5 Ways to Increase Productivity at Work

Have you ever wondered why your workplace looks and feels like it does? It’s all really obvious — everything inside an office space is oriented towards boosting productivity; think about it, what else is there? If you are really passionate about your profession (as everyone should be, really), you’re going to be looking at ways to increase your work time productivity, and this list will give you some valuable tips for this quest.

1. Plan for the Following Day

Letting your mind wander off upon arriving at your workspace is quite normal; well, at least for someone who doesn’t plan their workday in advance. This is really unnecessary and a waste of time. Fortunately, this is quite easy to prevent by simply prioritizing which tasks need to be completed the following day. A rough outline of a next-day schedule might not seem like much, but it will help you be more focused and organized. To-do lists truly are effective; crossing items off after they’re done is a remarkably rewarding experience.

2. Always Aim at Eliminating Multitasking

Nowadays, multitasking has basically become unavoidable — professionals are so ambitious in trying to accomplish multiple tasks all at once, and they’re just about able to pull it off. However, this causes a lot of strain and fatigue, along with an incessant craving for a well-deserved rest that seems just around the corner, yet somehow never comes. So, how do you eliminate multitasking? Well, you don’t; not in this day and age, and not if you want to be successful. However, a constant tendency towards narrowing down the list of your tasks is likely to do you a ton of good — you will function in a better way and still be able to cross many items off your schedule.

3. Avoid Personal Social Media Time

If you’re an HR professional who deals with big data, using social media websites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Twitter and Instagram, is pretty much going to turn into your bread and butter. However, personal social media time can also become somewhat exhausting.

Taking breaks is simply necessary, but using the breaks for socializing on the internet will eat up your RNR time, giving you little rest and no recuperation. Socialize with your coworkers instead, step away from the computer screen and take a walk, or simply stand in front of your office window and look around — everything is better than “abusing” social media during your breaks!

4. Breaks and Rests Aren’t the Same Thing

They might seem similar, but you really need to learn how to differentiate between the two. To put it simply, breaks are usually designated by your workspace — they provide you with much-needed RNR, while allowing you to tend to your nutritional needs in the process. The main deficiency of these breaks, though, is that they are more-less the same for everyone, unlike every worker’s momentary needs. This is where rests come in — a mentally fatigued employee is not a productive one, and taking a five-to-ten-minute break in these moments will actually boost efficiency, unlike trying to power through. Careful, though, because these breaks should be taken conscientiously.

5. Nothing Without Fengshui

Aesthetics actually play a huge role in boosting productivity. A productive, fengshui environment is free of all clutter, carefully set-up in terms of furniture, supplied with oxygen-producing plant life and always well-lit. Well-placed, comfortable and cozy floor rugs can actually play a huge role in boosting the entire area’s feel, both physically (while standing on them) and aesthetically. Large windows, skylights and LED lights are absolutely mandatory, as dark, dim rooms are productivity killers. Clutter is something that definitely doesn’t belong in an office space, so selling or giving away everything that you don’t need can go a long way in terms of being a win-win for everyone involved!

Workspace productivity is by far the most important aspect of professionalism. No matter how big a company is, and no matter how many clients it might have, a non-productive environment will never be a successful one. Planning ahead, being careful with multitasking, avoiding social media, taking breaks and rests and making sure to emphasize the in-office fengshui are the pillars of productivity!