4 productivity tips that guarantee a better work performance

How productive do you feel you are at work? Maybe you didn’t know but the average person can only keep the productivity for about 3 hours a day. Yes, that is not a very encouraging number if you have a lot of work ahead of you. Perhaps you have the habit of extending your working hours to complete your tasks or you even take some work home. Would you like to increase your productivity and complete all your responsibilities on time? 

At T2W we have an extensive knowledge in personnel management, so we can help you get the best of you. In this article we will give you 4 productivity tips that will help you improve your performance at work. Are you ready? 

1. Use the pomodoro method 

The pomodoro technique is one of the best measures you can take to have a good time management at work and keep distractions to the minimum. First, you need a timer. If you don’t have one, use the timing feature in your phone (just make sure to turn off the notifications or you might be distracted by them). After that, program 25 minutes. During that period, focus on your work without pauses or distractions. Be strict with yourself. 

Once that period of 25 minutes is over, take a 5-minute break. Each one of these blocks of 30 minutes (25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of pause) receives the name of pomedoro, hence the name of the method. When you complete 4 full pomodoros, take a 30-minute break. The concentration spam we have is short and distractions are inevitable. This productivity technique will help you program intense work sessions and small pauses to relax to get the best performance. 

2. Create a to-do list 

If you have to complete many tasks throughout the day, which is very common in most organizations, you need to be organized. For this reason, one of the best productivity tips when you have many responsibilities ahead is creating a to-do list. This is more important than you think. Every day, once your working hours are over, take a couple minutes to number the activities you have to complete the next day. Keep the list as detailed as possible and specify tasks and subtasks.  

Additionally, if you have to deal with very big and heavy tasks, divide them into many sections and list them so you can complete them easily. Keep in mind that the best way to handle a difficult job is to split it into small pieces. The next day, keep the list on a visible place on your workspace and cross out the items as you complete them. This gives you a feeling of constant progress since what initially seemed like an endless list of activities slowly fades away. 

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3. Start with the difficult tasks 

Perhaps you are thinking about creating a to-do list like we advised in the previous section but, which task should you start with? Well, another productivity tip that will help you a lot is to start always with the most difficult task. Why not doing the easy ones first? When the day begins, your energy, concentration and creativity levels are at their top. In other words, it’ll be easier for you dealing with big tasks during the first hours of your workday. 

Keep also in mind that after lunchtime, most of workers have a significant drop in their productivity. Additionally, you shouldn’t keep big tasks for the end of the day. The pressure of having to deal with a complex and inevitable chore could become a source of anxiety that would follow you along the day. Therefore, delaying that difficult activity could end up affecting your motivation and mood. Complete the big tasks first and the rest of the day will be a lot easier. 

4. Avoid multitasking 

Nowadays we have a very hectic work style. For that reason, many professionals have to deal with many activities at the same time. In fact, some organizations have multitasking as one of the main requirements when looking for talent. However, that practice doesn’t usually give good results, but the complete opposite. For that reason, another of the tips to boost productivity is to avoid multitasking. 

The human brain can’t really handle many activities at the same time. In fact, only about 2.5% of people can actually do many activities at once. Therefore, when people try to multitask, they are only splitting their attention and reducing their productivity. Professionals that multitask usually make about 50% more mistakes. Instead, you should focus in completing only one task at the time. You will complete it faster and you will be able to move to the next one without delay. 

These are the best methods to improve productivity at work. Apply them in your workday; be strict with yourself when implementing them and you will see the results. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.