Who isn’t looking for ways to maximize your productivity? You have responsibilities to tackle and a bucket list of goals and aspirations to work through. Ramping up and maximizing your productivity means more than just getting work done—although that in itself is a victory. Getting your productivity engine up to peak performance is how you make a go of creating a life that is meaningful for you, that enables you to attain your version of success.

There are many systems and tactics designed to enhance productivity and you are probably familiar with several. You may have your favorite rituals but when looking to optimize your performance, it can be worthwhile to evaluate new techniques. Acknowledging that you can potentially benefit from incorporating productivity hacks that fit your style is part of the fuel that gets you motivated and getting things done.

Prioritize tasks ABCDE

Numerous studies have shown that prioritizing tasks boosts productivity. It has lately become fashionable in corporate circles to promote the Eisenhower Matrix, a productivity system inspired by a quote made by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was U.S. President 1953-1961. Another productivity system, one you may find both powerful and especially intuitive, is called the ABCDE Method and it is as basic and useful as its name implies.

To make the ABCDE Method work for you, simply rank the projects and tasks you are responsible for based on their urgency and work first on what is most urgent. That is the genius of the ABCDE Method. The method was developed by Brian Tracy, the acclaimed time management expert and author of numerous books, including Focal Point: A Proven System to Simplify Your Life, Double Your Productivity, and Achieve All Your Goals (2001). The ABCDE Method acknowledges that you already know which projects are front-burner and which are back-burner and what you need is a road map to help yourself get organized and motivated and that is precisely want you get here.

The elegantly simple and highly effective ABCDE method asks you to start by creating a to-do list that documents all that you must do today, this week, or this month—you decide—then rank your tasks from most important to least important. Below is your ranking template:

A Tasks: What is very important, possibly urgent. These you must do because there can be serious consequences if you fail to address them on time. If you have more than one front-burner project, rank them as A-1, A-2, A-3, with A-1 indicating your most urgent responsibility. Your A tasks and their completion largely determine the entire course of your career. Incidentally, The Pareto Principle, known as the 80/20 Rule, recommends that you focus on the most impactful 20% of your work to generate 80% of revenue or other desired results, giving another vote of confidence to the ABCDE productivity boosting method.

B Tasks: These are tasks you should do, but the consequences for delaying action will be mild—you may inconvenience someone. The rule is that you should never do a B task when there is an A task left undone. You should never be distracted by what is less important when there is a front-burner project on your desk.

C Tasks: What would be nice to do, but there are no consequences for not doing it at all or not doing it in a timely fashion. C tasks include phoning a friend, having coffee or lunch with a co-worker, or completing personal business during work hours. These activities have no effect on your work. Never complete a C task when there are A or B tasks left undone.

D Tasks: Activity that you can delegate to someone else. The rule is that you should delegate everything that you possibly can to other people. This frees up more time for you to engage in your crucial A Tasks.

E Tasks: Something that you should eliminate altogether. You can only effectively manage time and optimize your productivity until you stop doing things that are not necessary for you to do.

Take short breaks.

Inserting a few breaks during your workday can improve your productivity . You might decide to have a mug of tea or a glass of juice and listen to some music for a few minutes. Or maybe you’ll stretch for 15 minutes, or go outdoors on a half-hour walk or run. Then again, just closing your eyes and thinking of nothing might be the best remedy. Whatever you do, you’ll improve your energy, focus and productivity by temporarily taking your mind off work a few times during your work day. Productivity diminishes the longer you go without a break and productivity experts recommend that you work no more than 8 -10 hours daily (unless you have a deadline to meet). At a certain point, your body and mind simply cannot produce anymore and continually pushing yourself to work very long days can lead to burn-out.

Optimize your office space

The 4000-year-old Chinese philosophy known as Feng Shui advises us to clean and organize our living and working spaces, so that we can feel relaxed and content and also become more productive. Marie Kondo, organizing expert, television host and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2011) echoes and amplifies that same message. You might not expect the environment in which you work to influence your productivity and mood, but evidence suggests that is the case.

Studies have revealed that a well-organized and aesthetically pleasing workspace can boost productivity, enhance creativity and reduce stress levels. An organized and attractive space that has good natural light can enhance your focus, reduce distractions, help you feel calm and promote a positive mindset that collectively help you get your work done. Simple changes, such as improving the lighting, adding plants and displaying personal mementoes like art and family photos can positively impact your work performance. Below are tips to get started on creating a beneficial work space. https://freelancetheconsultantsdiary.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/feng-shui-your-office/

1. Declutter: Keep your workspace organized and free of unnecessary objects and you’ll limit time that would be wasted searching for misplaced items.
2. Lighting: Introduce adequate lighting, preferably natural light, to reduce eye strain and improve mood.
3. Ergonomics: Use furniture in your workspace that’s designed to help maintain good posture and prevent physical discomfort.
4. Personalization: Add personal touches, e.g. plants, photos and art, that make your workspace pleasant and inviting.

Get enough sleep

A 2014 survey by the National Sleep Foundation found that 45%. of American adults get inadequate sleep and that the outcome of poor sleep causes between 23-45% of the population to lose more than two work weeks (10+ days) worth of productivity every year. Lack of sleep is known to undermine not only job performance and productivity, but also career advancement and job satisfaction. Furthermore, insufficient sleep is linked to job-related accidents, absenteeism and even counterproductive work behaviors. On the plus side, adequate sleep has been linked to improved memory and improved learning ability.

Matthew Carter, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology at Williams College in Massachusetts and a sleep specialist, explains, “One of the biggest reasons that people don’t get enough sleep is because they feel they have too much to do, or because they are stressed about what they need to work on. So we’re not getting enough work done because we’re sleep-deprived and we’re not sleeping because we’re not getting enough work done.”

So how much sleep should you get? Carter says, “In reality, most people need somewhere between six and eight hours. A small percentage of people only need five hours and another group of people are on the other side of the scale and can need nine to ten hours of sleep.” In other words, “it depends.” But the fact remains, adequate sleep promotes productivity and creativity, while insufficient sleep erodes both.

Cancel multitasking

When we first heard of it, multitasking made sense—a practical way to get more done in a shorter amount of time. Sort of like doing a load of laundry while you clean the living room. However, research indicates that your brain can only handle so much work before becoming overwhelmed. Multitasking makes you prone to making mistakes, retaining less information and in general, erasing whatever gains you made by working on two or more tasks simultaneously.

Furthermore, the distraction that is inherent in multitasking does nothing for concentration or creativity. Productivity experts now realize that the smart thing to do is focus on one task at a time, instead of trying to do two things at once. When you devote your full attention and effort to each task, your work output improves—meaning you’ll avoid mistakes, access your creativity and ingenuity and overall, you’ll produce your best work. Whenever possible, do one thing at a time.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © EA Consulting, Houston, TX. Back office workers.