What if I said coffee isn’t the only thing to boost your energy? These top 3 factors incorporate your emotional, mental, and physical well-being, proven to be the most effective on how to increase productivity at work and in your everyday! Let’s see them.
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As we grow, we learn about purpose, drive, and positive atmospheres. We learn ways to be healthy and set standards. But sometimes we lose sight of these factors as we become more involved with our jobs. Sound familiar?
How to increase productivity in the workplace means making small changes toward your purpose, drive, and positive atmosphere. I want you to start with 3 main factors that integrate your emotional, mental, and physical health. I’m not going to bombard you with 100 tips because that’s too much information! Our brains absorb more with less.
Focus on one of the top three and see if it makes a positive change for you. If you’ve accomplished those and want more, there are a few extra tricks below.
3 Factors that Increase Productivity
These factors are scientific-based and experience-based, and some are included in Panda Planner’s A Billionaire’s Secrets to Productivity. The billionaire, Richard Branson, is the founder of the Virgin group of over 400 various companies and pinpoints what makes his career successful.
1. Environment
This is our emotional connection to our surroundings. Would you rather work in a dark cramped room with your partner’s smelly socks nearby or at a well-lit spacious desk with your favorite candle burning? The second one…no offense honey.
Researchers at Harvard studied 1,601 employees to find out what supports a healthy work environment and how to increase productivity at work. Their results: better air quality, natural light, and personalization. By adding indoor plants for clean air, working by windows, and being able to set up family portraits nearby, productivity at work skyrocketed!
Being comfortable in your environment is valuable to your performance and gives way to less stress.
2. Goal Setting
Our mental strengths come into play with goal setting. I talk about the basics of goal-setting techniques and achievement in alignment with a proper mindset. The most successful goals you make will likely involve time management because there’s never enough time in a day, is there? One of the studies at the bottom of the post discusses time management results.
Some quick tips for setting successful goals are to:
- make them specific – can you see the difference between “I’m going to write a book” vs. “I’m going to spend one hour a day during the week on my mystery book”?
- challenge yourself – easy goals are too quick to check off so don’t sell yourself short. Going after a challenge increases the feeling of accomplishment.
- reward yourself with each successful part of the goal – working in chunks will ease the overwhelming goal, so once you complete each section, treat yourself! Self-respect promotes productivity.
Write down your best methods of maintaining goals and use those strengths! Here is a 100-day goal Journal to help you stay focused.
3. Exercise
Do you like to move it move it? Hopefully yes because daily exercise keeps your mind and body active. This, of course, is the physical aspect of the three categories. Endorphins lead to confidence and healthy habits which lead to an increase in productivity at work and in your personal life.
Michelle Obama, Dwayne the Rock Johnson, billionaire Branson, and so many others have proven that success in your life happens by feeling successful. Morning exercise builds the foundation for the most productive days.
Scientifically, exercise improves cognitive abilities, productivity, sleep, boosts moods and creativity, life satisfaction…and need I go on? I know someone who started working out consistently during his third quarter in school and achieved a 4.0 that quarter. Working your physical strengthens the mind.
Try a Fitbit to keep track of your steps and complete fun challenges with friends.
Plus, as a part of 5 healthy things to do today, moving your body is at number 4 so there are endless examples of exercise being one of the strongest answers to how to increase productivity at work. Don’t forget, eating healthy in motion with exercise will get you the best results!
More Ways to Efficiency
If you’re craving more, here are additional tips to increase productivity at work!
- Single focus – psychologists find multitasking results in lost efficiency and time, and happiness researchers claim we are more at ease doing one thing at a time. Try focusing on a single daily habit!
- Take breaks – if you have an hour, use 45 minutes to work and 15 for a break. Why? If you play the whole game you’ll be burnt out so let the coach pull you out to recharge.
- Manage your meetings – it’s O.K. to say no if you are behind or have more pressing tasks. You manage your time, no one else has that control.
Studies on Productivity
Study 1: In Laura Vanderkam’s book What the Most Successful People Do at Work, she did a study in India on CEOs and planned activities. She claims that planning every moment of the day leads to higher life satisfaction, especially at work. Giving 20% of your day to important tasks and making plans for the fun parts of your day give you something to look forward to and increases your time management skills which, in turn, promotes productivity.
Study 2: Peter M. Gollwitzer conducted a study about achieving goals and found that fantasizing doesn’t do you any good. Inviting daydreams keeps you from focusing on that goal. Gollwitzer indicated that individuals feel closer to their goals by actions (a promotion) noticed by others. He also found that people who share their goals with others feel as though they’ve already accomplished them, thus decreasing productivity in actually achieving them.
Here’s an INCREDIBLE Productivity Planner to keep you accountable that lasts 6 months! This is one of the most used planners out there because it incorporates mindfulness and time management – two of the most vital practices to learn in your everyday.
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Oof, that was a lot so thanks for sticking with it! At work, focus on your emotional environment and learn how to set achievable goals. In your personal life, get daily physical exercise. Improving each of these factors will improve your work ethic which is a form of personal development, so great job!
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