The search to be as productive as possible while you work is one of the journeys that everyone makes at some point during their career. Some people have a great work ethic and can complete tasks with little inspiration. Others need to find the perfect set of circumstances to be able to do their very best work.
There is no shortage of articles online that detail ways in which you can boost your productivity at work, but we have found that the best tips are spread across a large number of articles on different sites.
So, here is a list of all the best tips and pieces of advice. These will help you find your optimal work environment and boost your productivity.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #1: Find The Right Time Of Day
It is a fact that most of us will be the kind of workers who have a 9 to 5 type job. You might have noticed that through the course of your day you experience periods of extreme motivation and also periods of procrastination. The goal here is to take note of those times when you are feeling most positive and inspired, and plan your day around working on your most important projects during these periods.
Of course, if your employment allows more flexible hours, then you have more freedom to mould your work around your most productive hours. It could even be in the middle of the night if you are self employed and work from home.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #2: Be Picky About Your Surroundings
You would be surprised by just how much the look of your surroundings can affect your productivity and enthusiasm for your work. Is your office space too cold? Is it too warm? Temperature is a big factor in how effectively a person can concentrate on their work.
Similarly, having plants and bright lights around you when working can also inspire you to be more productive. Position yourself near a window if possible. The lighter and more spacious your work environment is, the more productive you are likely to be.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #3: Low Noise Levels
Though this can vary between individuals, the general consensus is that the louder the noise levels are around you, the less productive you are going to be. Using noise cancelling headphone can be an excellent way to shut out external noise so that you can concentrate.
There are plenty of playlists that you can subscribe to that are filled with songs intended to help you focus. Alternatively, if you operate best in complete silence, working at home may work well for you. Then you can completely control your environment and sound levels.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #4: Be in charge of your attention span
Do you often get distracted by the notifications you get on your phone? From your favorite social media apps to your email, team collaboration software apps? You may want to reconsider your notification settings. If you switch off notifications, or at least use a “do not disturb” mode, you are in charge of who gets your attention and when.
Also, be mindful of this when using a chat tool like Fleep, Slack and the many alternatives. While technology can help us be more productive, how we use it and team chat culture usually determines whether we actually become more productive.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #5: Prioritize Your Workload
Are you more of a morning person or an afternoon person when it comes to productivity? If you find that you can’t get into the swing of things before noon, then arrange your work tasks in an order that brings the most difficult assignments in the hours where you are feeling most focused. Alternatively, if you feel more focused in the mornings, then commit to completing all of your biggest, hardest tasks first so that you only have smaller jobs to do in the afternoon when your productivity starts to fade.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #6: Set Reward Milestones
Do you find it hard to be productive when you know you still have four of five or hours of work left in a day? Then, it’s a good idea to split that time up and set reward milestones for hard work. For example, after every hour of focused work, give yourself a ten-minute break to grab a cup of coffee, browse social media … whatever you like. This is a really effective way to train your mind to stay productive as your concentration starts to dip at the end of the day.
Optimal Work Environment Tip #7: Just Start
The hardest part of being productive is actually getting started. No matter how unenthusiastic you are feeling about your work, half the battle is already won if you just bite the bullet and dive in. You will find that the minutes tick away much quicker when you actually get busy.
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