What is productivity?
There are two different types; staff productivity and personal productivity. Personnel productivity is about the total amount of goods and/or services an individual produces in a given period. Personal productivity is about the relevant output of an individual in a given period. As a person, you do not always have influence on the productivity of personnel, as this depends on several factors. However, you do have an influence on your personal productivity. To improve it, one must first improve one's personal productivity. Added to that, you can be very productive and have a lot of output, but if the results you achieve are useless, you still have nothing to gain. So it is important to focus on relevant output.
Why is this important?
When you work on the right tasks, you get better results. That, then, is how growth occurs. Thus, high productivity creates more innovation, more self-confidence and higher engagement.
What are obstacles that lower your productivity?
Productivity goes hand in hand with various obstacles. To work more productively, the first step is to address the obstacles. The main obstacle is distractions. A workplace can be a very distracting place. After all, there are almost always other colleagues present talking, getting coffee or having meetings. In addition, we constantly have technological devices around us that demand our attention. Consider cell phones, for example. A second obstacle is personal circumstances. Life sometimes asks a lot of us. Working 5 days a week, running errands, entertaining family and friends and you name it. This busyness will reduce productivity. Be aware of these obstacles when you want to increase your productivity.
How do you raise it?
To reach your full potential, we've listed a few tips for you. These tips will help you increase your productivity:
1. Find your own way of working
How do you prefer to work? How do you know what to do each day? It doesn't matter if you have everything in your head or make a checklist each day, but make sure you know what works best for you. Having this clear and executing it every day will increase your productivity. Be sure to share this way of working with your colleagues as well. That way they know where they stand and how they can help you with this.
2. The Pomodoro technique
The pomodoro technique is one of the best productivity techniques available. In the pomodoro technique, you choose a task to be accomplished, set the timer for 25 minutes and get to work. After these 25 minutes, you may take a 3-5 minute break and get back to work for another 25 minutes. After 4 pomodoros (4×25 minutes), you get to take a longer break. This allows you to work super productively.
3. Start with the boring tasks
Usually we save the most boring chores until the last minute, or put them off so far that we end up not even doing them. From now on, try starting with these chores. In fact, at the beginning of the day, you will have more energy and focus and this chore will be completed faster.
4. Learn to say "no
Something many people can still learn: saying no. You probably know it: colleagues who ask for your help all the time. "Can you do this?" "Do you have some time for me?". It is still difficult for many people to say no. After all, you want to help the other person. Unfortunately, this regularly does come at the expense of your productivity. So next time, ask if it can be done at another time or just say no.