In an era of overscheduling and constant interruption, you may often end your workweek feeling like you barely touched your to-do list.
The trouble could be you think you can multi-task your way through the day. What many don’t know is that multi-tasking is a myth. It’s actually humanly impossible to do two things at once.
MIT 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."
All that shifting back and forth may leave you more scattered. For true concentration and maximum productivity, you should try to create some calm in your busy days.
How to Be More Productive at Work
Create Quiet Space
The prevalent newsroom-style office may be part of the problem. Harvard Business School Online Professor Ethan Bernstein completed research that rejects the open-concept floorplan. 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 to train your colleagues to respect your new work style, but by sharing your productivity success, others may follow suit.
Work in Sprints
Employing an agile-like method, widely used in software development, may be the best way to improve productivity at work. 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 to the office a little earlier or working a bit later but it could address your productivity woes.
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 Buffer, “When faced with long tasks, such as studying before a final exam or doing your taxes, it is best to impose brief breaks on yourself. Brief mental breaks will actually help you stay focused on your task.”
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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.
A recent New York Times article titled, “Stop Letting Modern Distractions Steal Your Attention,” asserted that, “Making ourselves inaccessible from time to time is essential to boosting our focus.” The article also cited an American Psychological Association survey that showed constant electronic disruptions increase stress levels.
So, these work-style changes might not only boost your productivity but could even improve your health.
Are you interested in additional career advice? Explore our other articles on professional development, from "How to Land Your Dream Job in 9 Steps" to "Tips for Growing Your Professional Network."
