Boosting productivity has many advantages. The one that we usually think about is that it means we’ll get more done in less time, which can mean that our business grows faster and makes more money. While this benefit is certainly valid, it’s not the only one.
Boosting productivity can mean happier staff and reduced turnover. It might mean less stress in the office, and a better atmosphere to welcome clients. Better productivity can mean more time to focus on the important things, and so better quality and fewer mistakes. The best news is you don’t necessarily have to turn to complicated practices and big changes to boost productivity. These quick fixes can be just as effective.
Upgrade Your Tech
If you are working from old computers and machines, and have slow internet, chances are you are spending far longer than you need to even on simple tasks. It might also mean more mistakes and errors, and slow loading times. Upgrading some of your tech, and other small changes like adding Wi-Fi boosters can make a big difference. Take a look at these 4k Desktop PCs if you are looking for ways to work faster and make fewer mistakes.
Keep Things Simple
Complicated systems are often the enemy of productivity. Look at the systems that you’ve got in place and ask yourself if you could cut steps, or even remove them completely. Do you need staff meetings every day? Do you need to save everything in three places? Do you need to check your employee’s work and sign things off? Stop doing things the same way simply because you always have and look at ways to simplify as much as you can.
Avoid Multitasking
Multitasking is often seen as a way to get more done. But our brains aren’t designed to think about more than one task at a time. If you are multitasking, chances are you aren’t giving anything your full focus, which can mean that all of the individual tasks are taking longer than they would if you did one at a time. Try finishing one task before you start another, and you might find that you get more done and that the quality of your work improves.
Eat Your Frog
Eating your frog is basically a way of saying, get the worst job out the way first. If there’s something on your to-do list that you are worried about, you won’t be able to concentrate properly until it’s done. This can affect your productivity. Get it out of the way first, and you’ll be free to focus for the rest of your day.
Follow the Two Minute Rule
How often does your day get derailed because something comes up? If you try to action everything the second it comes in, you’ll never complete a to-do list. So, use the two-minute rule instead.
If something comes up that’s going to take two minutes or less, like replying to an email or booking something into your diary, do it straight away. If it’s going to take longer than two minutes, schedule it for later on.
Often, it’s the smallest changes that have the biggest effect on productivity. So, whether you work alone or manage a team, try some of these changes for big boosts.
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