Do you ever finish work without doing everything that you wanted to do? You start the day feeling productive and motivated, but the day is long and stressful – and somehow your to-do list is longer at the end of the day than it was at the start.
If you can relate to this, you’re not alone as lots of people struggle with productivity at work. When this happens, people often blame themselves, assuming that they have a short attention span or zero motivation, but in reality this is rarely the case. Most people struggle with motivation because they don’t know how to boost productivity – but thankfully there are lots of little things that you can do to be more productive.
Here are six creative, unique ways to boost your productivity at work.
Eat The Frog First
If you really want to boost your productivity, you should start your day by eating the frog first. And no, thankfully we’re not suggesting that you actually eat a frog – we are suggesting that you get the worst job done first.
Maybe you hate sending emails, or maybe there is a project that you’ve been putting off finishing – either way, try to start the day with the task you would normally avoid. It can be tempting to leave the task until later, but as the day goes on, your productivity levels will drop and you might start feeling tired or stressed. So if you do it first thing, it is probable that you will do a better job – and once the task is over, you will feel accomplished, confident and motivated, so that the rest of the day is more likely to be a success.
Use The Two Minute Rule
You can also use the two-minute rule to keep your productivity levels high throughout the day. The two-minute rule was created by entrepreneur Steve Olenski, and it helps people to get the most out of every minute.
Olenski thinks that if you have a task that will take less than two minutes to complete, you should do it straight away. This is because he believes that completing the task later will take longer, as you will have to revisit it mentally (whereas it is fresh in your mind right now). So, if you need to send a quick email or drop something off at someone’s desk, do it immediately – but make sure the job is done within two minutes, and then get right back to the task you were doing beforehand.
Look at Something Beautiful
Adding something beautiful to your workspace can also help to boost productivity. This may seem a little strange, but research has found that looking at something beautiful (such as a plant, or a piece of art) can increase productivity by around 15%. This is a fairly significant boost, so consider jazzing up your work space with a few things that are significant to you.
Use Tech to Make Life Easier
You can also use support tools to make your work life easier. Technology has completely transformed the world of work, and now there are thousands of support tools online for every industry. For instance, if you are self-employed, you can use an invoicing app to automate future invoices, and if you work in home inspection, for example, then you can use an ISN to make the inspection process quicker and more efficient.
Don’t Multitask
Lots of people multitask throughout the day in a bid to get everything done quickly, but this could be more of a hindrance than a help. Research has found that most people struggle to focus on multiple tasks at once; when they try, they lose focus and concentration, so it actually takes them longer to get everything done. So, if you really want to boost your productivity, focus on one task until it is done, and then move on to the next.
Host Stand Up Meetings
If meetings are a big part of your work life, you may want to consider swapping sit-down meetings for stand-up meetings. This is because studies have found that sit down meetings aren’t as productive as they seem; in fact, they can waste hours without any real point.
On the other hand, stand up meetings are much quicker as people are engaged (rather than relaxed). The stand-up element also encourages people to get to the heart of the issue quickly, so more work can be accomplished in a shorter amount of time.
