Whether you’re a small business owner, aspiring entrepreneur or hard-working professional, the battle to constantly produce good work is ongoing. Maybe it’s the monotony of workloads or effort we put forth to get better, but seasons of high productivity seem to come and go. If you’re stuck in a slump, you’re not alone. Millions of professionals struggle to meet expectations every day. Luckily, the parade of employees and entrepreneurs hoping to boost their output has led to helpful tools and strategies.
On the Clock
Productivity doesn’t just depend how you spend your time on the clock. It’s also reliant on healthy time off the clock. According to Nytimes.com, working in 90-minute intervals followed by 15-minute breaks is a recipe for productivity. Elite athletes, musicians, chess players and performers often mimic this pattern. Unlock the genius within and take a load off after an intense period of work. Take a walk, have a chat or watch a bit of TV.
Disconnect
Your lack of productivity isn’t generally for lack of effort. Professionals with ability and good intentions feel helpless against the barrage of emails, tweets, posts, pics and articles streaming toward them in real time. The biggest antagonist in the battle for productivity? Social media. While platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin have a place in many offices, too often they distract employees and interrupt deep focus. If you’re constantly checking your social media feeds for updates, call on reinforcements to keep you focused. Anti-Social is a program that blocks social media websites and disables social feeds. Keep your pulse on the day’s news at lunch. Work is a time for focus, and Anti-Social can help.
Hope for Work
Employers point to time management, work ethic and perseverance as productivity ingredients, but psychologists suggest a surprising trait could lead to more effective employees: hope. According to Psychology Today, the structure that leads to hope also leads to productivity. Elements of hope include setting goals, feeling empowered to accomplish them, and identifying avenues to make them happen. Maintain a hopeful perspective and you’ll feel more inspired during the daily grind.
Save Email for Later
How did we live before email? This simple tool for electronic communication saves time and, in the long run, money. Email is a double-edged sword, though. While it can vastly improve communication, it can also keep professionals from doing tangible work. You’ve had those email-centric days when it seemed like all you’re doing is explaining what you’re doing. Microsoft manager of development Scott Hanselman has a drastic tip for those bogged down by email: Don’t check it in the morning. “Email in the morning is how you time-travel to 2 p.m.,” Hanselman said. Urgent matters will make it to your desk eventually. Focus on actual work in the morning and you’ll get the day started on the right note.
Guest post writer Tim Owens is a bank manager and freelance writer living in Los Angeles.
Hello Tim! Nice post. Have to agree with the “talk a walk” bit of advice. Getting away from the desk is very important to increase productivity.
Great post, it is really inspiring. Because most of the small business owners are prefer to exhaust themselves to boost their productivity.
I believe that productivity is always one of the biggest problems or a SMB owner, especially one that works from home. Thanks for sharing your tips and insights with us. I appreciate it and look forward to seeing more of your content over on bizsugar. 🙂
Ti