As a productivity coach, I help entrepreneurs and business owners manage their time better so they can be more productive at work. Increasing your productivity at work can help you avoid multi-tasking, manage interruptions and help you focus on your most important tasks.
To increase productivity at work it’s important to prepare your to-do list the night before and cut down your to-do list to your biggest priorities. You can also increase productivity by spending more time using your biggest strengths and delegating effectively.
To be more productive at work it’s important to break up work with regular breaks and increase focus around your goals. You can also increase productivity at work by limiting how much time you spend on tasks and setting time limits for each task
In this article, I’ll share 8 productivity tips you can use to increase productivity at work so you can achieve a productive day.
8 simple tips to be more productive at work
Use these tips on how to increase productivity at work so you can be more productive at work..
1. Plan work in advance
If you want to be more productive at work the key is to plan work in advance. Increasing your productivity is simpler when you can plan ahead and prioritise your most important activities.
Weekly planning ensures you identify your priorities and helps you start each day feeling focused and productive. To increase your productivity at work, plan your work week on a Friday or Sunday. Identify your five most important activities for the following week so you know where to invest your time and energy on a Monday.
To increase your productivity, read my guide to weekly planning.
2. Take regular breaks
To increase productivity at work it’s important to take regular breaks. Taking regular breaks boosts your concentration and focus and ensures you stay productive throughout the day.
When your energy levels drop it’s easy to feel tired and exhausted. When you feel tired all the time you lose focus and can experience lower levels of productivity.
Taking breaks during the day helps you manage time better and increases your productivity. It also boosts energy and eliminates distraction and overwhelm.
Read also: How to stop feeling tired all the time
3. Stop multi-tasking
Multi-tasking lowers productivity and reduces focus and concentration. Attempting to do several tasks at once causes distraction and can result in lost time and productivity.
In fact, switching between tasks can lead to stress, overwhelm and procrastination. When you multi-task, you can’t give your full attention to more than one thing at the same time.
To increase your productivity at work, make it a habit to focus on a single priority and use time blocking to stay focused. Give important tasks your full attention before moving on to something else.
Use these strategies for improving your focus.
4. Focus on your most important task first
To be more productive at work, start each day by working on your most important task. When you schedule that task the night before, you’re ready to take action in the morning.
Tackling your biggest priority first ensures you organise your day and manage your time effectively. Prioritising your most important work also ensures your energy and motivation are high.
Higher energy and motivation leads to greater creativity and productivity. Download my Daily Planner to help you identify your priorities and increase your productivity.
Read also: 6 habits of highly productive people
5. Improve your goal setting
You can achieve an increase in performance and productivity by setting goals. By setting long-term goals and short-term goals, you create a framework for effective daily planning, which makes you much more productive.
Setting goals reduces distraction and provides direction and focus. Goals also ensures you prioritise effectively, eliminate multi-tasking and manage your time well.
Having goals to work towards keeps you focused on your most productive work, rather than being distracted by low value work. Goals increase your productivity because they give you greater clarity, more commitment and reduce task complexity.
Learn the best goal setting process to help you be more productive at work.
6. Eliminate distractions
Being productive at work requires being more deliberate about how you manage your time and distractions. When you can eliminate workplace distractions, you can enjoy a more productive work day.
Eliminating distractions can be helpful in terms of giving us focus and helping us meet our goals. When you can manage your focus and attention, you can avoid distractions and become more productive.
To be more productive, identify the distractions that pull you away from your most important work. Then, work to eliminate distractions one at a time to increase focus and productivity.
Increase your productivity with my guide to overcome distractions.
7. Make small changes
Making small changes to your daily habits will improve your productivity and focus. However, it’s difficult to change your working habits instantly, so play a longer game.
Simple method you can use to increase your productivity include getting up earlier and limiting items on your to-do list. Taking regular breaks and planning your day in advance will also boost energy and productivity.
You don’t have to completely change your habits to be more productive . Small changes create the daily improvements that boost your productivity and allow you to get your important work done.
8. Increase your accountability
Accountability is linked to higher levels of performance and productivity at work. Being accountable to work on your most productive tasks will improve your confidence and focus.
Positive accountability increases happiness and motivation and improves your chances of achieving your goals. Having an accountability structure will give you the support, guidance and accountability to stay on track each day.
When you take full responsibility for doing your most productive work you’ll naturally increase your productivity. When you feel confident and capable your performance and results will increase.
Read also: 6 benefits of accountability coaching
Summing up
To improve your productivity it’s important to take regular breaks, single task and plan each day the night before. When you can reduce distractions and set better goals, your productivity will increase.
Being more productive at work takes consistency and commitment. It requires better focus and being more intentional about how you manage your time.
Making small changes to your daily habits will improve your levels of productivity and effectiveness. Increased productivity will allow you to get more quality work done in less time without stress. When you can stay organised and boost your productivity, you will achieve your goals faster.
Now I’d love to hear from you.
How do you increase your productivity at work?
Let me know in the comments.
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About the Author
Mark Pettit is a productivity coach and time management coach based in Colchester, Essex, UK. He is the Founder of time management coaching company Lucemi Consulting. Mark helps business owners and leaders manage time better and increase productivity at work.
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