5 Tips to Improve Work Productivity

While it maybe winter, summer and the distractions that come along with it will be here before we know it. While staying productive during the winter months isn’t too hard, with schools closing, the sun shining and nonstop daydreams of enjoying the beautiful outdoors, work productivity can take a severe beating during summer. How do you manage your workload in the most efficient manner with all the excitement that summer brings? Keep reading for 5 simple tips that will help you shine at work, while still enjoying the glorious summer weather when it finally arrives late this year!

#1 Take it Outside

This is a great way to get through those long strategic planning meetings that are usually held in air conditioned meeting rooms! Take the meeting outside for some Vitamin D packed sunshine that has several health benefits if enjoyed safely! Apart from this, being in a different environment  is a great way to get the creativity flowing and have a positive brainstorming session instead of daydreaming while being stuck indoors.

#2 Plan Ahead

The office usually starts slowing down during the summer months as loads of people tend to take their vacation during these months. While you may feel like  slacking off  and letting your workload build, it’s the perfect time to research and  plan some great things to do in the next quarter. Schedule some time in with your manager to pitch your ideas, so that you can start the planning process early and avoid the stress of having to develop and execute ideas at the last minute.

#3 Start Timeboxing

Multitasking has proven to be overrated when it comes to productivity and time efficiency. While causing long lasting damage like decreasing the grey matter in your brain, it also results in poor quality work as your brain switches between tasks on surface level, without much thought going into your work.

Singletasking or timeboxing is the way to go instead! Schedule your work in time brackets where you focus on one task for a set amount of time, followed by a scheduled break before you move onto the next task. Research has shown that practicing this allows your brain to focus completely on one task at a time, resulting in an increase in efficiency and quality of work.

#4 Make Plans for your Children

If you’re a parent, the summer months can be full of distractions since your kids will be off school. Arrange playdates, summer camp and other activities to keep them occupied, instead of bringing them to the office as this can be distracting for yourself, as well as your colleagues.

#5 Have Some Fun

Try to make your breaks fun, so that you don’t feel like you’re stuck indoors at work. Take a walk at lunch, grab a treat from the ice cream truck or anything else that will leave you feeling satisfied and energised. You’ll be surprised at how something simple like this can improve work productivity!