Have you ever felt like you’re not as productive at work as you hoped? While you might have a to-do list set out for the day, you’ll sometimes end up accomplishing not as much as you hoped.

Although it can be difficult to know where to start in becoming more productive, it is necessary to know the ways that you can manage your work time in order to have an efficient workday.

Here are some ways for you to increase your productivity so that you can work better.

1. Do not multitask

Although it can be tempting to do a couple of tasks at the same time, multitasking can divide your attention. A lack of focus on work tasks can create more errors than accomplishments and can lead to a lower output. 

With the risk of overlooking mistakes due to lack of focus, you could end up going back to re-check the work you’ve done and waste even more time.

In order to avoid such a predicament, you must stop juggling tasks and focus on one at a time. By having all of your attention on one task, you’ll end up completing it faster and with more precision. This shortens the time you spend on the task and will free you up for others.

2. Take short but regular breaks

Working long hours with no rest in between can easily burn out or fatigue a person as one can only maintain their focus for so long. If you continue to work without any break, you may not have the energy or motivation to make progress.

Studies have shown that taking regular breaks can help with concentration and boost one’s mood. Hence, it is important that you consider having short and regular breaks while working. 

You can spend 5 to 15 minutes resting and recharging by stepping away from your workstation to help you clear your mind and prepare yourself for the next task.  

3. “Eat the frog”

We sometimes set aside the “frog”, or the task that is challenging and time-consuming to do, mostly because we do not want to do them. However, this just delays the work task that is meant to be done, reducing work productivity as you are forced to face it another day. 

Eating the frog is a metaphor for getting those challenging tasks out of the way by prioritising them over other tasks. These kinds of tasks should be the first thing on the to-do list so that you can optimise your work time by not spending too long thinking about it.

Once you have “eaten the frog”, you will be able to go through the rest of your day with the satisfaction of knowing you have finished your most daunting task.

4. Make your work goals small and easily achievable

Looking at a handful of big projects on one’s calendar can be stressful, and one can feel overwhelmed and lost on what tasks they should do. 

Rather than approaching the big tasks that would require more work and time to achieve, consider breaking them down into smaller objectives throughout the day. This will make you feel more in control and more productive while allowing you to keep track of your progress. 

5. Use the two-minute rule

Got any tasks that can be done in two minutes or less? It’s best to do them as soon as possible in order to save a lot of time. 

Easy-to-do tasks such as responding to a quick email, listing your next tasks or making an outline for an assignment can add a lot to your to-do list at the end of the day. Likewise, having a two-minute rule can allow you to focus on the small tasks in between the time it takes to work on larger and challenging tasks. 

5 ways to become more productive at work

While not every day will be perfectly productive, it is still important to be productive in all tasks. Implementing these strategies will not only help you figure out the most effective way for you to work, but it will also help you get lots of things done in the office.

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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