We all read about productivity at work all the time, but have you ever thought about the actual essence of productivity and how we can finally manage to achieve the “ultimate goal” of being productive all the time while working?

What is productivity?

According to Wikipedia, “productivity is the efficiency of production of goods and services expressed by some measure.”

As we keep reading in Wikipedia, “There are many different definitions of productivity (including those that are not defined as ratios of output to input), and the choice among them depends on the purpose of the productivity measurement and/or data availability. The key source of difference between various productivity measures is also usually related (directly or indirectly) to how the outputs and the inputs are aggregated into scalars to obtain such a ratio-type measure of productivity. Types of production are mass production and batch production.”

Nonetheless, the above is a strict and financial definition that can easily be “translated” into our everyday lives. If we could give a more person-oriented definition of the word “productivity,” this would be to be able to complete one’s daily tasks in the workplace, which would lead to better results either for themselves (e.g., good reviews from their supervisors, a raise, or even personal goals’ achievement), or for their company which eventually would increase their profit.

Nobody can argue that productivity is a critical factor in the production performance of enterprises, even the nations themselves. By increasing productivity, one (a firm or a whole country) can raise their living standards. Since peoples’ income rises, they can purchase goods or services.

It is also indisputable that productivity growth can help businesses earn more profits.

Given that we live in an era where our work takes a lot of our daily time, and the demands in highly competitive environments are rising day by day, being productive is the only way to achieve great results.

Unfortunately, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of dispute about how to be more productive in the workplace, especially for those obliged to work remotely.

Being productive at work can be a challenging mission. Managing our time between multiple meetings and deadlines can be an absolute nightmare. Most of us are obliged to work more than 10-12 hours to manage all our To-Do List. We end up looking at the screen of our computer without actually delivering effective results.

Being productive takes brains, not brawn. If you want to be productive, you don’t have to work over hours every day, which will definitely lead to negative results for your mental and physical health and your business; you have to work smart, not hard. Working smart will eventually lead to the desired results.

Alright, you are convinced that you should change your mindset.

Mindset changed! And what, now?

Now, we will talk about how to be more productive at work with some practical and proven productivity tips that will help you increase your potential and make you feel that you have actually managed to achieve your goals at the end of the day.

1. Stop multitasking.

Whereas multitasking seems like an excellent way to get a lot of things done at once, according to Yale SOM’s Gal Zauberman and his co-authors, multitasking is an illusion, and while people believe that they perform well in doing different things at once, they actually perform better when doing one thing at a time.

If you disagree, try this one: Try having a call to arrange a meeting with a friend or co-worker or whomever, write an email, and check your phone. Then, stop doing all of the above and check the results. Possibly, you didn’t even realize when and where the meeting was arranged, your email will be full of typos, and you will have to check what time it is on your phone. So, instead of being productive, you just lost 5 minutes of your time doing things that you will have to repeat shortly after and lose more time. Better to have done them separately, right?

Also, according to Kendra Cherry, “Multitaskers may feel more distracted than people who focus on one task at a time. This makes sense when you consider that, by habit, multitaskers constantly refocus on a new task, effectively distracting themselves from their original assignment.” If you feel distracted and unable to focus on your job, it may be because you have been trying to do many things simultaneously.

So, next time you receive a call while at work, either call them back later or stop completely what you are doing and focus on your phone call. This way, your brain will process your moves, and you will not feel overwhelmed in the middle of your working day.

2. Start with the Most Important Task (MIT) every day.

The Most Important Task(s) is a critical task that will create the most significant results and need to be done “yesterday”. In his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, Stephen R. Covey dedicates a whole chapter on how important is “first things first”.

It is true that sometimes, the most important tasks are those which are the least favorite. Usually, we tend to postpone those tasks and end up late in the office trying to complete them without any courage since we have been working non-stop all day. Imagine, for instance, that you have to fill in the monthly reports for your supervisor by tomorrow, and while you know it’s actually an ASAP task, you keep doing other things by the time you are in the office, risking working late again. We know reporting can be a pain point for everyone; still, it needs a clear mind and the appropriate concentration because it is essential for many reasons.

So, instead of leaving the most important task for later or tomorrow, try doing it first thing in the morning, when your energy is at higher levels, and you can focus more effectively on completing those tasks. Later, you will definitely feel more carefree and will continue with other “easier” or less important tasks that won’t drain you.

3. Take breaks.

Many people think that working continuously for 8 hours or more is productive; the truth is that our brains need a “short” reset from time to time. Being in front of a laptop for so many hours drains our mental and physical energy, and we end up looking at the screen doing the same thing again and again. Taking short breaks during the day is proven to prevent “mental fatigue” and restore motivation. Getting up from your chair, taking a short walk, or having small talk with a colleague can improve your productivity more than you think. You may feel that you just lose time from your tasks, but in reality, by taking a small break, you reset, you recharge, and when you go back, you will feel more motivated to continue.

Nevertheless, taking a break doesn’t mean just scroll on your social media. It is disconnecting totally for a few minutes from technology and meaningless activities. You can check your phone later, focusing on this. Go grab a coffee or just go out and watch the sun, the rain, whatever connects you to nature more and less to your job.

4. Plan your meetings and phone calls.

Since we live in the era of social media and smartphones, we can all admit that our lives “depend” on those devices more than we could ever imagine. However, our phones can be a setback for our productivity levels. Smartphone addiction is a severe matter nowadays. They currently demand our full attention; a notification, a tag, the latest news, and the list goes on. But what can we do to stop being dependent that much on our smartphones, risking going back to work and reduce our productive hours?

Also, in addition to our phones which, to be honest, never going to stop ringing, there are regular meetings to be carried out during the day. Especially to those who run their own company, meeting, e-meeting, or having a phone call with collaborators and customers can be exhausting, considering that some work is to be done. The most effective way is to plan ahead of the meetings of the day in order to manage your time effectively without having to work late again without completing your daily To-Dos. For instance, arrange your calls all together as well as your meetings. Plan your day and see which hours you will be available for those calls or meetings. The rest of the time, put your phone away and don’t check it every 5 seconds. You can check your new followers when you go home or during commuting.

Think that if you don’t set boundaries to your social life during work time, you won’t even be able to have an actual social life after work.

5. Delegate, delegate, delegate.

Our inner control freak usually does not let us assign tasks to others because we believe we can manage it all even if we have to spend an hour or more. In reality, when you want to be productive, you shouldn’t be hustling all day; you should have others do things for you. This way, you clear your mind from distractions and focus on the essential tasks (really, do you have to make that phone call to check the progress of the decoration in the office, or could someone else do it?).

Delegation can save you up to 2 hours every day, which means that by delegating, apart from building trust with your team and make them feel valuable and productive, you also reduce your working hours, and -guess- you may be able to join your friends for that dinner today!

Suppose, nevertheless, you need to have control of anything. In that case, there are plenty of productivity apps and tips to help you build concrete communication with your team and manage your tasks effectively.

Being productive is not something that happens in one day. It is hard to let go of old habits and is even harder to discipline yourself to focus on what is important. But, at the end of the day, what matters is to be able to perform in all aspects of life.

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