If you are like most of us, chances are you’ve been struggling with productivity as we transition from the Pandemic back to “normal” life. After a year of working from home and not having to make many decisions about what to do, we now find ourselves being able to travel again, socialize and eat out. It can be hard to balance this “normality” with work because we are out of practice! Our research indicates that chances are you’ve been struggling with your productivity and motivation in this transition period. The issue? Work is still there…and not getting it done can add to an already stressful time. In times like this, our best tool is to go back to the basics. That is, learning how to study, how to work a 9-5 schedule. We know, it sounds too simple; can it really work? Trust us, following the three tips below will assist you to boost your productivity in this transition period and make your life less stressful and your business succeed. Read below for our top three tips:
Time Blocking
Time blocking is something that most of us have heard of, and many of us have used at some point in our work life. The concept is simple enough: set aside dedicated amounts of time to different tasks throughout the day. We often try to set long hours, yet that is not what truly aids us be more productive. Instead, try setting 30 minutes to 1-hour time blocks or even shorter ones, and stick to them. We know this can be hard but start building the habit now for a big productivity payoff. Our tip: make sure to block in some breaks, these are also necessary for our productivity to be its best!
Avoid Multitasking
When we feel busy, multitasking is the first thing we start to do. It is, however, the least productive thing we can do. We’ve all read the hundreds of studies that show how much it decreases productivity. During the Pandemic, the challenges and effect of multi-tasking were illuminated as we learned to work from home. In the past year we’ve been forced to adjust and learn how to focus on our work amidst all the distractions that working from home presents. In a recent blog, Diane Shi, wrote , “…as you begin to show up to a physical office, continue to fight the urge to multitask. Your brain is getting used to more distractions and input and will likely appreciate the chance to focus on one task at a time.” This is a great opportunity to take what we’ve learned in the Pandemic about how to focus in a distracting environment, and apply those lessons to the office. One of the strategies Dian Shi suggests is filtering your tasks during the transition period. Try to combine meetings when possible and know its ok to say “no” to tasks or meetings if you don’t have the space. Remember that focusing on one task at a time will increase your productivity overall even if it feels counterintuitive in the moment.
Work-Life Balance
The entire concept of work-life balance flew out the window during the Pandemic. Now we have the challenge of reestablishing the work life balance that we may had pre-Pandemic. How do we combat this? Take time to reflect about what elements of your work-life balance worked for you in the past and what didn’t. As we’ve mentioned in a previous blog, we have all learned how to work remotely during the Pandemic. Ask yourself, what have you learned about how to balance work with the rest of your lives in the past year? With reflection and awareness, we can work to incorporate what we’ve learned with what we already knew to be our most productive and motivated selves.
Overall, make sure you are not too hard on yourself for lacking your usual productivity. We’re all in this together and experiencing similar struggles. But don’t let it become an excuse. Begin taking steps for YOU. Making yourself more productive and more functional, helps to lower your stress at (and away from) work. In a time where angst is high, anything we can do to limit it is good. Be sure to share what works for you with coworkers and employees. A little help goes a long way.