Coffee, check mails, check LINKEDIN, finishing
touches to the south zonal marketing research report, check mails, revert to
Senior manager’s 3rd mail on the progress of report, check Facebook,
get back to the report, gossip around her desk with Joey on the last weekend’s
party, attend HR meeting with the team on the new recruitment &selection
policies, check mail, lunch, work on the report, coffee, tweeting photos of the
weekend party, coffee and that’s how the day rolls over for Lisa.
Her work routine is pretty much an evidence for her little
love-hate relationships with deadlines and boss, her lack of concentration
(read that zilch concentration) and her sinking efficiency.
Lisa and others who are looking to accelerate their
productivity at work, here are some tips to get you landed in a more
constructive and lucrative work-zone:
1. To-DO list :
Yes, this may sound cliché, but 90% of successful maestros believe it is
crucial to develop one on a routinely basis. It aims to kill two birds with one
stone. Firstly it helps categorize the tasks based on priority and significance,
and secondly on completion of tasks, striking them from the list gives a sense
of accomplishment and satisfaction.
2. ‘Just do it’ rule
:
If any task/job can be accomplished in next 5 minutes or less, do it
immediately. Like a reply to an email on the status of the project can be
buffed in a snap, just do it then instead of postponing it and achieving A+
grade in making a pile of chores.
3. Volitional time-limits
:
Set deadlines voluntarily for your projects, they help you manage things in
time. Not to disagree, they do raise a level of stress, but this acute stress
is known to improve mental strength, create greater resilience, enhance clarity
and develop self-confidence.
4.
Take
regular breaks
: Short breaks between work are scientifically
proven to heighten up that level of concentration, while giving you the much
needed interlude to get back on that research with more focus, more
productivity and a fresh perspective. Try Pomodoro Technique i.e. working in
small bursts. Tony Schwartz, head
of productivity consulting firm The Energy Project says “The trouble is that, without any downtime to refresh
and recharge, we’re less efficient, make more mistakes, and get less engaged
with what we’re doing.”
5. Delegate Tasks
: You are human being and not human doing; you alone
cannot do everything with perfection. To maintain efficiency and to maximize
productivity, delegation is quintessential.
The challenge is delegating the right task to the right person. Ensure
clarity on giving clear instructions, deadlines and follow ups. For in depth
study, you can refer to the book “Work Less, Do More” by Jan Yager.
6. Downplay Distractions
: It is vital to know how to make smart use of smart
technology and not let it interfere with our work schedules. Social media is
addictive, I myself check Facebook 4
times a day, but I make sure it is not between work. People spent over 12 billion hours browsing on a social network every day,
in U.S., that’s as much as a monetary loss of over $600 billion annually. So
the key is shut the door, disconnect from social media, focus and get that s**t
done.
7. Be proactive and pre-plan
: This may sound like a wimpy activity, but trust me
it can be an entire game-changer. Pre-plan your next day, prioritize tasks that
need to be finished first, and develop to act before the critical situation has
taken place. This can help you make your mornings easier and the days to roll
out smoother.
Comments
Post a Comment