Is Productivity Down To Personality?

The short answer is “no”.

Some people might be more naturally energetic than others, but lazy tendencies don’t equate to an unproductive personality. It just means that you have to approach your work in a new way. You need to find something that motivates you, and anybody can find a motive. If you dropped your phone in a field, for example, then you’d probably be very productive on your quest to find it. Nobody’s naturally productive or unproductive; some people just find an incentive to work hard and others don’t. But if you want to be a more efficient worker or entrepreneur then here are some suggestions that might help you out.

Diversify your workday.

The first way in which you could boost your enthusiasm towards work is to diversify your work day. If you’re feeling a little apathetic and disengaged throughout the day then the problem might be that you’ve stopped challenging yourself. When a task becomes repetitive, we switch on autopilot. And that’s when the boredom really sets in. You have to find a way to reinvent your job role on a continuous basis. If you make your job a challenge for yourself then it’ll force you to really concentrate on your work. You could even talk to your employer about taking on new projects that are a little outside of your comfort zone. Even agreeing to do a work presentation could be something that forces you to try a little harder. Doing new things on a regular basis will ensure that you remain productive in the workplace.

You might also want to diversify your work day by rethinking the way in which you work. We’re not just talking about taking on different projects here, but the way in which you complete those projects. If you sit at a computer for hours on end then you’re bound to lose your enthusiasm for the job at hand. Maybe you could take your laptop to the local coffee shop and do some work there (if you’re not self-employed then you’ll just have to check that your boss is flexible). Or maybe you could switch up your workday by combining standing with sitting at work. This will help to stimulate your mind if you’re losing focus, and it’ll also help to maintain good blood circulation (it’s not good to be too sedentary). You can click here to learn more about the benefits of working in this way. Diversifying your workday can be beneficial to your physical and mental health. In turn, this will make you more productive.

Be organised.

You can also remain productive in the workplace by making a schedule for yourself. It’s easy to lose track of the things you have to do throughout the day. If you’re unorganised, however, then you might end up wasting time and being unproductive. Perhaps you’re completing the tasks on your ‘To Do’ list, but you might be spending far too much time on small tasks and far too much time on important tasks. With a proper schedule, you can structure your day more effectively. This will help you to ensure that you use your time and energy wisely. Break down your day into manageable chunks so that you know the specifics entailed by each project and the amount of time required to complete those projects. Just make sure that you don’t waste too much time scheduling your day. You could set aside 10 minutes at the end of each workday to make a plan for the following day. Being organised is one of the best ways to be productive.

Remember to relax.

If you’re going to remain productive then you have to remember to relax. The importance of organising your time was discussed in the previous point, but if you want a truly effective schedule then you have to allocate some time for relaxation. That doesn’t mean you should structure the way in which you take a break (because that wouldn’t be very relaxing). Just set aside the occasional 20-minute break in your day. Talk to your colleagues, eat some food, and take a stroll outside. Productivity falters if you work nonstop. You need to take regular breaks to recharge your brain so that you can return to your desk with a revitalised mind and body. Workaholics aren’t always the most productive people; you need balance in your life if you want to achieve more throughout the day.

Set goals for yourself.

One of the best ways to be more productive is to set deadlines for yourself. Obviously, whether you’re the employer or the employee, you already have deadlines and goals. You have clients who need products and services, and you might have administrative tasks to complete. But, as mentioned earlier, you need to step out of your comfort zone if your workday has become repetitive. By setting yourself personal goals, you’ll give yourself more things to do. You’ll have to be more productive to complete all of your objectives. Plus, you’ll be setting yourself new challenges.

And, as was also mentioned earlier, giving yourself challenges is the best way to remain productive. If you’re always setting new goals for yourself then it’ll keep your schedule more interesting. Otherwise, as organised as you might be, you could still end up lacking the motivation to work hard. As mentioned earlier, regular planning is the key to success, but you need exciting objectives that give you a reason to work hard. Whether you set daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, or even yearly goals, the point is that you should always be working towards something. Productivity requires progression. If you get caught up in repetitive tasks then you’re not thinking beyond the present moment, so there’s nothing pushing you forward.

Focus on one task at a time.

Maybe you have the desire to be productive, but the problem is that you’re trying to do everything all at once. Multitasking is never the most productive way of working, regardless of what some people might say. Our brains work best when they’re focused on single objectives. Following the earlier advice about time-scheduling and setting yourself goals, make sure that you structure your day in a way which allows you to complete one task at a time. You’ll be able to get your work completed much more quickly and efficiently if you focus your attention on singular tasks.