6 Productivity Hacks to Work Smarter, Not Harder

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Productivity is the primary pillar supporting the world economic structure and that is why each business & industry keeps productivity in the spotlight. It is indeed the key decisive factor for any organization's growth. If you Google "How to improve productivity" you will find tons of new books, video tutorials, and blogs, available for various businesses; be it manufacturing, import/export, IT, telecom, law or any other.

I have personally seen people work additional hours and biting more than they can chew, with the sole aim to increase their productivity. The old-fashioned notion of "working harder" to increase productivity is passe, and "working smarter" is what the age of millennials demands. Here are some smart tips to increase your productivity.

1. Result-Measurement Instead of Time Measurement

Most people who are trying to improve their productivity, get into the habit of counting the number of hours they have worked out instead of focusing on the work they've completed. If you want to increase your productivity, then it's time you start measuring the results rather than the hours you've spent on a task.

Smart Tip: Keeping a "done list" would not only motivate you to do more work in a day but also help you draft a corrected action plan.

2. 90 Minutes and Break

Leo Widrich, co-founder at Buffer, believes that human brain can only work 90-120 minutes on a go and needs 10-15 minutes break afterwards. This 90-minute rhythm is a pattern of human brain and you can work better the moment you understand this rhythm.

Smart Tip: Give rest to your brain after every 90-120 minutes so that it can work better and bear better results.

3. Sync Your Work with The Circadian Rhythm

Your body has a 24-hour cycle also called the circadian rhythm, which comprises of various energy levels. Planning the more important work when the energy level is maximum and leaving the less important ones for later can be a great way to improve your productivity without even working harder.

Smart Tip: According to the US National Sleep Foundation, your strongest sleep drive in the day occurs between 1:00-3:00 p.m.; so, try avoiding the most important work during this time.

4. One Task at A Time

Trying to be a multi-tasker not only overburdens you with excess work but also hampers your work quality. According to Earl Miller, a neuroscientist at MIT, toggling between different tasks may feel seamless but actually, consumes a lot more brain energy.

Smart Tip: Do one task at a time to avoid any type of confusion as well as achieve perfection in every work you do.

5. Manage Your To-Do List

Take a look at your to-do list. Does it have a number of works to be done without even necessary gaps? If yes, you need to manage your to-do list right away. Start off by labelling the important works (maximum 3 per day) as the Most Important Tasks or MITs. Then you can put the remaining minor tasks that can be completed with time.

Smart Tip: Make a to-do list a day before so you do not have to waste your time thinking about what to do and jump straight to your first MIT.

6. Set The Rule of Three

The rule of 3, as defined by Chris Bailey, the author of The Productivity Project, states, "At the beginning of each day, before you start working, decide what three things you want to accomplish by the end of the day. Do the same at the start of every week." With the rule of 3, you know what the most important three things for your day are and you know you have to set priorities to complete them.

Smart Tip: Implement this rule of three not just for a day, but for weeks and months too.

Working smart does not end with these 6 tips. There are many other smaller things that you can incorporate in your daily work-life to increase your productivity. Anything like stacking similar tasks together, switching off the notifications, delegating work, using various shortcut tools and above all, constantly reviewing everything that you do can be your way of working smarter. Try them for yourself and when, at the end of a month, you'll reflect back at the results, there'll be a big smile on your face accompanied with a deep sigh of relief after achieving the higher productivity levels.

Author Bio: Ankit Gupta manages one of India's largest B2B portals. He has always been interested in enhancing the productivity of the employees and his write-ups are the doorway to his knowledge and years of research on the same.

Original source: lifehacker