Take Breaks: Most people think that taking a break at work is the equivalent of wasting time, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Taking a break gives you renewed energy, without breaks by the end of the day you will start to feel tired and therefore will work much slower. Breaks will rejuvenate your mind and allow you to get back to work feeling re-energized and motivated.
Create a To-Do List: Work can sometimes feel overwhelming, Arriving at work in the morning you may feel that you have so much to do and no clue about how you are going to get it all done. A great solution for this is to take a few minutes at the beginning of your day to organize all your tasks. Write down everything you need to accomplish that day and then prioritize it according to how important each task is and how much time each task will take to complete. Once you have a plan it is much more manageable to get everything done well and on time.
Don’t Multitask: There is a universal myth that people are able to multitask. Multitasking is actually just a way to switch between tasks quickly, it is not a way to do multiple tasks at the same time. When you multitask you are distracted and therefore more likely to make a mistake. Instead of multitasking organize your work so that you are able to truly focus on one task at a time.
Know When To Ask For Help: It doesn’t benefit anyone if you take on more work than you can handle. You may feel like it would impress your boss if you take on a heavier workload. However, if you have more work then you can complete, then your performance will suffer. Asking for help is a great way to make sure you are not overwhelmed and are able to complete all your tasks, make sure that they are done well and not be stressed out at work .
Learn To Say No: Sometimes you will be asked to do things at work that are not your priority, you don’t have time to finish or you simply don’t know how to do. It is a natural reaction to simply say yes. You want to be liked, and you don’t want to disappoint anyone. However, sometimes saying yes is a mistake. It leaves you vulnerable to complete tasks poorly or not at all, resulting in the opposite reaction of what you intended. Saying no, when you know you wont be able to complete a task to your highest abilities is beneficial not only to you but to the entire company.
Keep Your Work Space Organized: whether you are a CEO of a major corporation or the General laborer at a factory, your work-space is where you spend the majority of your day. Keeping your work-space organized is essential to your productivity. As a rule, if you use it once a day or more, it can stay. Otherwise, pack it away.
Eliminate Personal Distractions: Unnecessary distractions are workplace poison. Whether its a talkative coworker, or simply going online to constantly check your email or to answer text messages. These distractions don’t simply waste work time, they make it very difficult to concentrate on the tasks you are trying to complete. Allow yourself break times, check your email once and socialize with coworkers during your lunch break. However, after a break get back to the task at hand distraction free and ready to work.
Reward Yourself: Lastly, it’s important to reward yourself. Once you have become more productive at work you should celebrate and feel truly accomplished. Your boss and coworkers will be pleased but you should also be proud of yourself. Buy yourself a treat or indulge in a getaway. It’s great when those around you recognize how hard you are working, but its also important to be proud of your own accomplishments.
