Productivity. You hear that word often during assessments, meetings, or anything work related. Yet, most of us lack the most basic tools and resources to help define and improve our productivity. If you’re unhappy with your productivity, consider these easy tips to help increase your satisfaction.

Scheduling:

Make sure you are staying ahead of your game. Schedule your arrangements and tasks in advance to avoid setbacks. Even if you fall victim to distraction or interruption, you’ll know exactly what needs to be done upon returning to your desk.

Reduce multitasking:

Although multitasking is considered a highly valuable skill, sometimes squeezing in more than one task can actually be deemed more harmful than helpful. Focusing on more than one activity can in fact cause distraction, which dwindles the quality of your work. Remember to focus on one task at a time for full efficiency.

Apply deadlines on yourself

Just like you budget your financial accounts, learn how to budget your time to help you meet deadlines faster. Time management is key for ensuring productivity.

Avoid large lunches

Food can make you lazy, or rather sluggish. Try to stay away from heavy, greasy foods that will leave you feeling fatigued. Instead, snack on foods with high protein, fiber and antioxidants to help you tackle the day.

Maintain cleanliness throughout your work space

A cluttered desk will only clutter your mind. Valuable time is spent ruffling through misplaced papers and unorganized files. Aim to dedicate a certain amount of time a day to arrange and organize yourself, documents, and even desktop.

Take a break!

Whenever you feel mentally drained, allow yourself 5-10 minutes of pure leisure time. Walk down the hall or have a talk with your co-worker. A brief break can actually increase your productivity by refreshing your mind and getting your blood flowing.