Productivity sometimes sounds or seems like a very technical term and that most likely leaves the impression on people that it cannot be achieved through simple things that we embark on in our everyday life. To the contrary, productivity starts with you. It starts with small and or little things. Productivity is simply about the effective and efficient use of all resources.

Resources include time, people, knowledge, skills, information, finance, equipment, space, energy and materials. The more efficient and effective you are with your resources, the greater your achievements will be. How to become more productive is therefore an important question.

Let’s look at some of the good habits that can enhance our productivity:

1. Prioritise

Learn not just to organise, but prioritise. Despite how it may seem in the moment, life is full of seeming urgencies that don’t really matter in the long run. Being busy is not equal being productive. Do productivity checks. Every few hours ask yourself: “Is this the best use of my time today”? If not, stop doing that activity and delegate it to someone else or plan it for another day. Many timewasting activities are done out of habit.

2. Be organised

Clutter can have a major negative impact on your productivity. Despite the obvious benefits of a clean work area, few people take time to file and organise. Keeping your computer files organised is just as important as paper files. Reference systems are easy to set up and they save time. Take an hour at the end of the day to find a place for important items. File them away in a space that is easy to access and remember. It’s estimated that poor filing leads to an average of 150 hours lost per annum. Organisation leads to efficiency. Efficiency leads to saved time. Save time by being efficient.

3. Use the time of the day wisely

One of the things you need to understand about yourself is your most effective hours. Be thought-intensive in the morning and labour-intensive in the afternoon. Most people are mentally sharper before lunch, so try to be done with mentally challenging tasks as early as possible. If you have to crunch numbers or write an extensive report, get started on it as soon as you reach your desk; meetings and conference calls in the afternoon. This is the best time to interact and share ideas.

4. Delegate

You may not have a team of people to manage, but it’s vital to make best use of your colleagues’ help. Take a look at your tasks and find out where your co – workers can be of use. Learn which tasks are yours to do and which your colleagues can handle better and more efficiently. Delegation allows you to concentrate on your important goals for the day and not waste your time on less important tasks. Multiply your productivity by sharing your goals with your team or family.

5. Chill after work

Away from the workplace, you can learn to relax and enjoy yourself, so that when you are again called upon to be productive, you do so at full efficiency. Your family will appreciate it too. We all play an important part in making our country more competitive. By each of us being more productive and finding better ways of doing things, we’re contributing to the economy and helping to improve the lives of all.

By: Bongani Coka –  CEO of Productivity SA

WORK SMART. Get organised. Be thought- intensive in the morning and do your labour-intensive work in the afternoon

This article was originally published on the Productivity SA website