The workload and your list of responsibilities will only get bigger and heavier. Regardless of your job or industry, there are not enough hours in a day to get everything you want to, done. And now, with the work-life balance becoming more important than ever, it is now more crucial for employees to be more proactive and to increase their engagement and productivity levels. While the wish is to accomplish more in less time, wouldn’t you actually like it if it could be put into practice and achieved on a regular basis and a realistic level?
One of our telesales agents, Gul, had this to say about the same,
When I really focus on what I’m doing, and when I minimize distractions and concentrate on what I’m doing, I am surprised by how much I can achieve. The more I pay attention to these short bursts of productivity, the more I realise working smarter not harder is the secret to effective productivity and getting work done faster. I learnt this the hard way. Keeping my health in check, planning my work in a way that makes sense, and trying out new and innovative ways to approach my responsibilities and tasks makes me better at my job while also allowing me to enjoy it.
– Gul
As Bob Sullivan explained on CNBC.com, “Research that attempts to quantify the relationship between hours worked and productivity found that employee output falls sharply after a 50-hour work-week, and falls off a cliff after 55 hours — so much so that someone who puts in 70 hours produces nothing more with those extra 15 hours, according to a study published last year by John Pencavel of Stanford University.” It is not rocket science. It can be easily achieved by learning to make the right choices daily and thus becoming more efficient. Let’s take a look at how you can efficiently increase your productivity as an employee or agent with goals and targets to achieve and make them skyrocket.
Tip #1 Avoid multitasking as much as you can
Multitasking is rightly known to be a myth. It is simply not possible to focus on multiple tasks that require real brainpower. Not that you cannot do it but it is not sustainable in the long run, leading to early signs of burnout. Think about it, juggling between phone calls, communication, homework, etc all at the same time will make it extremely difficult for you to complete anything properly and on time.
Make the effort to complete one task at a time. Doesn’t matter if it is big or small but focus on finishing each off with your concentration on each task at hand. By doing so, you are not only going to be more productive but also ensuring that you are devoting your complete attention to the task at hand, producing better results.
Tip #2 Make maximum use of your breaks
At VOIZ, we encourage agents to take their breaks and make use of it wisely. And it’s most of our agents’ preferred way to work smarter. Without breaks, your productivity might tend to sink, while your brain might get tired, increasing your chances of distractions. Do all that you can in your breaks that you would otherwise waste your time doing during working hours. This will help you segment your work life and your personal life while also giving you the boost you need to get back to work post-break time.
Tip #3 Focus on high impact tasks
AKA schedule your tasks based on your energy levels. Instead of trying to accomplish everything on your to-list and ending up with none done, focus on planning your tasks based on your productivity and energy levels. This is often ignored whilst planning one’s work but it is a key player in work efficiency. Each person has their own circadian rhythm which basically means having your own inbuilt body clock that accounts for the energy spikes at different times. If you know you are more productive during the morning hours, make the effort to complete your most challenging tasks during the time you’ve got the most amount of energy while saving the easy tasks for when you are feeling your work best.
Tip #4 Track your time
This tip is a temporary hack to a successful and sustainable form of increasing your productivity. If you are often left wondering where you’re wasting your time, then track everything you are doing for a few days to see the amount of time you spend on each task. You can use an app for this or do it the old fashioned way with a pen, paper and timer. This is a way to review your progress, learn from your daily routine, and have a grip on how you want to prioritize and change your routine to suit your workload.
These tips are to help you manage your time better and enjoy your work more. Our agents seem to do so as they have more or less followed some or all of these tips at some point in their professional lives. Sign up with us if you haven’t already and get started on your career with VOIZ!