If you are a busy professional, you would ideally want to do your most critical tasks in less time and with less stress. However, it is easier said than done. From scrolling through social media to get bogged down in emails, employees have an abundance of distractions to cope up in the contemporary world.

So the burning question is how can professionals stay on top of their performance and accomplish more without increasing their work hours? Well, the answer rests with walking the tight line of the following productivity hacks: 

1. Keep Distractions To A Minimum

First thing first, workplace distractions have become a mainstream concern. Most employees have a habit of checking their phones anytime a notification appears on their screen. They seem to have a hard time resisting the impulse of reading emails and text messages. So, attempt to minimize your alerts and switch off the ones that are not necessary.

The distractions multiply for professionals working from home. Stuff like doing laundry or preparing snacks during your break time can make up for a lot of wasted time. Therefore, be mindful of how much you allow yourself to be distracted. Also, if your home office is cluttered, it can distract you big time. The most convenient solution for this problem is to tidy up the workspace and keep it minimalistic.

As you take unnecessary stuff out of your home office, you might find it difficult to accommodate in the house. The most convenient solution for this problem is to set aside unwanted objects in a storage unit. Unlike in the past, accessing storage has become pretty easy these days. So, for example, if you live in Brandon, just Google with the keyword “storage units Brandon MS” and the results will show tons of options.

2. Stay Organized 

Being organized will increase your productivity at work. Make a long-term to-do list of chores you wish to do and keep it attached to your cubicle. Every evening before you leave, make a checklist for the following day and prioritize the things that must be accomplished first. Then, when you complete a specific task, make sure to cross it off so you can see how far you have come. This method can boost your working motivation and make you feel less stressed.

3. Monitor Time Spent On Each Task

“We lose time while concentrating on a critical assignment”—is a flawed approach that can eat away a fair proportion of your valuable time. 

You should smartly keep track of time by using various applications. Not only do you come to terms with the amount of time spent on social networking sites, projects, writing and reading emails, etc., this way, but you also get a clear aerial view of what is keeping you occupied.  

4. Avoid Multitasking

Multitasking is an easy habit for many individuals to fall into as technology progresses and workers strive to handle several jobs at once. However, well-documented studies consistently reveal that multitasking is not as beneficial as we believe.

On the surface, multitasking enables you to undertake numerous responsibilities at once. But what you are actually doing is fast-changing your attention from one item to the next. Switching from one job to another makes it quite tough to shut out distractions, resulting in mental blockages that slow you down.

Here are a bunch of science-based reasons why multitasking is the enemy of productivity:

• It hampers creativity: When you commit your focus to too many activities at once, you are unlikely to come up with genuinely innovative ideas. In other words, excellence will be out of reach.
  
• It decreases IQ: Multitasking not only slows you down but also reduces your IQ. Credible research demonstrated that multitasking drops IQ by a whopping 15 points, which brings scores down to the level of an 8-year-old kid.
  
• It causes more stress: Completing one task at a time is far more gratifying to the brain and can trigger the feeling of being triumphant. On the other hand, doing many activities at once and failing to complete any of them might make you feel like a loser. These emotions could potentially raise your stress level.

5. Set Clear Deadlines

Another crucial piece of advice for increasing productivity is to specify deadlines for each assignment and meet them. Contrary to popular belief, the stress you feel due to these constraints can be beneficial. It can help you reach your objectives and become more productive by staying focused, keeping you away from distractions, and ensuring you prioritize the job at hand and do it within the time limit. 

6. Control The Office Temperature

The physical atmosphere of the office may have a significant influence on your productivity. Researchers claim that the workplace temperature should be set around 21 degrees Centigrade to make workers comfortable. If you find yourself too chilly or warm, consider different strategies to adjust the temperature, such as manually regulating the air conditioning system or purchasing a tiny table fan or heater.

7. Refurbish Your Cubicle 

Consider adding a personal touch of elegance to your office to make it seem more like home. Since you spend a substantial portion of your life at work, you should create a more relaxing environment at your desk to spice up productivity. With that said, we do not recommend you turn it into a picture gallery, as too many photos of your loved ones might prove to be counterproductive. You can better decorate the cubicle with stuff like plants or eye-catching stationery items.

8. Take Frequent Breaks

Although it may sound paradoxical, taking regular breaks will improve your focus on the job. When you take little pauses between lengthy jobs, you are more likely to feel confident and work more efficiently. Depending on personal preference, you may opt for stretching or doing gentle exercises to assist your body in recharging and preparing for the next job.

9. Figure Out Your Productive Hours

Are you an early riser, a late bloomer, or a night owl? Discovering when you are most productive might assist you in creating the ideal timetable for getting things done. Once you have answered this question, you will start optimizing your internal clock and relocating key chores to the proper time of day. 

The Final Verdict

Do you find yourself constantly lagging behind assignments or missing the deadline of important projects? If yes, it is about time you revisit your working habits and infuse the above-listed productivity hacks into your routine.