Deadlines and impending tasks often hover over our head, make it spin around and spill out everything else that previously occupied it. One corner of our mind worries about crashing under the weight of the to-do lists and suffering from a break down, but the other corner simply worries about the possibility of tasks not getting completed and urges us to keep going.
In this tug of war that goes on in our head we often forget to take breaks and also forget that such an approach can in fact be more damaging for our productivity than rewarding:
Quick Coffee Break
Sneaking out with a colleague for a coffee is probably the most preferred way to take a break from work. At regular intervals you should take your eyes off the screen, indulge in a hearty chit-chat with your peers and give your body the much required caffeine rush as these are the things that can drastically transform your dreary mood at workplace. It gives us the necessary time off to plan our next move and also come up with new and better ideas.
Hit the Gym
You generally hear this bit of advice in relation to what you should do in outside-office hours. But doing it in between office hours can actually lift off the pressure and relax your tired body. The adrenaline rush that you feel immediately after the workout can spike your productivity levels.
If you’re not a gym person you can consider going for a walk around the office or going for a run nearby. These things provide our mind with the much needed endorphin boost and uplift our mood and efficiency at work. Besides good ideas often come from the most unexpected places and for all you know your next big idea may come from a walk on a treadmill or a run in the park.
Organise
In your quick breaks or free time you can consider decluttering and organising your laptop, desktop and mobile. You can also open your email account and get rid of all the unwanted emails that have been piling up since your last cleanup.
There are two advantages of doing this. The first is that you are likely to come across some important information that you may have previously overlooked. The second advantage is that working in a decluttered physical and virtual environment can increase your efficiency. You will be amazed to learn how this simple act of clearing up your virtual memory will lift off the strain on your physical memory and make you feel rejuvenated.
Networking
This bit is quite self explanatory but we will still explain how it can be a boon for your efficiency. Just like books and the internet, networking is also a source of knowledge as each interaction leaves us with some information to process.
One shouldn’t hesitate to meet new people, prospective clients and actively participate in seminars or meetings as it can help us to build a stronger network.
Pick up a New Course
It is a cliche that never really gets old. It is never too late to learn a new skill or language or a hobby. It is very important that you look forward to other things in life besides work. We may not realise it but even the little things that we do outside of work and office adds value to our life and skill set.
A good way to make your personality dynamic is to constantly add new skills to your portfolio. One way to go about it is to enrol yourself for new courses and classes. This will also make your resume versatile which will work heavily in your favour each time you look for a new job.
It is important to stay focused at work but it is equally important to take frequent breaks, add value and infuse fresh energy into your system. If you follow these simple rules, stay refreshed and never stop learning you are bound to excel at what you do.
Besides the above efficiency hacks, the other things that you can do to amp up your productivity at work include taking a vacation, creating a daily ritual or taking your team for an activity days out.
