Increasing Business Productivity: 3 Keys to Success
Productivity isn’t just about doing more or working faster or harder. It’s about thinking strategically and tactically, so you’re able to keep a constant rhythm of production. While it may not be easy, it’s not necessarily difficult to get yourself on the right track.
Measure Yourself
The best first step to getting more done is to measure how much you’re currently accomplishing. Spend at least a week writing down everything that you do and how long it takes you to do it. There are also apps and software you can download that can help track this for you, too.
Once you have your list and know your baseline, think realistically about where you can do more and where you can do less. Do you need to be the one who reached out to a dozen people to check their schedules and arrange a conference call, or is there someone on your team that can do it? Even better, is there an app or software that can automate scheduling so you don’t need to rely on a human to schedule?
Say “No”
It can be easy to fall into the trap of “Yes.” Everyone wants to look like the good person, the one willing to stop what they’re doing and help those who need it. But saying “yes” isn’t just agreeing to help that person, it’s agreeing to make their priority your priority. That may make you feel like a good person, but not one whose productivity is off the charts.
Now, that also doesn’t mean you have to engage in a cold, heartless lifestyle of continually declining to help. No, it means learning to balance your needs and your employees’. Instead of stopping your work to assist with theirs, instead schedule a block of time every week for those kinds of conversations. That way you’re available as needed, but you can also focus on the task at hand.
Practice Self-Care
It can be easy to feel a level of burn out if you’re working from the moment you wake up to the moment you fall asleep – that is, if you somehow manage to catch some shut-eye. But practicing self-care, things like proper sleep hygiene, eating well, and exercising, can keep you fresh every day.
So, ignore the fast food place at lunch and pack something that’s both nutrient- and protein-rich instead. Self-care also means working out whenever possible to help reduce stress and take time for yourself.
Increasing your productivity is more than just time management tools or working from dawn to dusk. It’s about the investment in time to take care of yourself and your priorities. Anyone can do it, and the rewards are a more satisfying work and personal life.
