10 Incredibly Effective Work Productivity Tips

Becoming more productive at work can sometimes be more difficult than it appears to be. Some workers struggle to find the right balance between comfort and working schedules, making it harder to maintain proper productivity levels in their daily sessions. 

Even if you plan your entire day, it may be easy for you to get distracted, focus on low-priority tasks, and others. When it comes to office or remote working, it’s essential to regain control over our time so that we can make the most out of the day. 

Keep in mind that there’s not a one-of-a-kind solution for everyone. Every worker’s life is different, so it would be impossible to make the same suggestion to each one. Thankfully, there are several productivity techniques you can try out to improve your work performance. 

Additionally, these work productivity tips may be adjusted to fit your particular needs. If you don’t feel comfortable with a particular suggestion, you may try out other ones until you find what works for you.  

We want to make things easier for you, so we gathered the best tips on how to be productive at work and outlined them in this article. If you’re looking for different ways to be productive, take a look at our list and choose something that works for you! 

What Is Productivity?

There are many ways to define “productivity.” However, the most common definition for it is the following: “Productivity is a measurement that compares the number of goods or services that the company produces with the number of resources it used to produce these goods or services.” Overall, the resources are referred to as “inputs” and the goods and services produced are referred to as “outputs.” 

Productivity, in essence, involves measuring the efficiency rate of a company or a worker. In most cases, the goal is to have a good balance between the company’s inputs and outputs. 

However, the definition we just gave you may be a bit too technical. If we were to talk about productivity for an individual worker, your goal would always be to achieve the results you want with less time and effort. 

As long as you organize yourself with your working sessions, you’re going to be able to complete all your tasks without having to spend more time than you already have to. It’s important to note that not all people look at productivity in the same way. Some people look at productivity as a way to get more free time, whereas others look at it as a way to maximize profits. 

Regardless of the way you look at productivity, improving your work performance can help you decrease costs, improve your revenue, and even save some time in your daily working sessions. Considering everyone has the same 24 hours a day to complete all their tasks, it’s important to make the most of them and create the right habits to know how to work more efficiently. 

In the end, your goal is not to work harder; it’s to work smarter. 

What Are Some Productive Habits People Have?

Overall, productive people develop habits that work for their particular cases. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, it’s impossible for everyone to have the same habits and be equally productive. 

Still, there are some common productive habits we can point out so that you can have an idea of what you can expect. Remember that everyone is free to adjust these habits to fit their needs or work schedule. 

Some productive habits that some workers implement include the following: 

• Taking breaks
• Creating a system to organize themselves
• Preventing too much multitasking
• Having a healthy morning routine
• Not paying attention to interruptions
• Delegating tasks accordingly 

While all of these tips to increase productivity at work mostly require inner work, there are also some external factors you could take into account to be more productive at work. Remember that you also need to work with the right office equipment if you want to make the most out of your daily schedule. However, we’re going to dive deeper into these tips in the following section. 

Effective Work Productivity Tips for You

Now that you know the basics of what being productive at work may involve, it’s time to cover some of the most effective work productivity tips you can start applying today to your schedule. Make sure to read the entire list and choose the tips you feel most appropriate for your particular case. 

1. Take Breaks

Regardless of the job you currently have, it’s vital for you to take effective breaktimes from time to time to increase productivity at work. Remember we’re not machines, so we can get tired, especially if we’re working in an office for several hours a day. 

Keep in mind that working for too many hours without short breaks can greatly decrease your productivity rates since you’re likely to have lower energy levels and a bad mood in general.  

Overall, taking at least five-minute breaks can help boost concentration levels, which is perfect for all workers. Try to find something that works for you and start applying it today. As for what to do on your breaks, it’s up to you; you can either go for a walk, take a coffee, or talk to a coworker to distract yourself for a bit. 

2. Don’t Multitask

We often find ourselves trying to multitask since we believe that’s going to help us get everything done faster. Even if the tasks are easy or small, multitasking is not viable. It’s impossible to put the same amount of focus on every activity, so you’re always going to end up neglecting something without even noticing. 

Try to focus on one thing at once to boost productivity at work. While it may not seem like it, working on one task at a time can help you complete everything much faster. Remember that the ability you have to get everything done mostly depends on how well you can focus on a particular task at a time, not how many of them you can complete simultaneously. 

3. Break Up Your Projects into Smaller Tasks

This is an important work productivity tip for you. Depending on your job, you may sometimes get big projects assigned, which can seem overwhelming at first. If you break up your big projects into smaller tasks, you’re likely to feel more in control over everything, enhancing your productivity.  

Keep in mind that breaking up projects into smaller tasks may not be possible in all cases, so make sure to assess the situation and determine what the best option for you is.  

4. Take Over Complex Tasks When You’re Alert

There may be some moments during the day where you feel more alert for a particular reason. Some workers tend to put big goals aside because they don’t feel they can do them at the moment. However, if you leave complicated tasks for the end of the day, you’re probably going to feel too burned out to complete them and result in not being productive. 

If you don’t want your tasks to add up over the week, try your best to get those complex tasks done when you feel the most alert in the day. Remember that there’s no standard schedule for everyone, so make sure to choose a moment that works for you. 

5. Implementing the “Two-Minute Rule”

Here is one of the good ways to be productive. The two-minute rule is highly popular among several workers worldwide, and it can help give us a deeper insight into what we can accomplish over the day. In essence, the two-minute rule states that you must try to find tasks that take two minutes or less to complete. If you find these tasks, complete them right away. 

According to entrepreneur Steve Olenski, completing tasks that only take two minutes or less can help save a lot of time at the end of the day. Additionally, the two-minute rule also states that most goals and habits can be started in under two minutes, which is a great incentive for workers to start discovering new habits. 

Keep in mind that implementing the two-minute rule doesn’t have to be a perfect process. There may be some days in which you may not have the energy to complete these smaller tasks. Still, you can do your best each day until you get used to this rule. 

6. Prioritize Important Tasks First

This is one of the good work productivity tips for you. While it may seem obvious for most workers, some people don’t prioritize their tasks. If you don’t work on the most important things first, you’re likely going to end up stressed in the long run.  

Even if your most important tasks during the day are the hardest ones, it may be best for you to complete them first; your future self is going to thank you for it. 

7. Write Down a Distractions List

Most workers have a significant list of things that distract them during the day, but some of them don’t even notice that these distractions are there. Remember that any distraction type can significantly hinder your work productivity, so you must ensure you’re focusing on your work at all times. 

Whether it’s social media, emails, videos, or unimportant tasks, you must make a list of everything that may potentially distract you from your work. Additionally, if you’re working and a distracting thought pops up in your mind, write it down too.  

Being aware of everything that can distract you can help you shift your attention to what’s important. 

8. Find a Way to Automate Some Tasks

Here is another work productivity tip for you. If you’re someone who tends to do the same tasks every day, there may be a way to automate some of the processes. Keep in mind that automating tasks can be one of the best ways to save time and make you more productive. Automating a task can go from learning keyboard shortcuts to making an entire automated computer process to help you. 

On the other hand, if you have a particular piece of equipment at your office that can help you automate your tasks, make sure to use it. There are several productivity gadgets you can also purchase today, so make sure to take a look and choose something that works for you. Autonomous currently has an employee purchase program where you can build your productivity desk setup, so make sure to take a look when you can. 

9. Review Your Week

One of the best work productivity tips we can give you is to review your work week so that you can prepare for the next one. In essence, if your work week ends on a Saturday, you may use that day or the next one to plan for the next one. 

In your review, make sure to point out the goals you accomplished, how you felt, and what you can do to improve. Additionally, make sure to outline all your goals for the next week so that you can have an idea of what to expect. 

10. Optimize Your Working Area

Even if you follow all of the work productivity tips that we mentioned for being productive at work, you may still not experience significant results if you’re not comfortable with your current office. In essence, the best thing you can do is to invest in the right desk productivity items. 

Thankfully, there are hundreds of different items you can purchase, but you can start with a smart standing desk or an ergonomic chair, such as Autonomous’ SmartDesk and ErgoChair. These items have proven to be a great way to help you feel much more comfortable while working, which enhances your working productivity. 

Other items that could be useful to you include filing cabinets, wire organizers, journals, and more. Remember that every worker is different, so make sure to create a setup that works for your particular needs and goals.  

Bottom Line

Creating a productivity habit for work may not be easy, but it’s possible if you commit to it. Hope that those above tips are helpful for you and help you know how to be productive as well as how to work more efficiently. If you’re struggling with getting your tasks done, make sure to grab one of the 10 work productivity tips we mentioned above and start implementing it into your work schedule!