Technical report, the average worker is productive for only 60% or less each day as they get interrupted every three minutes. This points to a clear need to improve productivity skills in order to enhance work efficiency and maximize professional performance. This will also generate a range of organizational benefits for companies and boost growth in multiple ways. However, working on productivity in changing times demands a long-term, flexible approach. With this in mind, this blog takes a deeper look into the key ingredients of productivity and provides tips to boost essential competencies.
1. Management of Time Constant work notifications, pending email responses, and app notifications, to name a few, are the new norm in our world today. As a result, time management can be broken down into the following categories, making it an essential component of any productivity toolkit: Techniques for Setting Priorities Prioritization techniques move hand-in-hand with time management. In addition, they assist in checking off all of the essential boxes for a particular day. Some of these techniques are: Most Important Tasks (MIT) Methodology: Choosing three important tasks and finishing any one of them depending on their importance and demand
Eisenhower Decision Matrix: Sorting to-do lists into matrices of importance and urgency is a great way to avoid burnout in the workplace. Ivy-Lee Method: A simple prioritization method insists on planning only six important tasks (not more) and prioritizing them in order of importance
Time Blocking
This time management tactic divides and organizes the entire work period into separate blocks.
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Accordingly, each block must accomplish new predetermined tasks. As per Cal Newport, author of ‘Deep Work‘, implementing a time-blocked 40-hour work schedule produces the same output as an unstructured 60+ hours work week.
You should practice time blocking as a time management skill if:
During your workday, you switch between different projects and roles. A significant part of your work time goes into responding to emails and calls
You struggle to finish short-term tasks and look at the bigger picture
Delegate Tasks
You can only do so much before you have to call it a day, no matter how productive you are. On the other hand, delegating responsibilities frees up mental space. Moreover, it boosts inter-team communication and productivity skills, allowing for faster completion of more work.
2. Work Management
Work management strategies, in essence, ensure the completion of all the tasks and programs planned for the day. Here are some popular work-management strategies that can enhance productivity and efficiency:
Pomodoro Technique: This is based on 20/25-minute distraction-free deep work followed by a five-minute break. Repeat this cycle several times to improve focus and productivity
The One-Minute Rule: Coined by Gretchen Rubin, this method refers to promptly finishing all those tasks that take less than one minute. It is a great tool to eliminate workspace clutter and mental confusion
168 Hours: Used in conjunction with time blocking, this is a comprehensive weekly plan that involves allocating your available 168 hours each week to prioritize tasks, optimize productivity, and achieve effective time managementodern Business World: A Beginner’s Guide
