Posts about:
Productivity is a word we often hear in the workplace, but what does it really mean?
Is it just about input versus output, or is there more to it? In this article, I’ll explore four layers of productivity: the definition of productivity, being productive as a knowledge-based worker, feeling productive, and considering yourself a productive person.
Achieving – and exceeding – your sales goals is not just about using the correct sales methodology but also about working smarter. You can optimise your performance and achieve better results by implementing the right techniques to organise and manage your work. Here are seven strategies to help you increase your sales productivity and achieve your quarterly goals:
Being productive at work is more than being busy or checking every item off your to-do list. A productive day is one where the time was well spent.
I still remember my first job after college in 2007. My manager gave me a phone, a laptop, and a remote connection to work. They told me I could work from home sometimes if needed – that was the end of the advice. I would burn out due to excessive hours and weak boundaries within a year. Over the next 13 years, I worked between 1 and 4 days from home before switching to fully remote in 2020. In some roles, the setup allowed me to flourish. In others, it was a source of stress, loneliness, and disconnection from the workplace.
Do you want to know the secret to improving your team’s productivity and helping them have a better workday? Cancel all 10.00 am meetings and think twice before you interrupt them. It may sound too good to be true, but these two small actions will result in significant change as they enable your team to do the one thing they really want – complete their work.
I conducted the first “A Better Workday” survey in 2020 to gain a deeper understanding of how we can improve the workday for our teams, and ourselves. Seventy people in different roles and global locations participated, and the results were fascinating in their simplicity.
People want to be able to get their work done and believe that being more considerate and helpful is the key to a better workday for everyone.
Do you know what time of the day is best for you to tackle the most important tasks? Is it the same for your team? Within the typical business hours of 9-5, the majority of survey respondents said they were most productive between 09.00 am and 12.00 noon, with 10.00 am being the most popular hour for getting things done.
Are you using Slack, or a similar tool, to keep in touch with teammates and other people you work with? These tools are implemented to improve communication and productivity in the workplace. So how come we often find ourselves spending more time slacking than working, and still can’t find what we are looking for? Rather than point the finger at the technology, we can look at our own behaviours and turn Slack from something that distracts us into a tool that supports our workday.
What would you do if you had a half-day off from work? A recent study of over 3 million people found that we are working, on average, 1 hour longer each day. The result is that many of us are spending 5 hours, or over half a work-day, every week working when we didn’t plan to. There are many reasons why the workday can spill over into the evening or weekends. One of the most effective ways to address the problem is by planning your week. A weekly planner will help reclaim your time and improve your work-life balance.
A To-Do List is a list of everything you need to do and is an excellent way of getting all those tasks out of your head and on to paper. The problem is that we always start a To-Do List with good intentions, but it often doesn’t take long for it to change from being a productivity tool to a cause of procrastination, confusion or even stress.
How can you help others have a better workday? I asked the question as part of my research into productivity during COVID-19 and received responses from managers, employees, business owners and consultants working in multiple sectors across the globe. Many commented that this is the first time they had ever thought about how they can help others, and some were surprised at their own response. Consideration, empathy, understanding, patience and kindness came up repeatedly as people thought about those that they worked with. So too did some practical steps that could be taken. Here are the top 5 things you said that you can do to help others have a better workday.
Discover your team’s ‘Hour of Power’
Clarify what is important
Complete your work on time
Share knowledge
Cancel 2 meetings
If you have switched to remote work during COVID-19, you may want to continue doing so even after offices reopen, whether full-time or for a couple of days during your working week. NUI Galway’s Whitaker Institute and the Western Development Commission found that 78% of participants would like to work remotely when the crisis is over. COVID-19 resulted in a global, unplanned remote work experiment for many industries and companies. If remote working is going to continue, we must pause and learn from what has worked well and what has not.