Productivity Hacks: The hours you spend working is no longer the yardstick for measuring your contribution as an employee or entrepreneur.
It is measured by the results of your work.
If your input supersedes your output by a wide margin, you are not being productive.
Producing the right results is the only way to stay relevant in the increasingly competitive workplace.
People don’t become productive by accident, it requires intentionality.
If you are ready to get intentional about maximizing your productivity, we have put together 10 top hacks.
10 Hacks For Productivity
Write down your plans
The best way to clear your mind and determine a path for a productive day is to make a plan.
But it’s not enough to have a plan in your head, you ought to write it down.
The great thing about writing down your plans is that you have to make them in the first place.
So, if you want to get better at organizing your life and work, make it a habit.
Avoid multitasking
Don’t multitask, it doesn’t work.
According to research, the human brain is built to focus on one task at a time.
So, what you do when you think you are multitasking is task-switching.
That is changing focus frequently from one task to another and then back again.
Pulling your mind in different directions like that can decrease your attention to detail and more mistakes can occur.
Focusing on one task at a time helps ensure accurate and quality work.
Put away distractions
Identify those things that steal your attention from the task at hand and block their access to you during work hours.
If it’s social media, put away your phone or turn off your computer.
If you can’t do either, install an app blocking software to keep you off distracting sites.
If you work at an open office, chances are that your co-workers also distract you.
You will have to be assertive and politely demand no interruptions while you work.
Move your deadlines forward
Have you heard of Parkinson’s law?
It says that work expands to fill the time allocated for it.
So, using this principle, you can reduce the time you allocate for your tasks.
You will find that your tasks take a shorter time to complete if you use this hack.
A shorter deadline can also help you deal with procrastination.
Because it helps you get rid of the false perception of having more than enough time.
Do the hard stuff first
No matter how much you love your work, doing some tasks will feel difficult.
We understand that it is tempting to put off the hard work until later but doing that is counterproductive.
Doing the easy stuff first gives you a distorted sense of achievement.
And that can make you less inclined to take on the difficult core tasks of the day.
When you do the difficult work first, you spend most of your time and energy on the tasks with the highest returns.
Take regular breaks
After an hour or a few hours of laser-focused work, your brain needs a break.
Take planned breaks that feel like a reward for hard work rather than an escape.
Going on social media during your break will probably make going back to work harder.
Do things like taking a walk, listening to music or speaking to a loved one instead.
Outsource or delegate
Productive people do not work alone, they understand that other people are their greatest resources.
Sometimes you have too much on your plate or encounter tasks you don’t have the expertise to handle.
At such times you can delegate to a subordinate or contract a professional.
It gives you more time to work on other tasks and be more productive.
Get comfortable with saying ‘No’
The easiest way to ensure that your deadlines are always met is only to take on what you can handle.
We often get drawn into situations where we are overcommitted to activities beyond job description or capacity.
A lot of times it’s because we fear disappointing people or the fear of missing out.
You should learn to say no as nicely and firmly when a request doesn’t fit into your schedule.
Organize your workspace
A cluttered workspace doesn’t do much for creativity or productivity.
It is distracting and distressing.
Research shows that the work environment affects employee motivation and productivity.
To whatever extent that you can, ensure that your work environment is rigged to inspire productivity.
Use productivity tools
Take advantage of productivity apps like Trello and Todoist for better project management.
There are a lot of other apps available to help with time management, focused work and so on.
Also, read productivity books that can help you form habits that influence your productivity.
Conclusion
In addition to the productivity hacks, we have shared, you can get yourself a mentor.
A mentor in your industry shares years of experience and insider tricks with you.
The right knowledge guides you to work smart rather than just hard.