When I used to work in an opticians, productivity was never an issue. A steady stream of customers ensured I never had the opportunity to get distracted or do any real procrastinating. Now that I work from home, I have a constant struggle to stay productive. I imagine working in an office is much the same.
I’ve picked up a few productivity tricks along the way, so I thought I’d share what works for me!
How to stay productive at work
Stay hydrated
It can be difficult to concentrate if you allow yourself to become dehydrated. When you’re busy, it can be really easy to forget to drink. They say you should never feel thirsty, feeling thirsty is a signal that you’re already dehydrated. To combat this, you can get drinking bottles that have a line and a time of day on them, that way, if you haven’t drank enough for the time of day it is, you can easily catch up. Some fitness tracker apps can set a reminder to give you a nudge to have a quick sip.
Move around
This probably sounds counter-productive at face value. If you’ve got work to do, you really need to be in that place, doing your work. Research suggests if you take regular breaks and take a short walk every hour or so, it can keep your concentration focused. It also stops you becoming lethargic and sleepy, which sitting in once place can do.
Cut the sugar
The sugar in your coffee might give you a bit of ‘pep’ in the morning, but that rush can be quickly followed by a crash. If you cut out sugar completely, you will notice a few days where you feel a bit rough, but after that period has passed, the cravings will stop. Instead of sugary snacks, go for something light and high in protein. Nuts and seeds always get recommended. If you fancy something a little more exciting, you can buy little snack packs that contain cheese, cocoa beans, and roasted chickpeas; or make something like that yourself!
Pall Mall Estates + industrial units to let have made this handy infographic to help you be more productive at work.
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I definitely experience this lack of motivation and productivity. I used to work in a school where I was on my feet all day from 8am -3pm and now in a office where I need to keep myself busy 9am-5pm. I definitely have taken down these tips and hopefully it’ll make it an easier ride for me!
Haha hopefully! The shift of pace is a killer, isn’t it?
It can be so hard to stay motivated when you work from home, especially with jobs to be done round the house. I think taking a break every couple of hours is a good way to keep yourself going x
These are all great ideas. I am moving into proofreading and am finding my attention to detail wains after five hours, even with break so now I am scheduling this in so that I don’t lose productivity. .moving is definitely a big one for me and I get up and move whenever my Fitbit buzzes.
This is something I struggle with! I actually went to an exercise class so missed 1 whole hour of valuable work time this week … but I was so much more productive for the rest of the day!
I never manage to fit much exercise in but it’s meant to have that effect isn’t it? I keep seeing suggestions for exercise breaks when you’ve got exam revision etc.