Work Less and Accomplish More: Three Easy Ways to Improve Work Performance

Here's how you can improve work performance 

Do you ever find yourself at the end of what seemed like a tremendously “busy” day, yet with very little to show for it? You haven’t completed many tasks or advanced in any of your projects – your to-do list is still just as long (or longer) than it was when you started in the morning – yet, you’re exhausted and stressed out from being so busy all day.

If you can identify with this and feel like your productivity levels have taken a dip this year, perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate your daily routine. Also, to improve work performance, see how you can prioritize your tasks and workload so that you get more accomplished in less time. It’s about learning to be truly productive, and not just busy.

Here are a few of the most important changes to make to your workday to set yourself on a path of increased productivity, lower stress, and more time left to tackle the big projects (or, just maybe, spend a little bit of that newfound free time with family and friends).

Improve Work Performance Using these Quick Tips

Differentiate between goals

Larger, macro-goals and long-term projects require a different approach and focus level than your daily micro-tasks (like answering emails, filling out routine paperwork, or returning phone calls, for example).

To move more quickly through those smaller yet still unavoidable tasks, set aside a fixed amount of time for that type of work and block this off on your calendar. Use this time only for your daily housekeeping tasks – instead of trying to multitask and respond to these tasks throughout the day as they come up.  And you’ll quickly find that you have more “free” time to devote to larger projects that move you much closer to achieving your most important goals and help improve work performance.

As for those larger projects, breaking them up into smaller, micro-tasks can often be more helpful than trying to wrap your head around what may seem like a massive undertaking. By accomplishing these “smaller” goals that are attached to the larger one, you’ll feel a sense of productivity as you chip away at the big picture, and this sense of accomplishment will motivate you to keep moving forward.

Take breaks

While you may not be able to take multiple 20- or 30-minute breaks throughout your day, research overwhelmingly shows that taking even 5 minutes to step away from your workload and clear your head can help to refocus you and make you more productive. This is especially true if you engage in a de-stressing activity during the break, like going for a quick walk, socializing with colleagues, taking a power nap, or meditating.

Make technology work for you

Your own computer or smartphone can go a long way to help you improve work performance. Set regular alerts, reminders, and notifications to keep you on task and from getting distracted. Likewise, know when to turn off or snooze alerts or even your availability level to avoid being distracted – remember, it’s ok to make yourself unavailable to people at certain times so that you can give your full attention to the task at hand. If you find the “ding” or pop-up notification that you’ve received a new message in your inbox keeps pulling you away from your to-do list, turn on the snooze and set your status to “away” until you’ve made some headway. And, of course, there are numerous apps out there that promise to help improve your productivity levels. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but if you find the right technology that’s intuitive and responsive to your own unique needs, a productivity app could become your most favorite co-worker.