Seven Tips to help increase your productivity

In the corporate world, you may often find that you are assigned several tasks. To stay on top of everything, you might often have to multi-task to keep the incoming work and outgoing results in check.

In such cases, Time is one thing most people find themselves running out of. To help ease the pressure, there are a few steps we can take to manage our time more effectively.

1. 1. Use Checklists

Time is always a constraint and when we are overworked, checklists help keep us on track. Break large tasks into smaller ones, and map out how to tackle each one.

2. 2. Silence your phone

Our phones can be major distractions. When you have to concentrate on something, it may help to put away your phone until you are done.

3. 3. Pick conversations over e-mail

When possible, pick up the phone or walk over to your colleague’s table and talk directly. Eliminate the time it takes for your colleagues to receive, read and reply to your e-mails. Also, consider using services that can help you do this (like Slack or Asana).

4. 4. Have Tea

Consider switching to Green Tea. Having a lot of coffee tends to make people anxious. Green tea, on the other hand, supplies you with your dose of caffeine minus the “jittery” effects.

5. 5. Keep your workspace clutter-free

The time you spend searching for things each day is extra time you could be using to complete your work. The tidier your workspace is, the more stress-free you will feel.

6. 6. Do your most dreaded task first

Almost everyone who maintains a to-do list has that one task which they dread the most. Irrespective of what that task may be, it tends to distract you with guilt as it keeps getting pushed to the next day. But if you start your day with it, there is nothing more motivating than knowing that you have defeated the monster.

7. 7. Learn to Say No

Most of the time, the reason we are over-worked is that we don’t say no to new (unmanageable) tasks. If someone asks for your participation in an activity, check your priorities first. If you find that you cannot fit the new task into your schedule, say so. Doing this ensures that you get your current tasks done on time and stops you from committing to something that you can’t give your 100% to.

I hope these simple tips help you in your pursuit of greater productivity.