Office Productivity Techniques That Really Work!
Productivity can seem like such an elusive concept to grasp. Everyone wants to know the secret trick. Maybe you feel like you get off track easily or have trouble multitasking – whatever the case, there are steps you can take to become more productive. It all starts with changing some habits.
Morning Routine
Set yourself up for success the moment you leap (or crawl) out of bed. Eat a healthy, nourishing breakfast that hits all your food groups – protein, carbohydrates, and a little fat. Exercise if possible – a short walk/jog, yoga DVD, or some body weight movements like pushups, situps, and squats. Aim for about 20 minutes. Then spend about 10 minutes calming your mind with a little meditation. And finally, jump start your brain with some reading – not the articles on your Facebook feed, but something a little more intellectual. Motivational or educational books are a great choice.
Structure Your Day
There are many “methods” that promise a productive work day. The Pomodoro Technique is probably the most well known of these, and is really simple to execute. If you like to work in short sessions, this one’s for you. Set a timer for 25 minutes. When the timer goes off, take a short 5 minute break. Every 4 sessions take a longer 15-20 minute break.
If you find you work better with longer periods of focus, try the Ultradian Rhythm or 52 Minute Sprint method. The Ultradian Rythym technique stems from our natural cycle of sleep. Research shows that we actually have similar cycles during waking hours – about 90 minutes. Work for 90 minutes then take a break for about 20 minutes.
The 52 Minute Sprint method is similar except the work sessions are 52 minutes (not surprisingly). During one study, an app was used to track how long people spent on a task. Regardless of the type of work or length of the day, they discovered that the most productive people work for about 52 minutes followed by a 17 minute break.
What all three methods have in common are regular breaks. Taking breaks is crucial to productivity, but people often assume the opposite is true. By setting the tone of your day with a powerful routine and employing one of these techniques, you will be so much more efficient during work hours!
