7 Tips to Increase Your Productivity at Work

No matter how much you love your job, there may be times when you feel that your productivity is not at a sufficient level or that you are not fully realizing your potential due to various reasons. While this is a very human situation, if not addressed, it can lead to a backlog of tasks, increased stress levels, missed opportunities for advancement, and, in the worst case, having to leave your job. The best thing you can do to increase productivity at work is to adopt the philosophy of 'working not more, but more efficiently.' So, how can you reflect this approach, which has been on everyone's lips in recent years, in your professional life?

1. Measure and limit the time you spend on certain tasks.

You may think you are very aware of how much time you spend on which tasks, and rest assured, you are not the only one who believes they have control over their time. However, research shows that only about 17% of employees can accurately estimate the time they allocate to specific tasks. By downloading a stopwatch application on your smartphone or work computer, you can accurately measure the time spent on main and secondary tasks, which will help you understand if you have a problem in this area.

If you realize that you are spending more time than necessary or more than you thought on certain tasks, you can set reasonable time frames and intervals to complete tasks without a specific deadline, thereby distributing your workload evenly.

2. Take regular and sufficient breaks.

Working non-stop throughout the day tires your brain and leads to decreased productivity. Ensuring that you take sufficient breaks is the best thing you can do to increase work efficiency. A short 5-minute break when you feel overwhelmed or a small walk within the office can help you find a solution to the problem you have been working on for hours. However, especially if you are working at a computer, it would be beneficial to engage in options that will take your mind off work during your breaks (such as getting some fresh air, resting your eyes, daydreaming, or chatting with your colleagues) instead of checking your social media accounts or browsing the internet.

3. Apply the two-minute rule.

The two-minute rule is an application developed by famous entrepreneur Steve Olanski for those who want to be more efficient at work. According to this rule, if you think a task that comes your way can be completed in less than two minutes, you should complete it immediately, as soon as it comes to your hands. A productivity and performance study conducted in the USA has proven that such small tasks take more time when postponed compared to being completed immediately.

4. Do not try to handle multiple tasks at the same time.

Although the situation of working on multiple tasks simultaneously, also known as multitasking, is still encouraged by some employers and managers, expert psychologists agree that it is a practice that wastes time and decreases productivity. To keep your performance at the highest level in the workplace, you may prefer to prioritize your tasks and focus on only one task within a certain time frame.

5. Make use of the time spent on the road.

Using the time spent in your car, shuttle, or public transport on your way to work to organize the tasks you will do during the day will make you feel much more comfortable when you start your job. Handling simple emails that can be answered immediately or deciding which of your tasks are urgent or priority for the day are just a few of the things you can do on the road.

6. Turn off notifications.

Notifications from applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram on your phone or computer while working can distract you and decrease your productivity, even if you do not respond to them immediately. To avoid this, try turning off notifications for all applications except for the internal emails you use when you enter the workplace.

7. Work in 90-minute cycles.

A study conducted at Florida State University has shown that athletes, musicians, chess players, and many others who work without breaks for a maximum of 90 minutes are more productive than those who work for more than 90 minutes at a time. To increase productivity at work, set your phone alarm for an hour and a half when you start working, and when this time is up, regardless of how engrossed you are in your current task, get up and take a short break.