Make Your Employer’s Jaw Drop! 15 Tips to Morph From Mediocre to Most Valuable Player

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Making the most out of working hours ensures that your employer is satisfied with your performance and helps you become recognized for your work or even receive a promotion.

That said, becoming more productive can be a significant challenge.

How do you get more done in the same amount of time you’ve been working with prior?

Here are 15 ways you can become a more productive employee.

#1. Block Websites That Are Stealing Your Attention

Technology has made it so that humans can accomplish far more in substantially less time than they did in the past.

The problem?

It also makes it easy to get distracted when we have a wealth of entertainment at our fingertips.

Use website-blocking apps to help you stay on task.

Some will even redirect you to the websites you should be on.

#2. Use Timing Software to Track Tasks

It can be hard to see how you could improve your productivity if you don’t know where your time isn’t being utilized efficiently.

Use time-tracking software to track how long you spend on every task at work.

Then, identify which tasks are taking the longest and why so you can make the necessary adjustments.

#3. Tackle the Most Difficult Tasks on Your List First

It can be hard to focus on some of your larger projects later in the day if you’re already tired from other tasks and just waiting for the day to end.

This is why many will use a strategy called “eating the frog” or taking care of the most challenging and energy-intensive tasks first.

You’ll be able to breeze through the more manageable tasks later in the day.

#4. Take Breaks (and Break Away From Work When It’s Over)

You can’t be your most productive self if you are burnt out and run down.

It’s important to take regular breaks so that you can recover mentally.

Make it a priority to stop thinking about work the moment you’re off.

If you’re taking things home, your work day never stops.

#5. Establish Your Own Deadlines

Are you constantly struggling to finish things on time and pushing them forward?

Set your own deadlines!

If a project has a deadline in the future, establish milestones and aim to get things done ahead of time.

Your future self will thank you for chipping away at it so you’re not trying to slog through it and losing out on time to do other work.

#6. Create a Distraction-Free Work Area

Where you work is as important as how you work.

Are you surrounded by buzzing electronics and other items that keep distracting you?

Clear as much as possible out of your space and shut off all unnecessary electronics to stay on task.

#7. Accept That Some Things Can Be “Good Enough”

Perfectionism can be a major productivity killer.

While some tasks do have to be done perfectly, many can be satisfactory.

Allow yourself to be comfortable with the concept of “good enough,” so you’re not spending so much time on tasks that should take substantially less.

#8. Cut Out or Reschedule Elements of Your Workday That Take Too Much Time

Things like checking your emails, engaging in meetings, and taking care of other tasks that don’t involve work take away valuable time.

See if you can cut out certain activities or schedule them for later in the day so you have more uninterrupted work time.

#9. Gamify Your Work

Not all work is enjoyable, but you don’t necessarily have to deal with it.

See if you can find a way to gamify your work.

When you turn things into a game, you can easily get through the less desirable tasks.

#10. Reward Yourself

Intrinsic motivation is the best motivation to continuously be productive, but extrinsic motivation works well in a pinch.

Promise that you’ll reward yourself with something once you complete your task, and you may find yourself finishing it faster.

#11. Put an End to Multitasking

Multitasking sounds like the perfect solution to low productivity, but it can often do more harm than good.

When you’re splitting your attention between multiple tasks, you only get a little bit of each done at a time.

Commit to one task, finish it, then move on to the next.

#12. Work in Chunks

Working in chunks makes it easier to help you focus as you know that you will be working for a specific amount of time before your scheduled break.

Some people use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes focus, 5-minute break), while others work in much more substantial chunks, like 90 minutes.

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