Useful Strategies to Beat Productivity Killers
Useful Strategies to Beat Productivity Killers
Often masters of tools and technology, the battle with productivity killers rages on for engineers who are always seeking better ways to maximize efficiency and performance.
Engineers face tough deadlines every single day. Most have developed strategies that work for them to use time they spend in the office more effectively. They strive to communicate more efficiently, minimize distractions and interruptions, and get the stuff they need to do done.
But staying productive throughout the workday is a challenge that seems to be getting worse in the age of Zoom meetings and endless ways to “communicate.” Rasmus Holst, chief executive officer of the employee development platform Zensai, reveals clear ways to stay focused and tackle the biggest productivity killers in the workplace, especially in an atmosphere where getting more done with less is predominant.
Communicating with your team is important and can cover anything from finding out what is stopping someone from accomplishing a task to letting everyone know you’ll be offline for the afternoon to put out fires. But how best to deal with the need to communicate without adding to interaction clutter?
“When it comes to communication, it’s all about moderation,” Holst explained. “One-on-ones and group discussions are great for getting everyone on the same page or for brainstorming new ideas, but remember, every meeting pulls everyone involved away from their immediate responsibilities.”
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He suggested that striking the right balance of discussion and action is the key, because even meetings with great purpose can stall and go nowhere. And just like meetings, internal messaging tools are an essential part of daily communication, especially for those who work remotely. He suggests that while these tools can boost productivity, recognize that they can also be one of the biggest productivity killers. “It comes down to how frequently you find yourself checking and responding to them,” he said.
Holst recognizes that many individuals and some organizations block off time on personal and company calendars so that staff can get important tasks complete, but there are other strategies that individuals can rely on to get what they need to do done.
“As humans, we take pride in our accomplishments, so there’s nothing more irritating than getting to the end of the day and realizing we could have done more,” he said. “Unfortunately, whether you’re sitting in an office filled with co-workers or you’re working from home, external distractions can appear anywhere.” Poor productivity, Holst explained, usually stems from the simple bad habits we pick up over time, but some of the biggest productivity killers can be broader issues with company culture.
“When productivity issues are culturally ingrained, it’s up to managers to lead change in the workplace, but employees must do their part to push for improvement and squash any outside distractions like cell phone use or scrolling on social media,” he said.
Staff and managers who are already heading in a million directions—facing many project deadlines and constant tasks to complete—sometimes need to empower themselves to not take on more work.
“We all strive to implement healthy boundaries in our personal lives, and the same goes for the workplace,” Holst explained. It’s important for company leaders and managers to foster a culture of transparency so when employees are juggling multiple projects and changing deadlines, they feel empowered to raise issues from the start and say “no” confidentially, he said.
More For You: Podcast: What Employers Want Engineers to Know
So how best to tackle the to-dos on your list? Holst explained that there are various ways to tackle daily work so that “we can free up time to focus on more strategic and important projects.” He suggested that there now exist AI productivity tools that are especially good for automating and streamlining daunting tasks that can weigh down productivity.
He suggested that by incorporating AI into our daily workload—such as summarizing documents and improving efficiency in workflows—"we can prioritize the higher priority tasks that require a human touch.”
Holst does warn that there is always a balance to be struck when getting work done and pursuing enjoyable personal time. He suggested prioritizing those matters—at work and home—that need your attention and avoiding the need to do everything and getting burned out. You must, he said, be very mindful of long-term physical and mental health.
He suggests looking for what is slowing you down and focusing on that. “Sometimes it’s necessary to keep an eye out for something marked urgent,” Holst conceded. “But constantly checking your inbox takes you out of whatever you were doing. This can be especially time-consuming if you stop what you’re doing to write a detailed reply.”
More for Your Career: Workforce Blog: An ASME-Bolstered Engineering Journey
So pick your “moments” and use the strategy that has been a proven winner. Designate certain points in the day to reply to your emails in bulk, he said. For both new and experienced managers, make sure you learn how to delegate. The inability to give up responsibility is a common problem, Holst said, that can quickly stifle productivity.
Use delegation to build mutually trusting relationships and a good team culture, he said. And finally concentrate on becoming the best and most effective communicator you can be. Be sure to communicate with “clear expectations” because, he explained, such understanding is “critical for keeping productivity firing on all cylinders.”
Cathy Cecere is membership content program manager.
But staying productive throughout the workday is a challenge that seems to be getting worse in the age of Zoom meetings and endless ways to “communicate.” Rasmus Holst, chief executive officer of the employee development platform Zensai, reveals clear ways to stay focused and tackle the biggest productivity killers in the workplace, especially in an atmosphere where getting more done with less is predominant.
Team communication
Communicating with your team is important and can cover anything from finding out what is stopping someone from accomplishing a task to letting everyone know you’ll be offline for the afternoon to put out fires. But how best to deal with the need to communicate without adding to interaction clutter? “When it comes to communication, it’s all about moderation,” Holst explained. “One-on-ones and group discussions are great for getting everyone on the same page or for brainstorming new ideas, but remember, every meeting pulls everyone involved away from their immediate responsibilities.”
Discover the Benefits of ASME Membership
He suggested that striking the right balance of discussion and action is the key, because even meetings with great purpose can stall and go nowhere. And just like meetings, internal messaging tools are an essential part of daily communication, especially for those who work remotely. He suggests that while these tools can boost productivity, recognize that they can also be one of the biggest productivity killers. “It comes down to how frequently you find yourself checking and responding to them,” he said.
Holst recognizes that many individuals and some organizations block off time on personal and company calendars so that staff can get important tasks complete, but there are other strategies that individuals can rely on to get what they need to do done.
“As humans, we take pride in our accomplishments, so there’s nothing more irritating than getting to the end of the day and realizing we could have done more,” he said. “Unfortunately, whether you’re sitting in an office filled with co-workers or you’re working from home, external distractions can appear anywhere.” Poor productivity, Holst explained, usually stems from the simple bad habits we pick up over time, but some of the biggest productivity killers can be broader issues with company culture.
“When productivity issues are culturally ingrained, it’s up to managers to lead change in the workplace, but employees must do their part to push for improvement and squash any outside distractions like cell phone use or scrolling on social media,” he said.
How to say ‘no’
Staff and managers who are already heading in a million directions—facing many project deadlines and constant tasks to complete—sometimes need to empower themselves to not take on more work.“We all strive to implement healthy boundaries in our personal lives, and the same goes for the workplace,” Holst explained. It’s important for company leaders and managers to foster a culture of transparency so when employees are juggling multiple projects and changing deadlines, they feel empowered to raise issues from the start and say “no” confidentially, he said.
More For You: Podcast: What Employers Want Engineers to Know
So how best to tackle the to-dos on your list? Holst explained that there are various ways to tackle daily work so that “we can free up time to focus on more strategic and important projects.” He suggested that there now exist AI productivity tools that are especially good for automating and streamlining daunting tasks that can weigh down productivity.
He suggested that by incorporating AI into our daily workload—such as summarizing documents and improving efficiency in workflows—"we can prioritize the higher priority tasks that require a human touch.”
Personal juggling
Holst does warn that there is always a balance to be struck when getting work done and pursuing enjoyable personal time. He suggested prioritizing those matters—at work and home—that need your attention and avoiding the need to do everything and getting burned out. You must, he said, be very mindful of long-term physical and mental health. He suggests looking for what is slowing you down and focusing on that. “Sometimes it’s necessary to keep an eye out for something marked urgent,” Holst conceded. “But constantly checking your inbox takes you out of whatever you were doing. This can be especially time-consuming if you stop what you’re doing to write a detailed reply.”
More for Your Career: Workforce Blog: An ASME-Bolstered Engineering Journey
So pick your “moments” and use the strategy that has been a proven winner. Designate certain points in the day to reply to your emails in bulk, he said. For both new and experienced managers, make sure you learn how to delegate. The inability to give up responsibility is a common problem, Holst said, that can quickly stifle productivity.
Use delegation to build mutually trusting relationships and a good team culture, he said. And finally concentrate on becoming the best and most effective communicator you can be. Be sure to communicate with “clear expectations” because, he explained, such understanding is “critical for keeping productivity firing on all cylinders.”
Cathy Cecere is membership content program manager.