In the words of Paul J. Meyer, productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.
Productivity in the workplace is an excellent work ethic that every professional must possess. You are employed to the extent that you are productive, as your productivity is that which enables the organisation to achieve its goals and targets.
Productivity has to do with your ability to work smarter in such a way that you get more things done in less time. If you must become the best in your chosen field, your level of productivity is therefore a matter not to joke with.
Productivity and increased productivity don’t happen by chance, it is a result of intentionality, smartness and dedication to one’s work.
To help you become more productive at work, which in a way contributes to a successful career, here five productivity hacks you should know.
1. Give up on the illusion of perfection
To improve your productivity in the workplace, you first need to give up the illusion of perfection.
No one is perfect and you are just meant to work towards perfection, not get hung up in an attempt to perfect any task given to you.
This doesn’t mean you should not put your best effort into whatever you do, it just means that you shouldn’t expect perfection. As such, high expectations most of the time will only drain you, keep you stuck on a particular task, and in the end, leave you disappointed.
The reality is that nothing is ever perfect. Rather than wasting time on seeking perfection, you should do all your tasks to the best of your ability and move on to the next.
Doing this enhances your productivity.
2. Be proactive rather than being reactive
A cause of reduced productivity amongst professionals is that they are always reactive rather than proactive.
To improve your productivity in the workplace, you need to learn to think ahead. Rather than waiting for situations to come up at the workplace before thinking of possible solutions, you need to be one step ahead.
Always find a way of getting things under control. You should know possible solutions to certain situations in the workplace even before they happen.
Proactiveness is the key to productivity!
3. Take regular breaks
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.
The human system is like a curve. There is a phase where your productivity keeps increasing when you stick to the right thing. There is another phase where you get to the pinnacle of your productivity and another phase where your productivity begins to drop naturally.
You should not get to this last phase before you see reasons to take a break. To increase your productivity, you need to learn to take breaks.
Taking scheduled breaks helps keep you refreshed and rejuvenated from time to time. You are in a better state of mind and better able to concentrate on your job and put in your best.
Do not wait until your productivity level drops before you take a break.
Here is how to become a top player at your workplace
4. Set self-imposed deadlines
Do you want to be productive at work or increase your level of productivity? Set self-imposed deadlines.
As a worker who is interested in being productive, you need to always give yourself deadlines other than official deadlines.
For instance, if you’re given two weeks to work on a project and you know that you can complete the project successfully within a week, why wait for two weeks then?
I know you might feel doing this can make your boss or colleagues see you as a workaholic, and it can possibly lead to an increased workload.
This might be true to an extent, but what you don’t know is how this is expanding your horizons, experience, capacity, and, in the end, your productivity.
5. Know when to say “NO”
I know this can be sometimes difficult for most people but for the sake of your mental health, productivity and wellbeing, you need to learn to say no.
Your involvement in different projects and tasks in the workplace doesn’t really improve your productivity. When you have too many tasks on your hands, you get burned out easily, and this doesn’t increase your productivity in any way.
If it’s one or two projects you can work on at a time and give your all to, then that’s better than submerging yourself in numerous tasks.
This doesn’t mean you should become lazy; it only means you prioritise your health and productivity because, if the truth is told, it is only when you’re in the right state of mind and health that you can be productive.
Learning to say “NO” will help you increase your productivity in no small way.
You are a champ and you can be as productive as you ever dreamt of being only if you’re intentional, smart, focused, and you put in the needed effort.
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