If coffee cups pile up on your desktop, but it’s still difficult to tick the task ‘done,’ you might be struggling with efficiency. Here are 6 tips to help you become more efficient at work.
What is efficiency, and why is it so difficult to welcome it to one’s headspace? Efficiency is a synonym to the good old ‘productivity.’ Yeap, you surely saw this word in self-help books. In short, productivity is when quantity meets quality when it comes to your tasks.
Productivity saves time and increases the quality of your work. Whether you’re a freelancer or a 9-to-5 employee, productivity will enhance your organization skills.
Also read: 8 Remote Work Habits Of Every Productive Employee
Why is Efficiency Important?
If you’re not a top manager, you might not understand why efficiency is of such great value. An efficient employee causes fewer troubles at the workplace. Also, a productive employee knows how to allocate resources and not let them go to waste.
Imagine what would have happened to all those math homework helpers if they weren’t efficient in solving problems timely. The same goes for essay writers whose number one responsibility is following college deadlines.
Why master the art of efficiency?
- So, you’ve started freelancing. Cultivating efficiency will increase your income and improve your time management;
- As a 9-to-5 employee, efficiency will let you jump a few steps higher on the career ladder;
- As a student with a part-time job, efficiency will teach you the value of time and proper schedules. In the end, you’ll follow deadlines and keep both your boss and professor happy.
1. The Notorious Multitasking Myth
Multitasking is like the gold rush in the business world. Everyone chases it, but once found, not everyone will find it effective. The truth is multitasking doesn’t work. Imagine a robot who is assigned one task. An AI assistant will perform the task perfectly. Once the robot is assigned too many tasks, it will break because the program is designed for less work.
The same goes for the human brain. To do your job well, you must focus instead of diffusing efforts on tons of unrelated to each other activities.
If multitasking doesn’t work, what options do we have to keep up with the colleagues and follow the deadlines? Keep reading.
Also read: Best Pomodoro App 2022 | All About Pomodoro technique & how to use it
2. The New Era of Monotasking
If endless calls and unfinished paper piles monopolize your mornings, think of monotasking.
Obviously, writing a message to your boss and calling the customer simultaneously is impossible. Make a rule: if the first task can be performed by a machine, do the second one. What does it mean? For instance, you’re a freelancer who needs to write a text and do their laundry. Start your washing machine. While the entire washing doesn’t require your constant attention, write your article. This is still monotasking because you’re focused on writing and may forget about the washing machine.
3. Distraction and Timely Breaks
- Avoid distraction from social media and ads. Use ad-blocking and message-blocking software like Freedom or Forest;
- It is recommended to use one monitor. Once you put that phone aside, the temptation to reach for it skyrockets;
- Don’t forget about breaks! The most popular time management technique is called Pomodoro. Work for 25 or 50 minutes and take a five or 10-minute break, respectively. Once you finish all 4 Pomodoro sessions, take a 30-minute break to renew your mental energy.
Also read: 8 Simple ways to organize your life
4. Organize Your To-Do Lists
This tip is as old as the hills. Visualizing your plans puts your anxiety and excessive worrying away. Once you write everything on paper, you no longer have to keep things in mind. However, documenting everything on paper is not enough. You should also organize it.
- Use tools like Todoist, Habitica, and TickTick if you prefer a tech approach to pen and paper. Most of them are free and have an intuitive design;
- Divide your paper into ‘Work’ tasks and ‘Personal’ tasks. Write your tasks into these two columns. Later, choose 2-3 most important tasks and circle them with a color pen. By doing so, you’ll prioritize your tasks and focus on them the next day. Additionally, if you fail to accomplish other non-important tasks, you won’t be that unhappy;
- Keep your tasks realistic and easy to measure. Don’t write ‘Plan the Whole Wedding.’ Better keep it realistic: ‘Choose the Wedding Flowers.’ If you have a big project, break it into smaller milestones.
5. Avoid Procrastination in All Its Forms
Did you know that to-do lists cause procrastination? Yeap, a to-do list won’t cure your procrastination if it’s too long. But, at the same time, the lack of to-do lists will surely throw you into the Procrastination Kingdom too. So, how to solve the problem?
- Avoid structured procrastination. This happens when you focus on less important tasks rather than starting to work on the essential ones. Therefore, keep your to-do list as short as possible. Make sure your tasks are simple and realistic when it comes to time and resources;
- Make accountability your new habit. Ask your boss or a colleague (or a friend) to create a reward system. For instance, your boss might allow you to leave the workplace 15 minutes earlier. In case you fail, you’ll be asked to leave 15 minutes later;
- Set a timer. For instance, you don’t feel like doing the task. Set 20 minutes on a timer and start working. There is a high probability you’ll dive into working and won’t leave the task once the timer beeps.
Also read: 10 Best Timeline Makers 2022 | Compare Features & Prices
6. Get Productive By … Sleeping
Naturally, a human body requires a short sleep after being awake for 7-8 hours. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about it. Remember that 4 pm sleepiness? Yeap, this is your body signalling you should take a rest.
- Try to sleep for 20 minutes once your start feeling sluggish;
- If you had a 12-hour shit, make sure the gap between your next shifts is at least 10 hours;
- Get a 7-hour sleep. Yeap, so obvious and so impossible to achieve sometimes.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to quality, being efficient at work is the key. Monotasking doesn’t mean you’re lazy. What it means is your responsibility when it comes to quality. As well as taking breaks and napping in your office chair. In other words, keep that work-and-play balance to stay productive.
We hope the article was helpful to you. Good luck!
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