6 Ways to Improve Your Productivity in 2021

 

Improving productivity at work is always a great New Years resolution as achieving it is both beneficial and possible, unlike many other resolutions that tend to get left to the wayside by February. Increased productivity can be achieved through combining lifestyle changes with environmental changes, which can be done right now. Aside from the obvious benefit of higher-quality and faster work leading to higher revenue, being more productive at work is also great for employees: getting more done in the day and producing great work will improve their sense of accomplishment and decrease their stress. So, here are six simple ways to improve your productivity at work this year.

1. Have an Optimal Dedicated Workspace

A dedicated workspace is the most effective way of increasing productivity as they provide a clear separation between workers professional and private lives. Our mindsets are directly related to our environments, this is why working from home has been a difficult transition for many people: the lack of separation makes getting into a work mindset more difficult and being unable to completely escape work leads to burnout. So, for maximum productivity and employee wellbeing, businesses should always have dedicated working spaces.

Once this workspace has been established, the next step is to optimise it by populating it with ergonomic furniture. Having furniture especially designed to improve comfort and posture will increase employee output as discomfort and pain will distract people from work. This will also work to save money over time as chronic lower back pain resulting from poor posture leads to lost workdays to medical leave. To create a safer and more comfortable workspace, consider these additions to your office furniture:

  • Ergonomic Chairs: It is best practice to keep to one chair design for the whole office, but all these chairs are designed to encourage good posture and remain comfortable throughout the workday so they will be great for all employees
  • Standing Desks: By giving people the option to sit or stand throughout the day, standing desks function to reduce back pain, increase energy levels, and improve health outcomes for people who work all day in offices
  • Laptop Risers: To help improve posture and straighten your neck, you need a laptop riser to get the screen of your computer up to your eye-level. When setting up the riser, make sure the top third of the screen is level with your eyes
  • Steppie Boards & Footrests: For better posture while sitting, invest in footrests and steppie boards for all office workers. This equipment will improve comfort and support blood circulation to the feet

2. Get Started Early

Many successful people attribute their success to getting up early in the morning, but how can rising early and starting work early make you more productive? Here are the benefits to starting your day early:

  • A Stress-Free Morning: Early risers don’t need to rush their morning routine, waking an hour earlier in the morning will give you more time to get ready for work so you will always be on time and ready to start the moment you enter the office
  • Distraction-Free Work: There are less distractions in the early morning, people tend to be quieter and there’s generally less activity in the office, this provides the ideal working environment for productivity
  • More Family Time: Starting work early means you can finish work early, allowing you to return home sooner and spend more quality time with your loved ones. This will help productivity as it will improve your work-life balance and increase your well being

3. Structure Your Day

Planning your day ahead of time and adhering to a structure will increase productivity by saving time, energy, and creativity. A structure will ensure you don’t forget smaller projects and will keep you ahead of deadlines, decreasing stress and enhancing efficiency. Here are some tips for creating an effective working structure:

  • Plan Ahead of the Working Week: Think about what your work goals for the week are before the week begins, spending half an hour on the weekend setting clear goals and deadlines will save you time during the week and keep your organised
  • Have a Checklist: As well as reminding you of upcoming tasks and keeping things ordered, checklists are a great motivator as they give you a sense of accomplishment every time you check off a new task
  • Don’t Context Switch: Multitasking is a myth; our brains struggle to switch from one task to another and the time spent adjusting to new tasks is time wasted. You need to keep tasks streamlined as much as possible by doing similar tasks on the same day: try set your meetings on the same day, have dedicated times to check your email instead of keeping the inbox open, and tackle all the tasks that require less brain power together – keeping your schedule organised by task type will improve your productivity and efficiency greatly

4. Take Breaks

Staying motivated and avoiding burnout requires regular breaks to rest your brain and restore your energy. Effective breaks require great break spaces, you can learn how to upgrade your break spaces here. Our bodies weren’t designed to spend 8 hours at a desk focusing on a single task, and we generally begin to lose focus around 10 to 20 minutes into tasks – the only way to regain focus and productivity and focus once it’s lost is to have a short break. So, make yourself a cup of tea, go for a short walk, or have a snack, and then return to your work.

5. Stay Hydrated

Water is one of the fundamental building blocks of humans, our bodies are 60% water. This means it’s fairly obvious that staying hydrated is essential for our health. But did you know that hydration is key for productivity? The reason hydration is so important for working well is because water deficits as low as 1% have been found to negatively impact cognitive performance. Mild dehydration can cause noticeable problems with short-term memory, fatigue, irritation and confusion – all will be a detriment to productivity. To encourage employees to stay hydrated, you should provide safe drinking water, give reminders to drink water, and offer incentives for drinking water.

6. Eat Well

Much like staying hydrated, have a balanced diet is obviously preferable for your body. Eating regular, healthy meals will boost productivity by increasing your energy, concentration and alertness. A good diet will also improve your health more broadly, leading to fewer sick days and making you feel better both physically and mentally. Every person is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all for good nutrition, but you can’t go wrong with increasing your fruit and veg and cutting down on saturated fat and sugar. A good diet will also help you cut down on snacking throughout the day, swapping that artificial high with a natural one and keeping your energy levels consistent.

Need help optimising your office space? Consult an expert at All Storage Systems.

At All Storage Systems, we strive to help businesses increase productivity and efficiency through clever office design. Our team of specialists can create an office fitout that keeps employees working their best. Contact our sales team on 1800 772 726 or email us at sales@allstoragesystems.com.au to organise a FREE Fitout consultation.

Commercial & Corporate Office Furniture Fitouts Melbourne

We’ve worked with clients across a range of industries to create inspiring workplaces. Let us help you transform your office or retail space. Request a consultation now. We’ve worked with clients across a range of industries to create inspiring workplaces. Let us help you transform your office or retail space. Request a consultation now.


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