5 Tricks to Increase Productivity
What if it were possible to do more in less time?
Productivity tips and tricks are all over the internet, but here are five of the most interesting.
1. Keep meetings as short as possible: Bobby Harris, Founder and President of BlueGrace Logistics uses this trick because he hates how meetings waste time, though he agrees that sometimes they are necessary, according to Business Insider.
"Never accept a meeting without a clear agenda and then ask how long they need," he said. "Whatever amount of time is requested cut it in half!"
2. Let all non-scheduled incoming calls go to voicemail: Beth Doane, Founder of apparel company Raintees, uses this strategy to maximize her productivity, according to Business Insider. "I tend to return calls at the end of the day, and if someone really needs to reach me I have my assitant's info on my voicemail and let her decide if it's really an 'important' call."
3. Manipulate your office lighting and temperature: According to Lifehacker, a study from Cornell University examined temperature and productivity and found that, "When temperatures were low (68°F) employees made 44% more mistakes than at optimal room temperature (77°F)."
Lighting also makes a difference. Greater exposure to daylight has been linked to improved productivity, and the wrong kind of light can cause eye fatigue and reduce productivity. If you're noticing a lot of glare, or if you work under a direct light, you can prevent eyestrain by taking breaks.
4. If it's possible to do something in under 2 minutes, do it immediately: According to INC, Christian Sutardi, Co-Founder at Lolabox, uses David Allen's "Two-Minute Rule."
"When a new task comes in and I see that I can do it in less than two minutes, then I do it right away. This easy rule increased my productivity a lot," said Sutardi.
5. Don't get sidetracked with "busy work": Staying busy is not always the same as being productive.
"While tasks like organizing your desk, color-coding your files, or fiddling with fonts may seem important in the moment, they can be huge time-wasters," a recent Forbes article states. "Asking yourself periodically throughout the day, 'Is this helping grow my business?' can give you a bit of extra motivation and clarity."
Lifehacker has also suggested that these kinds of "tricks" will not work if they are overused. They aren't a replacement for a good productivity system and an optimized schedule. Though, they're worth a try if you're feeling sluggish.
And just think, with all this extra time, you'll be able to read more AndNowUknow.
