27 Ways to Increase Productivity at the Workplace

1. Take regular breaks
Taking breaks at work is good for your productivity. People with desk jobs often skip their breaks; this can affect your physical and mental health. Breaks result in creative ideas and help you refocus.

2. Hold standing meetings
Standing meetings are beneficial to your health and productivity. Standing meetings can be up to 33% shorter by design and encourage collaboration.

3. Take advantage of your commute
Your commute to work can be a great time to expand your mind and make the time stuck in traffic actually beneficial. Try books on tape or a podcast to learn something new everyday. Learn a language or discover some new music.

4. Have a vendor do the research for you
Don’t have a lot of time to research important aspects of a big project? Have a vendor do the research to find the best products and service solutions that will keep you on time and on budget. Look for someone who is truly consultative and will take time to understand your business.

5. Centralize reporting and save time
Team up with a vendor who will help you structure a centralized reporting program to save time and reduce costs. When members of a team work together to support a centralized data reporting structure, you gain greater control. The results can become consistent, reliable data to provide your decision makers.

6. Introduce a wellness program
Establishing a wellness program can improve employee morale while reducing healthcare costs. Want your employees to participate? Create a survey to understand what is important to them. Install Purell hand sanitizer stands around the office to reinforce your program to employees and visitors.

7. Centralize ordering of business supplies
Centralize your procurement processes to accomplish better control over your company’s purchasing. This takes greater staff resources than just a few purchasing personnel. Do the companies you purchase from offer methods to help you centralize your orders? The results save time and money so it is worth considering.

8. Take exercise breaks
Short exercise breaks improve attention and ability to retain information while improving overall physical and mental health. Incorporating yoga into your work breaks can be one way to achieve optimal health.

9. Declutter for a better workday
Can’t find your meeting notes? Still looking for those project updates? Decluttering can make you more productive. A desktop shelf can help with organizing. Post-it flags and notes can help tag important notebook pages or files. Keeping documents in electronic form also helps.

10. Divide and conquer
Identify the tasks at hand and prioritize them. In order to make your workload more manageable, break it down into smaller tasks. Set up a “to do” list to identify and complete each smaller task. This is a good time to utilize team skills and divide the workload to each person that can best conquer specific pieces of the total project.

11. Prioritize
Got multiple projects to complete and feel a bit overwhelmed? Prioritize! The best way to approach your daily projects is to identify which are the most urgent and have the most value — complete those first.

12. Keep the breakroom stocked
Show employees you care by offering a stocked breakroom. Create an environment for engagement and offer a mix of healthy, flavorful options. Try new snacks, coffees, teas and other healthy drinks to peak interest and keep everyone energized.

13. Consider casual attire for your dress code
Comfortable and relaxed workers can be more productive with a casual dress code. Post guidelines for casual attire to put employees at ease that they are meeting company standards while maintaining consistency through all departments.

14. Make daily lists that are realistic to complete before the day is over
Creating a daily task list can help you determine your priorities to efficiently stay on track. Block out your time to ensure you have time to realistically complete your tasks before the day is over.

15. Communicate with teammates
Sometimes communicating through email might not be as effective. Save time and reduce confusion with communication by getting up and speaking face-to-face or making a phone call. Communicating with the team will help team members understand their tasks and responsibilities.

16. Consider office furniture that promotes productivity
Using the right office furniture can help create a comfortable space to work and interact with others. With the right atmosphere, it encourages a higher productivity rate to get things done.

17. Add plants to the office
Tired of looking at the same colored walls? Add some plants to the office to boost brain functionality and sharpen your focus.

18. Decorate your workspace
Brighten your workspace with decor to increase your energy and decrease the possibility of burning out. Add some inspiring colors, plants or motivational messages.

19. Listen to music
Maintaining focus can be a challenge in shared spaces. Put on some music to keep the distractions and office noise away.

20. Work at a different desk every day
Working at different zones throughout the office can help stimulate the mind and create a chance for you to change the scenery each day. Without a designated area, you can build interactions with different departments to increase good communication.

21. Ask the right questions before getting started
Get ahead by asking the right questions before starting a project. This is a good way to avoid time spent going in the wrong direction.

22. Consider the “two-minute” rule
If you are able to do something that will take you less than two minutes, do it now. Use the two-minute rule to complete tasks that are less difficult and work towards your bigger goals. Try this strategy to keep things simple.

23. Plan ahead
Too much to do? Sometimes unexpected projects might come up out of nowhere. Try planning ahead by using a calendar or planner to help you meet deadlines.

24. Have a positive attitude
Having a positive attitude at work leads to better health and lower stress. A small gesture such as a “thank you” goes a long way and boosts morale at the workplace.

25. Be an early bird
Start each morning with purpose and you will stay ahead, by building momentum for in getting your tasks completed early. Consider coming into the office earlier to begin work before the morning rush starts.

26. Know your limit
Knowing your limit is essential to self-growth. It is okay to ask for help if you feel like you are stuck or in need of a hand.

27. Meditate
Having trouble focusing? Consider including meditation into your routine to cleanse your mind of negative thoughts. Regular meditation can improve your memory and recharge your capacity to accomplish your tasks.

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