The Differences Between Busy and Productive People.

This year has certainly challenged most of us in many ways, such as having to adapt to working virtually. Initially, many employees who had the resources available to work from home were excited to do so, until they realized what was required to effectively segment work and home life. With South Africa’s strict lockdown stages, many people turned to work to keep themselves busy, amongst quality time with family, hobbies and personal improvements.

This new way of life has made many of us more cognisant of our work schedules – some working longer hours and others managing the balancing act of work life balance. The big question remains, why are some people always busy, yet aren’t ticking off tasks off their list, whereas productive people accomplish their tasks and goals that they have set for their day and week with ease?

Let’s dive into how we can all become more productive.

Daily Tasks.

Busy people add more tasks into their day, because they feel as though the more that they can fit into their 8 hour work day, the more productive they are. This can lower both the completion rate as well as the quality of the tasks completed.
Productive people on the other hand, limit their daily tasks and accomplish those that are most important, while being 100% focused on the task at hand. Once these tasks have been accomplished and completed, they then add on more tasks for the day, or perhaps even set time aside for their personal life. Productive people also tend to make use of diaries or time planning tools to plan out their day in advance, and don’t allow distractions to interfere with their day.

Know The Difference Between Important And Urgent.

Busy people tend to jump at every task that is presented to them, and attempt to finish it along with the rest of their daily tasks, instead of sticking to their already existing tasks, which are most likely already overdue.

Productive people acknowledge the urgency of the task and complete it when it is most suited to their work style, as well as deadline. Some people for instance are more focused in the morning and prefer to therefore work on creative tasks in the afternoon. Productive people make their day work for them, so that they can complete tasks as efficiently as possible. Important work does not mean urgent. It is simply the amount of time put into the task, and the level of quality it is produced at that determines the outcome.

Being Distracted Can Slow Your Productivity.

Productive people create their own system for daily duties that allows them to priorities their day. Unplugging from the outside world is a great start to eliminate distractions. This means turning off your phone and closing your Inbox, and only opening these in dedicated times.

Busy people always seem to be distracted. A study done by King’s College London University, found that compulsively checking and refreshing you email inbox can lead to a drop of 10 IQ points. Constantly switching between working on your actual task and replying to your emails also alters your brain structure, leading to a lesser ability to focus. On average, it takes 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to focusing on a task after a distraction, so allowing distractions to interfere with your day, if definitely not a constructive way of working.

Stop Multitasking, And Focus.

Busy people will tackle multiple tasks and challenges at a time, which creates unnecessary stress. Productive people will focus and complete one task as efficiently as they can, before moving on to the next. That being said, productive people do sometimes multitask, but they pair important tasks with tasks that have less importance, which won’t distract them from completing their primary task. The key is to focus on one task at a time, from highest priority to lowest.

Take A Break, And Breath.

Productive people know when to take a break from work. A break that will allow them to return to their work refreshed and ready to continue. A productive person can achieve greater efficiency when they let their brains rest from several long hours of work. Busy people do not take breaks, as they believe it’s a way of procrastination rather than revitalising the mind.

The most productive and efficient people are those that “own their day” rather letting their day own them. They work to maximize their time to be as productive as possible, not just busy.

The office space that you’re in has a knock on effect on your productivity too. Should the temperature be too cold or too hot, too much noise, too many people wanting your attention etc. these will all have an effect on your performance.

Cube Workspace, a premium serviced solution with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town has the office just for you, to assist you in enhancing your productivity. Give us a call today to arrange a visit at one of our modern workspaces: https://cubeworkspace.co.za/contact-us/

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