We’re in the together—that’s perhaps the newest company policy we’ve been adhering to since the lockdown began. With working from home, the quest to improve productivity is perhaps the single most important drive to help revenues and boost business. Whether it’s keeping the spirits alive with various challenges, competitions, or incentives, companies endeavour to keep things interesting and in turn, boost efficiency and productivity.
Unfortunately, however, no matter how pure the intentions, there are bound to be misconceptions surrounding the concept of productivity and, worse, a few have stuck around. Fortunately, there are ways to tell fact from fiction. Here are some myths that we are more than happy to bust:
Myth 1: Working every minute of your work day is manageable
It’s possible, yes, only if you’re quite literally chained to your desk. And even with being physically present, it doesn’t make you productive. Moreover, this is perhaps the most damaging expectation to an employee’s output and general satisfaction at their jobs. However, as is evident, working long hours at a stretch is not healthy or possible, given individual attention spans and levels of energy or motivation. Which brings us to our next myth…
Myth 2: Breaks are your enemy
Nobody is capable of working nonstop, especially given bodily functions like hunger or the need to use the facilities, resulting in taking that inevitable break. But apart from basic needs, it’s unreasonable to expect employees to work at a stretch without experiencing fatigue or a loss of concentration. This is why, whether working from home on in an office, taking well-timed breaks throughout the work day is essential. This will ensure you come back to work refreshed and focused.
Myth 3: Multi-tasking is your best friend
If there’s one thing that holds true, it’s the fact that you should finish one task at hand before moving on to the next. Why? Because if you’re focus is on one task, moving to another will shift your focus and will take you a lot longer to get the first one done, and the next. No matter how efficient you may be, it takes time to get into the crux of a task, and find your flow. If that’s not all, studies have shown that only about two per cent of people are capable of multitasking. It’s advisable to first finish the set task before moving down your to-do list.
Myth 4: Tracking tasks is a waste of time
This is a myth we’d love to bust. After all, if you don’t keep track of your tasks, how can you quantify the work put in, or manage deadlines? Moreover, keeping a track of tasks is a great way to measure an employee’s productivity and map out their natural rhythm for future assignments. Also, while tracking tasks at a company level is a mandate, when you track tasks team-wise or even individually, you can detect distractions and subsequently address them, pinpoint areas of efficiency and weakness, and analyse overall performance.
Myth 5: Productivity can’t be taught
No matter how well-meaning advice on time management may seem, perhaps the biggest misconception remains that one cannot train himself/herself to be productive. Productivity can be taught. All you have to do is plan ahead and stick to the plan you’ve set for yourself. Understand yourself and your attention span, and work around your attention windows. Of course, this works with trial and error so don’t forget to keep track and adjust your strategy accordingly.
And if this doesn’t work, perhaps these tried and tested tips will surely help keep you focused:
• Set a timetable and schedule crucial or time-consuming tasks for you to tackle at the start of your day.
• Follow the two minute rule. This simply means, if you’re taking a break from one task, but have something that won’t take you more than two minutes to complete, do that immediately. It could be a quick email, or a follow-up call. Don’t put these simple tasks off to the last minute.
• Get organised. And yes, we mean that workspace. You don’t want to be scrambling for important documents five minutes before that big meeting, do you?
• Eliminate digital distractions. We do mean steering clear of memes, cute cat videos, or social media. If you feel you’re out of control and just need to scroll through Instagram a little longer, set a timer and give yourself a challenge to not touch your device till the timer goes off. We recommend starting with at least 30 minutes.
• Take a quick walk. It could be around your living room, or up and down the staircase, but stretching and getting in some fresh air is a great way to rejuvenate body and mind.
Ultimately, improving productivity is an important business goal, which is why you should steer clear of quick judgements. And remember, there’s no right or wrong way of getting the job done, so long as you find a way to meet those deadlines.