Efficiency at the workplace is sorely dependent on the unavailability of distractions. Frankly, there are plenty of these in most offices, which leads to delayed target accomplishments.
If you’re constantly experiencing disruptions in the office, you might want to avoid triggers or other factors that contribute to the increase of the same.
Here are the top things you should incorporate into your work routine to make your employees more efficient and focused on achieving the best outcomes.
Complete a Task at a Time
Forcing your team to finish multiple tasks simultaneously can easily lead to burnout. The mind is capable of doing so much in one go. So, when you bombard it with several tasks simultaneously, there’s a possibility of zoning out once it becomes overwhelming.
Allow them to work on one activity and complete it successfully before moving on to the next. Read up on how to manage different personalities in the workplace since you may have to deal with varying characters in the office and provide reasonable alternatives for each person.
Avoid Self-Imposed Distractions
Every person has something that disrupts their focus when working. In most cases, these self-imposed activities may seem harmless or even feel like they contribute to the individual’s productivity, but they don’t.
Most employees engage in them as a way of inducing dopamine to give them the motivation to work. Some quickly disruptive activities include listening to music, using your phone, logging onto social sites, having snacks while working, making jokes, and engaging in small talk.
You can quickly tell if an activity I self-sabotaging if it takes your focus the minute you engage in it and takes a while to realize it’s distracting you. Avoid engaging in such activities to limit or eliminate the number of times you get distracted from your primary focus.
Create a Timeline for Daily Tasks
A daily routine can easily save you time in the office. It makes it easier for you to jump into your tasks for the day without trying to figure out your next step. A great way to create a daily routine is to find out what recurring tasks you need to accomplish each day.
You must also check for incomplete tasks from the previous day and finish those early enough the next day. Please work with your employer to find out what they need to be done when working on a task plan.
Offer Incentives
Nothing works well in motivating your team to work smarter and better than incentives. These simple things increase morale and efficiency and even promote employee teamwork.
Additional vacation days, happy hour for the team, gift cards, lunch, money, or movie nights are some of the incentives that can quickly motivate the team to work better. Aside from creating a competitive spirit, offering these gifts allows you to bond with your team on a different, relaxed level.
Share Upcoming Event Early Enough
You do not want to be the primary initiator of disruptive practices at work because it doesn’t end too well and portrays an unprofessional image of you. Late communication about events is one of the ways you contribute to this unhealthy practice.
If you want to hold meetings, train your team, or even go for a retreat together and learn about personal finance, you must communicate your intentions early enough. Have a calendar manager that reminds you of upcoming events in good time, so you can communicate about them to your team early, allowing them to make time for these events.
Practice Efficient Email Management
Emails can be a significant derailer, especially if you have a busy office. They can easily take your team’s attention, especially when the subject is crucial. It would be best if you didn’t encourage constant email replies unless it’s a matter of life and death.
Allow the team to work on other tasks that require more focus and time in the wee hours and then start replying to emails later. You can also create an email schedule allowing them to reply to emails at specific times of the day.
Restricting these sessions to a maximum of 20 minutes per time ensures they stay focused and don’t get sucked into the back and forth that comes with email management. The same applies to in-house communication. Schedule times when you can send messages and memos or make phone calls to the staff to avoid disrupting their momentum.
Wrap Up
Disruptions cost your company money if they are not disrupted. As a team leader, you must educate yourself on ways to handle all types of distractions and activities or practices you can use to replace disruptive habits at work.