7 Things Successful Managers Do to Stay Productive
Being the perfect manager isn’t always easy. Management comes with its own set of unique challenges that they need to navigate through. A good manager has the power to boost overall job satisfaction and boost employee output through their management techniques. After all, management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success. To help you join the ranks of better and more efficient management, try to keep these seven productivity boosting methods in mind.
In recent years, as the modern workplace has evolved and changed to mixtures of in-person, virtual, and hybrid work, the typical 9-to-5 workday has given way to more flexible work hours.
Some of these changes have prompted individuals to work more efficiently. Still, for others, these changing work aspects provide obstacles to productivity, both for the individual and the organization, who must develop new methods for assessing efficiency and encouraging the staff.
Why Is Productivity Important?
Every successful manager is aware of the importance of team member productivity. People's productivity is merely the utilization of their hours in a manner that drives the desired outcomes and contributes to the achievement of company objectives.
According to research by Voucher Cloud, the average employee is only productive for 2 hours and 23 minutes daily.
Considering an eight-hour workday, team members waste an average of 5 hours and 37 minutes daily. Every day, an enormous amount of time and company resources are wasted.
When managers and team members are productive and work well together over the long term, a culture based on solid camaraderie emerges — one that is forward-thinking, collaborative, and motivating. Having a productive team is advantageous in the short term, but these benefits compound over time.
Things Effective Managers Do to Maintain Productivity
As it will be essential for the managers to understand how to remain productive, they must educate themselves with the productivity tips and tricks. So, here are some tried and true strategies for increasing productivity.
Remember that these are not "solutions" but approaches that must be mastered and implemented. Following these productivity tips at work will make managers effective and teach them the art of time management, which will assist them in achieving their larger life goals.
Planning the Day
One of the most significant ideas for increasing productivity is planning.
To do all of your tasks in the most efficient manner, you must learn how to plan them. Therefore, make it a habit to plan out each day's activities each morning or the night before.
Don't forget to consider the level of difficulty of each task. Therefore, schedule tasks that require the most focus (intellectual, creative, etc.) for the morning when you are less weary and more attentive.
Likewise, save the most monotonous and ordinary tasks for last. Because they do not need as much energy, these activities are ideally suited for the time of the day when you will undoubtedly be more exhausted.
Review your everyday to-do list frequently, but remember that unexpected events may require you to reshuffle your tasks.
Therefore, be reasonable and make adjustments to your plans.
Provide a Clear Vision
Managers frequently divert from their original objectives by everyday tasks and resolving significant or minor issues.
The most effective strategy for managers to maintain focus is likely to be to establish a vision that includes both short- and long-term objectives for projects, teams, and the company.
Managers can list and track goals using the best productivity tools. This solution can help teams focus while guiding them toward attaining their objectives.
Follow the Pomodoro Technique
One of the most effective daily productivity tips is implementing the Pomodoro technique. The idea was inspired by a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, although you are not required to use one in your office.
A five-minute break will follow twenty-five minutes of work. After working for two hours at regular five-minute intervals, take a thirty-minute rest to rejuvenate.
It is an efficient method for enhancing time management abilities and understanding prioritizing. People frequently fail to establish precise, time-bound objectives and are often distracted by phones while at work.
With the Pomodoro method, you can categorize your work and remain productive for extended periods.
By employing this method, you will become more adept at breaking your task into short intervals, and regular breaks will keep you energized.
Promote Team Collaboration
Team members who feel a sense of teamwork are 2.3 times more likely to engage in their work.
Effective collaboration is necessary for teams to complete tasks on time and without dispute.
Managers can use the best productivity tools to improve collaboration. Using technology such as productivity tools to manage processes and collaborative projects is practically expected. Productivity tools with a customizable task management template can aid project setup for managers. Then, everyone participating in the project can rapidly monitor tasks and deadlines and adjust.
This strategy enables employees to obtain feedback and instantly report any difficulties.
Learn to Delegate
A manager attempting to perform most of his responsibilities is a significant challenge for any firm. Instead of transmitting the picture of highly responsible leadership, it generates an overburdened professional and a sense of weakness among subordinates.
This circumstance significantly impacts team involvement and productivity of a company's activities.
It is essential to remember that a competent leader does not strive to focus on duties and do everything but instead knows how to delegate tasks. Therefore, one advice for increasing productivity is for a manager to undertake essential responsibilities while delegating activities to team members.
When allocating duties, it is essential to make explicit who will be accountable for the work and their respective due dates.
Also, try to learn each team member's traits, skills, and personal flaws. Thus, targeting the most qualified professionals for each assignment will be feasible, improving the likelihood of achieving the desired results.
By delegating responsibilities, it is also possible to impact the performance of the managers themselves since they may devote more time to strategic operations, which is their true function in the organization.
Offer Constructive Feedback and Appreciation
Rounds of constructive criticism shed light on improvement opportunities for team members and managers. It provides personnel with clarity regarding their position and direction.
When team members share feedback, pay attention and, if possible, implement their suggestions. Changes motivated by these discussions can encourage team members to improve their performance and foster a sense of trust.
Recognition is another crucial part of feedback sessions.
According to BusinessWise’s survey on top performance indicators, 37% of team members feel most valued and encouraged when they are given personal recognition for their hard work.
The team’s morale is significantly affected by recognizing team members' efforts and accomplishments, while a lack of appreciation can lead to fatigue.
Create a Work-Life Balance
Effective managers take vacations when possible. They spend time with their family and establish and achieve personal goals outside work.
Seventy-seven percent of the 1,000 respondents to Deloitte's marketplace survey on work-life balance indicated having experienced burnout at their present positions at least once. Even more concerning is that 50% of the respondents have experienced work fatigue more than once.
It is reasonable to prioritize your financial objectives. You will have to be productive to attain your goals, which is directly tied to a healthy work-life balance. This strategy may appear counterintuitive initially but remember that a calm mind is a creative and productive mind.
Start Small and Be Consistent
Productivity is not just about saving time and increasing productivity by a certain percentage. It is a practice that leads to a way of life. Long hours of work will not increase your productivity.
To genuinely see a difference, consider the above productivity tips for managers, devote time to goal planning, take frequent pauses, and keep your mind calm. Create a healthy work-life balance and concentrate on innovative problem-solving techniques.
Spend time on vacation with your family and friends. This will not only enhance your time management and waste management at work, but it will also improve your life.