A new year is a fresh start for many people, offering them the perfect opportunity to focus on self-improvement. If you’ve been struggling to bring your A-game to work for the past few years, then you may be looking for ways to be more productive this 2022.
After all, productivity isn’t just the key to better work performance—it’s also integral to achieving work-life balance. By being more productive, you can deliver higher quality work in less time. This saves your precious energy and allows you to do the things you enjoy, like spending more time with family or pursuing your hobbies.
Of course, staying productive throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for many people, especially for those who work from home. It may be difficult to concentrate on your tasks without the usual daily structure of an office environment. Or maybe you simply prefer working from home but haven’t quite figured out your ideal routine yet.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to achieve a streamlined and effective workflow, even when you’re at home. With the right workspace, scheduling, and productivity techniques, you can accomplish all your tasks in a timely manner. If you would like to learn how to boost your productivity this 2022, here is a guide to help you get started:
Set Up a Dedicated Work Area
If you work from home, your environment should be conducive to productivity. According to recent studies, creating a dedicated workspace can greatly improve your focus. For this reason, you should set up a work area in a part of your house with the least number of distractions and amount of noise. If your home doesn’t have an office, you can situate your workspace on the kitchen counter or in the living room.
Make sure to clear your work area of any unnecessary clutter. It’s also good to use ergonomic desks and chairs that make sitting down for long hours more comfortable. A quiet, peaceful, and organised space can condition your mind to stay sharp when you need to get work done.
Determine What Work Hours Work for You
Some remote or hybrid jobs give their employees flexible work hours. But if you’re in charge of managing your own time, make sure you’re not underworking or overworking. Unfortunately, a nebulous schedule can be detrimental to your overall productivity, as it tends to allow distractions or time-consuming tasks. While you don’t have to work the standard 9 to 5, following a structured schedule can help boost your productivity and also clearly delineate work time and personal time.
Of course, don’t forget to schedule breaks and daily activities outside of work like cooking and exercise. Additionally, plan when you’re going to start and end work each day. This will help you stay on track with all your tasks, both personal and work-related.
Avoid Multitasking
It’s time to bust the myth of multitasking. Multitasking might make you feel like you’re doing more in less time, but research has found that it impedes your overall productivity. When you’re working on multiple tasks at once, you’re actually spending more time switching between them than doing what needs to be done. Hence, some tasks may end up incomplete or may result in lacklustre outcomes once you’ve completed them.
Keeping this in mind, it’s best to concentrate on only one task at a time when you’re working. This can increase the quality of your outputs and motivate you to work more efficiently so that you can quickly proceed to the next task.
Choose the Most Appropriate Time to Accomplish Heavy Tasks
As the old saying goes, there’s a time and place for everything, and this certainly applies to your work. Heavier and more complex tasks naturally demand more time and energy from you, which is why you should accomplish them when you’re most energised and alert. The last thing you want is to deal with a complicated project when you’re feeling tired or burnt out.
So, make a note of the times of day that work best for you. For example, some people simply don’t consider themselves to be morning people, as they work far better at night. Similarly, do prioritise tasks based on their urgency. If you have an important project that needs to be completed soon, make sure to do it at the start of the day before the less urgent tasks.
Break Down Your Big Goals into More Manageable Ones
Managing certain tasks can still be overwhelming even if you’re in the right state of mind. What exactly does it take for you to complete a goal, anyway? To prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed, it helps to break down large goals into smaller ones.
Let’s say your goal is to write an article for your company. Such a task can seem daunting. How do you start? What exactly do you have to do?
To answer these questions, you’ll need to first divide this bigger goal into several smaller tasks. These tasks can include conducting initial research on the topic, writing a rough outline of what you want to talk about, expanding the outline into a first draft, and then proof-reading the article to catch any typos or minor grammatical errors. By defining the exact tasks and the order that you should be doing them in, you can accomplish even the most complex work assignments.
Remember, productivity is all about the delicate balance between work and rest. It’s not about working hard, but rather, working smart. Keeping that in mind, don’t forget to take breaks, drink water, do some stretches, and get some fresh air throughout the day to avoid exhaustion and burnout. With the tips mentioned above, you can be at your most productive in 2022, while still striking a balance between your personal and professional life.
Check Priority Management Australia’s online courses for time management and working smart today.