Productivity Tips From Your People Strategy Coach

Patti Blackstaffe

We are always on, I mean ALWAYS. With all of our mobile devices, computers, cell phones and smart technology, it is easy to get distracted. If you are honest with yourself, you might look back on a work day or two and agree that you relate to A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) more than you want to admit.

Studies show that FOCUS is the key to productivity. Here are ways you can gain more focus and leverage your existing tools to do so.

Start your day right!

• Come into work and sit down at your desk. Then do the one thing that will set your day up right: TURN EVERY DEVICE YOU HAVE ONTO AIRPLANE MODE!
  
• Shut down your email application, close your browser and breathe.
  
• Grab a coffee and start your “to do” list for the day.
  
  
  
  • Break your day into quadrants: Morning, Mid-morning, Afternoon, Late afternoon.
    
  • Identify tasks that need to be completed in each quadrant.
    
  • Leave 5-10 minutes a quadrant to check email and respond immediately.
  
  
• Once your to-do list is complete, book a meeting with your devices. Turn on Airplane mode and give yourself the treat of checking notifications.
  
• Discipline your day to keep Airplane mode on then reward yourself with notifications only when a task has been completed. (No browsing.)
  
• Browse your social media or any other online information that charges you only after you have finished the full to-do list.

Productive meetings.

• Warn your team that the meeting is a mobile device free zone.
  
• Ask everyone to check their device prior to the meeting and deal with immediate concerns so that they will be free to contribute – but leave audible notifications on.
  
• Put every device into a basket at the door of the meeting room– BUT NO ONE IS TO GO TO THE BASKET TO GET THEIR DEVICE.
  
• Each time the meeting participants hear a notification sound from one of the devices, put a single tick on the whiteboard or flipchart, but keep the meeting moving.
  
• Make the meeting about five things:
  
  
  
  • Reason for the meeting
    
  • What needs to be done
    
  • Who is going to do it
    
  • When it will be complete
    
  • Who will follow-up on it
  
  
• At the end of the meeting, note how many interruptions there would have been.

What are your key tips to maintain productivity and efficiency?

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