Do you often find yourself wondering where all of your time went at the end of the workweek? In an era of overscheduling and constant interruption, you may often end your workweek feeling like you barely touched your to-do list.
While it may feel like you’ll never be able to reach the finish line and complete all of the tasks you need to, there are certain behaviors, techniques, and tools you can embrace to be more productive at work.
What Does It Mean to Be Productive?
Productivity refers to the amount of output that comes from units of input. At work, this often translates into how much work an individual or team is able to complete in a set amount of time.
High workplace productivity occurs when less labor produces more of a business’s output, which ultimately turns into increased revenue for the organization.
By getting more work done more efficiently, you become more effective in your role and increase your contribution toward key business goals. Here are five tips to increase your productivity and make a bigger impact at work.
5 Tips to Increase Productivity at Work
1. Create Quiet Space
When searching for the causes of your lack of productivity, consider that a newsroom-style office may be part of the problem. Harvard Business School Associate Professor Ethan Bernstein completed research that rejects the open-concept floor plan. He says the popular office layout is actually counterproductive and makes it impossible to focus. Contrary to popular opinion, it also doesn't foster teamwork. That said, most don’t have the luxury of a private office, so you need to create your own space that promotes productivity.
Why is minimizing distraction so important to productivity? Many psychologists and neuroscientists believe that when your concentration is interrupted, it takes significant time to return to deep thought. A Fast Company study found that when interrupted, it takes more than 23 minutes on average to return to your task.
You can minimize distraction by turning off your phone, putting on noise-canceling headphones, and disabling notifications on your computer. Take it a step further and pin a sign to your door that says, “Work Zone: Do not disturb.” It may take some time for your colleagues to respect your new work style, but by sharing your productivity success, others may follow suit.
2. Work in Sprints
Employing the agile-like method of working in sprints may be the best way to improve productivity at work. Widely used in software development, sprints are blocked periods of time designated to complete an allotted amount of work on a specific project.
Tony Schwartz, author of The Way We're Working Isn't Working, wrote in the New York Times, "It’s better to work highly focused for short periods of time, with breaks in between, than to be partially focused for long periods of time. Think of it as a sprint, rather than a marathon. You can push yourself to your limits for short periods of time, so long as you have a clear stopping point. And after a rest, you can sprint again.”
By dividing your day into scheduled “sprints,” or chunks of time, you’ll find you get more done. Try scheduling two or three uninterrupted 90-minute work cycles each day. This may require arriving at the office a little earlier or working a bit later but it could address your productivity woes.
3. Take a Break
Just like extreme athletes need recovery time after an Ironman race or marathon, it’s important to take real mental breaks after periods of deep concentration.
University of Illinois psychology Professor Alejandro Lleras told social media company Buffer, “When faced with long tasks, such as studying before a final exam or doing your taxes, it’s best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task.”
Take a walk, call your sibling, or grab a coffee. But no matter what, give yourself a real electronic-free cognitive break after a solid work sprint and you’ll return refreshed and ready to get more done.
According to a recent New York Times article, making yourself inaccessible from time to time is essential to boosting focus. The article cites an American Psychological Association survey that showed constant electronic disruptions increase stress levels.
These work-style changes might not only boost your productivity but could also improve your health.
4. Avoid Multitasking
It’s a common misconception that multitasking can allow you to get more work done. However, the human brain isn’t able to handle several complex tasks at one time, so multitasking at work can actually make you less productive.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Neuroscience Professor Earl Miller told NPR, "People can't multitask very well, and when they say they can, they're deluding themselves. You're not paying attention to one or two things simultaneously, but actually switching between them very rapidly."
According to a study conducted by Robert Rogers and Stephen Monsell, participants were significantly slower when asked to switch tasks than when they simply repeated the same task. By constantly switching tasks, you’re actually losing time as your brain refocuses and processes the new tasks.
Multitasking might be your only option depending on your industry and specific role, but, if possible, try to complete one task before starting another. Dedicate specific chunks of time to certain tasks, and consider timing yourself to hold yourself accountable. For example, you might dedicate 30 minutes to checking email, then the next 30 minutes to completing an assignment, rather than juggling the two tasks at once.
Related: 6 Networking Tips for Online Learners
5. Use Productivity Tools to Your Advantage
People often say there aren’t enough hours in the day, but what if you could maximize the hours you have? By using productivity tools and software, you can easily organize tasks, stay focused, and collaborate with others more efficiently.
Depending on your role, the productivity tools you find useful will vary. Some popular productivity tools include:
- Slack: A communication tool that easily integrates with other tools and software
- Teamwork: A project management tool that allows you to schedule tasks and keep track of time spent on them
- IFTTT: A conditional statement creator that allows you to sync apps and automate tasks
- SaneBox: An email management software that organizes your inbox, identifying important emails and hiding distractions
There’s a myriad of productivity tools to choose from based on your priorities and where you find yourself wasting time. For example, if you manage a remote team and are looking for a communication channel that’s more efficient than email, Slack might be useful.
To regain valuable time, consider taking advantage of the various productivity tools at your disposal.
Becoming More Effective in Your Role
While there’s no-one-size-fits-all approach to boosting productivity at work, with a bit of self-discipline and the right tools at your disposal, you can easily become more efficient, and ultimately more effective, in your role.
Are you interested in taking your career to the next level? Download HBS Online’s free guide about how to advance your career with essential business skills.
This post was updated on April 9, 2021. It was originally posted on March 28, 2019.
