How to Increase Your Productivity at the Office

Productivity is not just a matter working harder. To be truly productive, you need to manage your time and efforts at work properly. Read on to learn how to work not so much harder as smarter, and make yourself stand out the next time the issue of a raise or promotion comes up.

Get Help When You Need It

Taking on the big projects yourself might look impressive to your boss, but you'll just look like an idiot if you bite off more than you can chew. When you need help, don't hesitate, just ask for it. You'll look smart, organized, and a team player.

Skip Unnecessary Meetings

Some meetings are important. Many of them are not. Many meetings are just an attempt to look busy, or network socially, or are the result of poor management choices. Think about whether you really need to go to that meeting, or whether your time will be better spent actually getting things done.

Traffic Problems? Get to Work Early, Leave Late

Yes, of course, if you get to work early and leave late you will be more productive because you are working longer, but that's not really the point here. If you do this, you will miss the morning and evening traffic. If you struggle with a difficult daily commute and try this new schedule, you're not so much working longer as you are spending your time at work instead of sitting in traffic jams. Plus, your commutes will be much less stressful!

Get Rid of the Distractions

Smartphones are sometimes useful tools, but they are always great distractions. If you want to be more productive, you do not need distractions. Email, social media, and Wikipedia cause more time to be wasted at work than anything else. You might want to consider uninstalling social media apps on your phone, or getting one of those apps that remind you not to visit these sites during working hours. If your job doesn't require you to have a smartphone, you might just want to leave it at home.

Reward Yourself

When you achieve one of your goals, reward yourself. Get that expensive fancy coffee, or a special dessert. If you get something truly impressive accomplished, treat yourself to a getaway next weekend. The key is to teach your subconscious mind that it WANTS to be motivated to accomplish things. Once it believes that, your productivity will get a serious shot in the arm.

Leave the Office for Lunch

Don't work through lunch in order to get more done. It kills your productivity in the long run. By taking a real break, complete with change of scenery, you let your mind relax a lot more, which makes you more effective at work in the afternoon.

Spend Time Every Day Preparing for Tomorrow

If you have a meeting you have to attend, get your notes together for it. If you have to travel for business reasons, work out the route you'll take and what you'll need. Doing small things to get ready for tomorrow will help tomorrow go a lot more smoothly.

Constantly Question Yourself

Keep asking yourself, do I really need to do this? Is this really going to help me get things done? Learning the habit of questioning your own actions will help keep you focused.

Being more productive is just a matter of making a few small changes to your work day. If you learn how to work smarter, you'll get a lot more done, and be in a good position to improve your standing with the company.