4 Simple Ways to Boost Your Work Performance
All employees want to perform well at work, but that isn't always easy. For one, this report by CNBC notes that as workers struggle with new work models and balancing their personal and professional lives, this ends up negatively affecting their productivity. In fact, worker productivity has been declining at the fastest rate in four decades, which leads to growth challenges for both companies and the employees themselves.
Fortunately, you can introduce changes to your workflow in order to boost the quality of your work, your productivity levels, and your overall performance. Here are four simple but effective ways to do so.
Do Tasks One At A Time
If you’re used to multitasking, take this as a warning sign to start doing your tasks one at a time instead. You may think you’re getting a lot of work done, but research says multitasking can actually hinder your progress. An article published in APA entitled Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching found that switching from one task to another can reduce productivity by up to 40%, especially when the tasks greatly differ in complexity.
As such, make a habit out of prioritizing tasks at the beginning of every work day. This not only helps with focus and concentration but also ensures you provide better quality work. Additionally, this guide on the Apple iPhone's Focus feature shows you how you can easily customize it so you can only receive work-related notifications when you're on the clock. It also helps to schedule focus blocks on your synchronized work calendar, so your coworkers know when you're supposed to be working on the task at hand.
Improve Your Working Posture
Employees with desk-based jobs can negatively affect their productivity when they pay little to no attention to their working posture. Bad posture habits can cause discomfort and detract from efficiency while working. Over time, these can even lead to poor health and missed work days which can more significantly bring down work performance.
Adjusting your posture is more than just about keeping your back straight, however. This article by PainFreeWorking discusses how ergonomic chairs can particularly help with regularly practicing good posture at work. The SteelCase Gesture Chair, for one, has 3D back support that mimics the natural curve of your spine for superior comfort.
Meanwhile, its tilt technology allows your back to rest in order to avoid lower back and neck pain from sitting for long periods. Ergonomic chairs in general have adjustable seat height, back support, armrest, and headrest to fit your physical needs and desired level of comfort.
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Get Some Fresh Air and Sunlight
It’s already a well-known fact that taking short breaks in between work helps with productivity. You can spend your break more wisely by stepping out of your workspace and connecting with the outdoor world, as opposed to mindlessly scrolling through your phone. If you’re unable to go outside, you can still get some fresh air by simply opening your windows.
Getting sufficient natural light in your workspace also helps. This article from Work Design Magazine discusses how workers with access to sunlight are able to increase their reported work performance and satisfaction by 70-73%. Vitamin D from sunlight also enhances your work through improved mood and alertness.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
While the tips listed above involve changes you can make while working, this last item is focused on what you can do after work hours. The quantity and quality of sleep you get can greatly affect how you perform on your work days, so this post entitled ‘Holistic Health at Work’ recommends key practices for improved sleep. These include setting a regular bedtime, dimming the lights, unplugging your devices at night, and keeping your room at a cool temperature. With better sleep, you can wake up the next morning fully ready and motivated to do your best at work!
These are all simple changes you can adopt to improve your work performance, but remember that you can always ask for help. Aside from communicating effectively with your managers and colleagues, Beyond Discovery Coaching is here to help. Through coaching sessions that are customized for every client, you can make consistent progress toward your career goals.
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Meet The Writer!
My name is Rosetta Juliana and I have been working in the field of human resources for over ten years. Clearly, my passion lies in identifying how humans form relationships. That's why I've recently taken to working from my laptop while traveling around the world! This allows me to freely form connections with all sorts of people from different backgrounds.
