Do you tend to lose control of your daily work agenda and create a mess of your day? Do you find your plans going haywire again and again, due to distractions, overloading and under-planning of tasks, and most often, procrastination</p>
So how are you going to deal with it? What is the way to extract the maximum efficiency from the limited time in hand? An increase in productivity means working smarter.
So, here’re some techniques to increase productivity by managing your time skilfully :
1] Avoid procrastination — One of the major reasons for procrastination is a failure or afraid of trying for the goals you set when you foresee all the hurdles coming in the way. The best way to avoid this procrastination is just starting doing it. Instead of getting overwhelmed, plan for short goals. It will accelerate your work power and increase productivity.
2] Don’t be multi-tasker — When you toggle back and forth between tasks, you tend to commit more mistakes. Researches show that people who try to accomplish two or more activities at a time end up distracted and results in poor quality work. Your ability to get things done depends on how well you can focus on one task at a time. It impedes creativity. Multi-tasking is more harmful than helpful. People are much more efficient if they mono-task. Increase productivity by focusing on one task at a time and give it your full attention, complete it and then move on to the next one. It will give you the best results.
3] Delegate the work — When you delegate the work properly, you have more time to spend on your work. Assign the right task to the right person and then leave them to it. Do not micro-manage. Just guide them and they will deliver the required output. This way you can increase the productivity of the company.
4] Plan your schedule (To-do-list) for the next day the night before — For an entrepreneur, no day is the same. Everyday you have to face new challenges. The most effective way to deal with it is, planning what you want to achieve and need to overcome. Just spend 15 minutes to create your to-do-list for the next day, before you go to bed at night. Outline the three most important tasks to complete the next day. You will have your head start immediately as soon as you wake up the next day. Not only will a schedule ready for the next day helps keep you organized and focused, but it will also give you a sense of satisfaction when you check off items that you can accomplish on the following day.
To-do-lists help you stay on the path of getting your most important work done and ramp up your productivity.
5] Set self-imposed deadlines — A manageable self-imposed stress is a beneficiary to reach the goals. Try giving yourself a deadline and then stick to it. Hold yourself accountable for it. This way you are forced to get the deadline meet. You will be surprised to discover just how focused and productive you can be when you are keeping track of the watch.
6] Take short breaks — Working continuously at a task without taking any break can result in a decline in performance. Taking short breaks during long tasks whenever you feel mentally fatigued, refreshes you and recharges your energy level and thus actually increases your productivity.
7] Avoid heavy lunches — Large and heavy lunches at the workplace make you dozing and fatigued. Instead have the food high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants throughout the day. It will keep you full and focused.
8] Leave your workplace for lunch — It looks a funny idea but getting out of your work environment for lunch can reduce stress levels, refresh your creativity at work and bring you back to re-focus your work with fresh mood.
9] Take exercise breaks — If possible, take exercise breaks at the scheduled time at your workplace. Physical activities enhance brain function. Sometimes getting your blood pumped is what is needed to clear your head and get your focus back. Exercise breaks can improve your concentration and creativity.
10] Eliminate distractions — Distraction is everywhere. Eliminate that to the best of your ability. Have self-control. Actively resist the urge to surf the internet, check social media notifications, etc. during your work hours. Dedicate your time only to what matters the most. Abstain yourself by checking unrelated social media notifications or the best way is to put it off during your work to avoid temptation. Be proactive, not reactive.
11] Minimize interruptions — Interruptions during work hours are inevitable. It leads to a change in work pattern and a drop in productivity. Try minimizing it by setting office hours, keeping your door closed or working from home to avoid disturbance.
12] Keep your workplace clean and clear — A cluttered desk is a symptom of a cluttered mind. So keep it neat and clean. An organized desk saves your extra time searching the paper/file you require to complete the task.
13] Keep your surroundings interesting — Researches show that decorating your workplace/office aesthetically pleasant by keeping stuff like plants, pictures, candles, flowers, etc. are refreshing. A stroll around your office can uplift your mood and help you refocus, thus increase productivity.
14] Have a healthy lifestyle — Set aside your morning time to focus on yourself. Start your day right by getting a good healthy breakfast, reading the newspaper, meditating or exercising. This way when you invest in your health, your productivity at your workplace increases. Ignore your emails, whatsapp messages during morning time and spend some time with your loved ones. It is a necessary fuel for a productive day.
Get rid of your bad habits, whether they are smoking or hanging out with toxic people. Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep has a negative effect on our performance. Good and sound sleep increases concentration, working memory and wonderful logical reasoning capacity. It all results in higher productivity.
15] Keep your goals in the sight all the time — Keep the goals that you want to accomplish, in sight at all times. When you keep them in a place where you end up seeing them many times throughout a day, your motivational levels, to get things done, go high. Start visualising yourself as the most productive person in your field. Compete with yourself and try to beat the person you were the day before. Keep track of your results and work every single day to be highly productive.
These are the few ways by which you can increase your productivity as an entrepreneur. After all, it’s not about how much you can accomplish but about how much you can enjoy your entrepreneurship.