Implementing one habit a week, or even one a month, can dramatically change the way you work.
We all know the saying, “work smarter, not harder.” Workplace productivity has shifted into increasing public focus, especially throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The abrupt and quasi-unprepared move to virtual had everyone wondering whether people would still be able to do their best work from home. We’ve learned a lot; some believe we are more productive from our at-home offices, some adamantly detest it, and others are feeling burnt out regardless.
Workplace productivity refers to how much work is accomplished in a particular work environment, over a defined period of time. It’s usually measured in two simple ways. First, you can look at output per hour worked. Second, you can measure output per worker.
Just because your workplace is busy, doesn’t mean that tasks are being accomplished efficiently. Here are our tips for boosting productivity while working.
How to be more productive at work:
We highly recommend taking a few minutes to proactively assess your current productivity. Recognize the barriers to your efficiency. Are you distracted by unnecessary notifications from social media? Do news alerts interrupt your workflow? Do you rely solely on synchronous communication from your boss or colleague? Are you so booked by meetings that you hardly have a second to actually work? We feel you.
Becoming a more self-sufficient worker involves establishing new habits. Implementing one habit a week, or even one a month, can dramatically change the way you work.
Create a to-do list and set priorities. Boost your productivity by splitting up your list into categories like important tasks and less important tasks. Alternatively, try getting the quickest tasks (that will take 5 minutes or less to complete) out of the way first. This way, you’ll start your day with a sense of accomplishment and rhythm. Delegate. Splitting up workload has never been easier, thanks to digital tools. Many companies utilize customer relationship management (CRM) platforms to divide clientele among team members. Delegate so that each employee owns a subsection of professional relationships. Look into tools such a Trello or Asana that help you organize tasks into teams, so that you can delegate, but still stay in the loop. Finally, delegating will actually grant you more time to complete your own work. Avoid multitasking. Doing multiple things simultaneously might sound like a good idea, but it actually may reduce and inhibit your ability to do any one thing fast or well. Don’t waste time throughout your work hours by multitasking. Start your day with a plan. Whether you use a physical or mental checklist, it’s important to spend a few minutes reflecting and moving forward so that you can do your best work. Adjust your mindset. If you haven’t read up on growth mindset, you should definitely check it out. It can really help you approach both new tasks and mundane responsibilities. Take breaks! There’s no better way to re-energize than with spontaneous and planned breaks throughout your working hours. A productive day involves periods of relaxation, physical exercise, snacking, and chatting.
How to inspire productivity among employees:
As a leader or manager, it’s often your responsibility to manage expectations for workplace productivity and help your team create better habits.
Varying your physical workplace, professional interactions, and schedule can be conducive to improved productivity.
Set expectations. This involves personal planning and maintaining open channels of communication. It also involves research. There are tools out there for asynchronous and synchronous communication, dividing tasks, managing clientele, and keeping employees accountable, but it’s your job to find them, learn them, and teach them. Create company culture. If your employees feel like a team, they’ll work together to boost productivity and morale. Create goals, encourage positivity, foster social connections, listen, and emphasize employee wellness. Develop skills alongside your employees. Ask for feedback regularly, create incentives for recognition and rewards, and adjust workflow issues as they arise. Be realistic. Encourage employees to compile a to-do list that is actually feasible. If you don’t set clear priorities, employees may end up with lists cluttered with more tasks than could ever be accomplished in a day, week, or month.
The Kiln Advantage:
At Kiln, we work hard to ensure that you and your team can do your best work. Varying your physical workplace, professional interactions, and schedule can be conducive to improved productivity. Here are a few ways we approach workplace productivity at Kiln:
Our design. At Kiln, you can do your casual work in a shared coworking environment. Each of our locations has shared desks, open layout designs, and common spaces like cafes, kitchens, atriums, lounges, and theatres. You can also get down to serious business in private conference rooms and phone booths. With our design, you’ll be able to prioritize interactions and also carve out chunks of time for quiet work and intense focus. Our amenities. In addition to our design, each Kiln location has a unique list of amenities including gym facilities, standing desks, mailing and shipping services, snacks, showers, theatres, cafes, free parking, and more. Our community. We put our whole hearts into creating community at Kiln. Our community teams plan events, activities, and workshops. Try yoga, cocktail club, Après Work Happy Hours, Speaker Series, 3D printing workshops, trivia nights, and Waffle Wednesdays. Check out our ever-changing list of events. Our culture. Kiln can be an essential part of building and nourishing your company’s culture. By choosing Kiln, you can demonstrate to current and future employees alike that you value wellness, community, and togetherness.
After a long year of working from home, consider changing it up. Boost workplace productivity and take advantage of a Kiln coworking community near you in Lehi, Salt Lake, Park City, or Boulder. Book a tour today!
