3 Easy Hacks for Increased Office Productivity

Hacks are the new buzzword these days, and we are up to our eyes in videos and tips about the latest and greatest hack for office productivity. But, what if cutting those hacks out was the best hack of all? What if what we needed to be more productive was less? Less time in meetings, fewer notifications and less time scheduled than expected? Inc.com suggests that in 2018 to be more productive and get more accomplished, start with less.

• Cut meeting times by 25 percent.

While meetings can be vital to your business and workday, they have a nasty habit of expanding to fit the available time slot, even if those extra conversations don’t provide value. To avoid the meeting version of scope creep, cut the time by 25 percent. You’ll still tackle the crucial topics but be less likely to have additional discussions.

And, if getting together in person isn’t completely necessary, consider eliminating the meeting entirely. Your co-workers will thank you.

• Ditch your smartphone notifications.

While completely shutting down your smartphone isn’t always practical, you can manage your notifications. Frequent pop-ups are distracting and almost guaranteed to pull your attention away from the task at hand.

When you need to complete detail-oriented work, shut noncritical notifications off so you can focus with greater ease.

• Create a mini-crisis.

Sounds crazy right? Hear us out. Some people thrive under pressure, allowing them to accomplish more than they initially thought possible in the time frame. You can recreate that sensation by blocking out less time than you actually think you need. Often, you’ll find your focus improves when you begin working and ultimately finish on time.

It seems more and more likely that overscheduling and under delegating is the enemy of productivity. Has life become so busy that we are less motivated and productive the more our plates fill? Try implementing one of these, even if for 30 days and see what impact it can make on your productivity. Let us know: what other hacks do you have for increasing your focus and being productive?