Here are 5 ways to boost your productivity in the workplace.

create A System

Goals are good but systems are better. You may have laudable and inspiring goals but if you do not have a system that will get you results, then your goals are pointless. So you want to write a bestseller next year, just commit to writing for an hour every day for the next six months come rain or shine and before you know it, you will be holding an author’s copy in your hands. This one tip is worth several years of New Year’s resolutions and goals.

Psst…in layman’s language a system is simply a habit created deliberately to help you get to where you need to be.

Schedule your priorities

 I once saw a sign in someone’s office that read: some is not a number, soon is not a time. Whatever you need to do, schedule it in your calendar immediately. This goes for not just meetings but routine tasks like, your children’s school activities, planned meet-ups with friends and family events. This will ensure it would most likely happen. Send a calendar invite to other meeting participants as soon as you agree on a time. Remember the faintest ink is always brighter than the sharpest memory.

Take charge of Technology

Avoid always being online. The current popular wisdom is that multi-tasking is a myth or at best not as efficient as we think it is. We can only truly focus on one activity at a time. Turn-off all phone notifications except for important contacts like family and your boss. If you can help it, do not install facebook or Instagram on your mobile phone. It may seem hard but they can be very time-consuming.  Also, only use your tablet when you are not at your desk. Switching between three devices (phone, computer and tablet) can slow you down. Finally, turn-off your phone at a set time when you get home so you can focus on your family.

Focus on a few High-value Tasks

See Also

Talks at Google: Uche Pedro, Ola Orekunrin-Brown & Colette Otusheso on Charting the Unconventional Path & More

 The key to avoid being too busy and stressed out is to determine afew key tasks you need to accomplish and deliver them to perfection. Choose a system (remember Tip no 1) that works for you, whether weekly or daily task prioritization. Don’t just get busy, be effective.

Feedback

Master the art of feedback. Everyone needs it and your recipients would thank you for it. Every last day of the week send a summary of your accomplishments via email to your direct boss and ask for guidance on what to focus on next. Share your schedule with your family. Bounce-off your ideas with your customers before you invest significant resources on them. Provide progress reports of on-going activities to key stakeholders. People are not telepathic if they do not hear from you; they will most likely assume the worst.

Culled from tw December 2015 edition