I bet I'm not the only one who has googled “how to be more efficient?” at some point in their career. You know, those times when procrastination takes over and things just don’t seem to proceed? Yeah, we’ve all been there.
When I’ve been looking for ways to improve the efficiency of my own and my customers’ work, I’ve understood that being efficient is actually more about being smart about the task at hand. It means that working efficiently is definitely not about driving yourself on the edge of a burnout, quite the contrary. It’s about valuing the time you have during the workday and using that time wisely.
In order to use time efficiently, new – and quite frankly better – ways of working are required. These smarter ways of working include things like planning the use of time in advance, prioritising work and finding the perfect working rhythm for you. Let’s have a closer look at these practical tips later on, but first, it is important to understand what makes today’s working life so demanding and efficiency-oriented.
🆘 If you are in a dire need of productivity tips that actually work, skip ahead. 🆘
For many employees, especially knowledge workers, there is never a moment when all the work is completed and absolutely nothing more can be done. There is always something in the backlog, tasks that have been waiting for a less hectic time to be completed. Or alternatively, it is time to look ahead and plan the next big thing.
On top of the never-ending to-do lists (yes, plural), we are easily overwhelmed with information overload. Email, social media and message notifications flood in constantly and we feel the need to be available non-stop. When our work is continuously interrupted, it is difficult to feel accomplished at the end of a long work day.
Ideally, you should have energy to do all the nice things your heart desires after work. If you feel that you have nothing left to give after the workday, it is perhaps time to check on your work-life balance. Are you trying to be efficient at the cost of your own wellbeing?
While remote work is a blessing to some, it is a curse to others. Feeling alone and isolated, poor cooperation with team members and lack of feedback lead to decreased work efficiency. I really want to stress here that although you can do a lot to improve your efficiency (many great tips below!), you are not the only one responsible for it. If you find yourself in a situation where you have too much work and/or not enough support, your manager should have the power to change things, too.
Finally, even if you get things done on time, it may not feel like you are efficient, due to the hectic nature of modern working life. At Gapps we have a vision about a better future and how to make work more enjoyable. Read more about how the future of work could look like.
But to feel in control of your work immediately, let’s have a look at some practical tips you can do to turn things around.
Improve your work efficiency with these practical tips. This section is co-created with my fellow Gappsians, who are passionate about making digital work smart and enjoyable.
There is nothing worse than to be caught in a loop of ad hoc work and lose control of your task list. To minimise chaos, plan the next week or day in advance and do your best to stick to your plan. And be realistic about your to-do list, too!
It’s easy to procrastinate at the start of a big project, but remember, climbing the mountain happens one small step at a time. Accomplishing a number of small things makes you feel more efficient and it also takes you towards finalising the big project you are working on.
Once you have broken down your work to smaller tasks, it is time to prioritise. Prioritisation should be an ongoing practice during the project you are working on.
You can work more efficiently when you have all the needed information easily available. Set yourself up for success with categorising and grouping items that belong together.
This is not a quick fix, but rather the result of self-studying and learning about your own habits over time. Once you know what kind of rhythm works for you, reserve time for more difficult things when you feel most productive. Be mindful about your optimal rhythm when booking meetings, too. Read how organisations can rethink their approach to time management coaching.
Closely related to the previous point, you need to be the master of your calendar, not the other way around. Calendar is your main tool in making sure you work in your most optimal time slots.
Don’t let yourself get sidetracked when you really need to focus on something important. Your calendar is your friend also in this regard.
Sitting for 8 hours straight is very dangerous for your health and sitting for long periods of time has a number of health concerns. In addition, letting your brain breathe is beneficial to your productivity. You should also have energy to do the things you enjoy after the workday, and if that is not the case, fixing your break habits is an easy first step.
This one is a no-brainer – save time with automations. Many digital platforms offer easy ways to automate tasks that repeat.
Collaboration is a wonderful thing! And with modern technology, you don’t even have to be in the same room to do it smoothly. When you collaborate, you are in an ongoing feedback loop with others, and iterations happen continuously. If collaboration is not an option, there are other ways to get feedback.
I hope you find these tips useful and can incorporate some of them into your own workdays. If you think there is room for improvement in your organisation regarding shared ways of working and efficient processes, or you need help with Google Workspace or monday.com, we can lend a helping hand to you.