Stop Wasting Time In The Workplace With These Tips

Every day countless hours are wasted during the workday for various reasons. Inefficiency is one of the leading causes of wasted hours, and people using ineffective working practices are not fully reaching their potential. 

Around 2 hours per day are thought to be wasted; however, changing how you work or collaborate can really benefit everyone wherever they are working from. With a push for a return to offices from remote working along with blended working, there has never been a better time to assess how efficiently you work 

Stop Multitasking

Multitasking is a myth, and if you are constantly asking your team to juggle different tasks during their day, chances are they aren’t giving everything 100% of their attention.

Instead, delegate different tasks between everyone as per their strengths and hone their focus onto one thing at a time.

Pay attention to how your team best works and where their strengths lie. From here, you can evaluate their skills and assign tasks and duties to who is ideal for carrying them out.

Break It Down

It may seem a little bit like getting back to school, but if you want to make sure everything is being done, then giving each task a dedicated time within the working day can help you make sure nothing is missed. Be it for yourself or your team. If you have a schedule for set tasks, even just for select members of staff who hold these responsibilities, it can allow for a more consistent approach and fewer mistakes.

Tricks of the Trade

Apps and tools are commonplace in the office these days, especially for blended working schedules.

They allow colleagues to collaborate in real-time wherever they are and have all the information in a central location. It also makes it easier to communicate with everyone at once, thus reducing the need to contact everyone individually or hand over between shifts personally. If you primarily use Windows, then The Windows Club can help you to streamline your processes to increase efficiency all around.

If not, then apps such as Asana, Slack, Trello, and Microsoft 365 can help you overhaul how you work and create a collaborative space.

Remove Distractions

How often are you distracted by your phone or other interruptions? While there will be times when you need to be pulled away for an emergency, creating a distraction-free working environment can facilitate increased efficiency.

For example, removing all electronic devices can remove the temptation to check emails or answer calls. You can take frequent breaks where this is updated, or you have one person dedicated to removing distractions, handling calls or emails to allow everyone to power through undistracted.

Of course, what works best for your office will depend largely on you, your team, and what you need to get done. For some, it may be that they thrive in loud and engaging environments, but for others, it could be a massive distraction. Pay attention to when you are at your best and implement changes that bring out the best in each person in a balanced way that benefits everyone.