Many individuals may find that their work is slumping at work. This can be in the form of decreased quality of their product, multiple mistakes being made, or simply work not being performed as quickly as possible. In addition, low performance at work can also be tied to individuals who could be getting work completed, but are completely drained either by the middle of the day or near the end of it. Here are six ways in which you can boost your attitude and quality of work.
1. Chart your day
The first step to increasing your performance at work is to have an idea of how your day will go, both in and out of your job. If you go about your day, simply based on instruction or the run of the day’s course, you will not only miss out on the important tasks that must get completed for the day, you’ll run around like a headless chicken while doing so. Before going to bed, make a to-do list of the tasks that have to get completed the next day. In the morning, review the list and make appropriate adjustments. Plan to do the more difficult takes in the beginning, so your day will progressively become easier. Make use of applications like Wunderlist to make task lists that can be complemented with notes, micro-tasks, and even multimedia.
2. Keep yourself updated
There is a small scale and large scale component to doing this. Keeping yourself updated on the small scale involves continuing to ensure that you stay updated on current events. This allows you to become a well-rounded individual and more informed about what’s going on around you. When you awaken, have news pushed directly to your smartphone through push notifications, so that you can wake up informed.
On a large scale, keeping yourself updated comes in the form of having your skills and tools continually contemporary. If you are in the tech industry, this involves ensuring that you are on top of the latest iterations in the programming language you know, or possibly picking up new ones. Even in a non-technical industry, learning how to do something as simple as making dynamic Microsoft Office documents can set you apart from the pack.
3. Maintain a healthy and active lifestyle
Focusing on your health will allow you to gain a positive attitude about the work that you are doing. Sleep is directly related to your health, and so it is important to ensure that you get between seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Once your sleep is taken care of, the next aspect of a healthy lifestyle is what goes into your body.
Start by having a healthy breakfast that includes a good amount of protein, natural sugars, less caffeine and more of natural energy boosters. While it is true that coffee does boost energy, it only does so temporarily, and the period after it wears off is worse than before consumption. Also consider joining a gym or partaking regularly in active workouts and activities, like biking or jogging. Doing so can boost your energy for the day, although doing it in the middle of the day could be an even better to get through the work day past that afternoon slump.
4. Use the Pomodoro technique
The Pomodoro technique involves making a list of the tasks that have to get done, setting your first timer for 25 minutes, and completing the first task in the allotted time. You can, of course, adjust based on the difficulty or the amount of time required. Then, take a short five minute break. This isn’t enough time to leave your desk, but at least time to move your eyes from the screen for rest.
Then, get to work on task number two. After task number four, increase your break from five minutes to 15 minutes. Use this as a time to get a snack, briskly walk around the office, or chat with a co-worker. This can be difficult to remember all the steps for, so there are various applications on the market to help out, including Focus Time, or Simple Pomodoro Timer for those looking for a free option.
5. Plan for distractions
It is true that encountering distractions is going to be inevitable. However, what differentiates those affected by distractions and those who are not is being able to plan for them and even welcome them at the right time. For example, use your breaks charted in the Pomodoro technique as a time to have your door open for individuals to come and ask questions or alert you of important news.
Without the technique or without planning for distractions, you’d normally divert your attention to that distraction. However, I recommend taking note of the task they are speaking of and adding it to your to-do list. This will allow you to get to it in your own time and you can also alert them of tasks and points you have for them to accomplish during this time.
6. Know your cut-off point
The last bit of advice for boosting your performance at work is to know when it’s time for you to stop working. If you are a freelancer or work from home, it’ll be easier to give yourself working hours and sticking to them. If you work in an office, these hours should be the times you are scheduled by your company to work (9 to 5, for example). By sticking strictly to these times, you are more likely to focus on your tasks to have them completed in time, and you are less likely to work late into the night, where the quality of your work decreases.
Let us know in the comments below how you go about ensuring that your work performance stays optimal.
Featured photo credit: new office 1/Fiksu via fiksu.com
