Everything office-related is oriented towards boosting productivity – from chairs, office desks and the choice of colors to rec rooms. Every passionate professional should aim at maxing out their productivity, and these valuable tips will help you achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a lean, mean success machine.

1. Plan a day in advance

One of the problems many unfortunate professionals encounter is lack of organization. If you've ever experienced that feeling of aimless wandering in your mind upon arriving at your job, you know how detrimental this can be. This is a huge waste of time, and the worst part is – you're not really resting during this process.

The solution here is relatively simple – get into the habit of planning your day in advance towards the end of the workday. This will eliminate involuntary procrastination and will help you tackle your duties efficiently and effectively. Most modern workplaces are task-focused, so fulfilling your duties and finishing up with the day's work is much more important than hanging around the office for the typical 8 hours. Make a rough outline of the next day's schedule and you'll enjoy an organized, focused time at work.

2. Multitasking is a slippery slope


First of all, let's face it, the modern business lifestyle includes multitasking – there really is no way around it. What you can do is limit it – you should try to narrow down the list of tasks that you have to deal with simultaneously, otherwise you're going to experience so much strain and fatigue that you'll be in a constant state of craving rest, which is definitely a productivity killer. This, too, is best left to careful planning – jot down the tasks that you have to handle and assign them to yourself carefully.

3. Careful with social media

Make no mistake; personal social media time is very exhausting! It is an inefficient replacement for the necessary socialization, which is exactly why many businesses frown upon using social media websites while at work; in fact, some even go out of their way to block them on employee computer units.

Unless you're an HR professional whose job description entails using big data (the utilization of social media websites for employee research and recruitment), limit your social media time to breaks, or even better, abolish it completely while you're at work. Socialize with your coworkers instead, as this is very beneficial for you and your team.

4. Separate breaks from rests

Breaks and rests both incorporate 'resting', but they are totally different beasts. Breaks, designated by your superiors are there to provide RNR for your team in order to eat, chit-chat and keep your mind off work for a decided-upon time period.

Rests, on the other hand, are something that you can decide on. Once you start realizing that your productivity is starting to dwindle, it's much better to sit back and relax for 5-10 minutes, go to the bathroom, or just listen to some music; do not try to power through periods of temporary work exhaustion, because they will only lead to more exhaustion, further leading to mistakes that might hurt the business.

5. Office outlook

Imagine a small, confined cubicle that you have to work at 8 hours a day, every workday. Now imagine a more aloof atmosphere, where the employees can interact with one another, enjoying a ton of open space and a relaxed atmosphere. Many things play essential roles in this department, from well-arranged furniture and colors to well-placed cozy-looking rugs.

Additionally, light and lighting are crucial here – an office with large windows is far superior to a dim one, and if there is no space for window replacement, a skylight can go a long way in providing healthy amounts of sunlight for the office. After the sun sets, LED/CFL lights should be used to supply the area with lighting that's as close to sunlight as possible.

Professionalism goes hand-in-hand with productivity, and without attention to detail, productivity levels will definitely drop. Be wary of extensive multitasking, try to avoid social media as much as possible, get in tune with your rests and make the most of your office's outlook. Finally, towards the end of the day, plan for the next one. These are the pillars of productivity at work.

Dan Miller
Payments office
Bizzmarkblog.com