5 Simple Steps to Improve Productivity

5.
Track your time

The easiest way to know how little we do, is by tracking what we do. We think we work 10 - 12 hrs. Try and allocate your daily, weekly and monthly hours against what you've done. You'll very quickly see how little we typically do. Just this knowledge will help you double your productivity, overnight.


4.
Make lists

Having a "To Do" list is a very good way of getting things done. Quickly. Efficiently. And Effectively. The note to yourself that you need to get all items on the list done before you leave will help you complete it before you leave. Time taken for each activity, takes up the time available. And the more items you have on the list, the faster each one will be completed.



3.
Use the FIFO methodology

Our typical reaction is to use the LIFO or the Last In First Out philosophy in our day to day actions. This is because we have a tendency to act on whatever is the most recent. The problem is that previous activities keep collecting and the time taken to deal with them later is much more that if it were relatively recent. The other advantage of using the FIFO or the First In, First Out methodology is that we end up getting much more done, since we typically want to get the recent tasks completed.


2.
Check e-mails and voice-mails 4 times a day

Most people measure their efficiency by how quickly they respond, especially to e-mails. What this actually means is that they're monitoring and responding to e-mails in real time. What this also means is that they're only partially focusing on whatever it is they are doing. Making them less efficient and hugely unproductive.

You could have been at a meeting. Or traveling. Or at an event. Or at dinner. Or ... The e-mails would have waited. So why exactly can't it wait when you're at work? Try checking your mails just a few times a day. Morning. Afternoon. Evening. And night, if you have to. You will not believe the amount of time you'll suddenly have. To do whatever you please. Even working, if you so desire.



1.
OMG's

When you come across something exciting, you exclaim, "Oh my God", or as the trendy ones would say, "OMG's". We recently introduced OMG's at my workplace. We all did exclaim OMG's when it turned out to be "Objective Measurable Goals." What this does is Simple. Have a goal that is objectively measurable and then measure it. Its that simple. Having a OMG that is transparent will ensure that you outperform since you yourself now have a way of measuring what you're doing.

And most importantly, Have Fun. If you're not working, that's when you're the most productive.