When working at a printing company, there’s never a dull moment. With so much going on at one time, it can be a fun and fulfilling environment. We are constantly juggling hundreds of clients with jobs that vary depending on the job’s specifications. It’s great to be busy, but if it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to finish your work, it’s time to analyze your daily work habits.
Working more hours might seem like a good idea, but that’s not always the answer. Instead of putting in extra hours, become more productive at work by focusing on what really matters. Get started right away by following these 4 tips!
1. Be Positive
Being more productive at work begins with your attitude. People with a positive attitude take initiative. They help the co-worker in need or pick up the slack when someone is out sick. Having and maintaining a positive attitude is difficult and humans have the unfortunate habit of focusing more on the bad than the good; and that negativity inhibits our productivity. We tend to focus more on our shortcomings rather than our achievements and this effects how we perform at work.
Next time you find yourself engaging in negative talk, pause; take the opportunity to lead by example and steer the conversation into a positive one. Remember to praise your employees or co-workers when they’ve done something noteworthy. Once you’re successful at displaying a positive attitude, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to feel fulfilled, inspired, and more productive while working.
2. Communicate
Proper communication among the workplace eliminates unnecessary work and other potential misunderstandings. One of the best ways to avoid unnecessary rework and wasted time is to eliminate misunderstandings and miscommunications. Get it right the first time, and you’ll save an impressive amount of time and mental energy revising and redoing tasks.
To improve your communication skills, begin with enhancing your active listening skills and give people your full attention while they’re talking. Effective communication is the key to achieving long-term success; whether you’re the boss or the employee, you’ll need to successfully communicate your ideas to be more productive at work.
3. Prioritize Work
You’ve just arrived at work and before you’ve even had your first sip of coffee, you’re handed multiple tedious tasks to begin right away. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed when we see the plethora of projects waiting to be completed for the day. In order to figure out what needs to be worked on first, ask yourself this question: Which projects have the biggest impact on the bottom line? Figure out the most important task to do for the day and make a numbered list to keep you on track. Make sure to check it off when the task is done; this will help keep you motivated and aware of what you have and haven’t completed for the day.
A big part of being effective at work is learning how to prioritize your responsibilities. Cut the busywork that doesn’t actually amount to anything and work on what matters first!
4. Do What You Love
Lastly, find a way to do what you love. When you’re interested in, challenged by, and enjoy the work you do, it’s easier to be more productive and engaged. Consider the parts of your job you look forward to, which skills get you the most praise, and what type of projects your co-workers ask for your help with. Strive to do more of those things!
Of course, no matter how much you love your job, there will still be times you need to do something you don’t particularly enjoy. So, the next time you must do something you’re not fond of, dare yourself to find it challenging instead of tedious.
Being productive at work can be difficult. Managing your time in ways that are conducive to productivity is key, though it can be challenging to know what to do at first. Start small and begin by staying positive, communicate effectively, prioritize your work for the day, and try to do what you love.