents in productivity to the best roles on jobs24.com.

Posted on June 22, 2017