5 Productivity Hacks for Lazy Managers

Productivity has always been of crucial importance particularly when it comes to business management. The managers are responsible to supervise the business activities and the workforce who report them.

The small and medium scale businesses hinge on business managers to prevent the workers from getting involved in unproductive activities and make them focused on achieving the company goals.

However, less productive or lazy bosses cannot lead their teams in an appropriate manner. It does not just negatively affect the productivity of subordinate staff but also causes the business to bear an unrecoverable loss.

Luckily, there are a few productivity hacks that can help managers to manage their teams and workday.

1. Make To-Do Lists

Note down all your important tasks to be completed on the day as the first thing in the morning, so you do not face any problem figuring out your motive for the rest of the day.

This to-do list will prevent from getting distracted by the things that seem important on unlocking the office door.

You may have new emails in your inbox or a request from a subordinate but these things can wait till after you have accomplished your priority tasks.

2. Prioritize Tasks

Ranking or prioritizing the items on your to-do list is also important. You could be able to better utilize your workday when you learn to distinguish and prioritizing the things that matter most.

Not all things on your priority list can be of equal importance. There may be things you can do conveniently and without giving much time but these may be of least importance.

Start with the things that are most important. Also, complete your most challenging tasks when you have the highest energy and motivation. For most people, this is in the morning.

3. Stop Multitasking

If you chase two rabbits at once, you won’t be able to catch either one.

This Russian proverb appropriately explains the menaces of multitasking. When you divide your attention into multiple things, you are less likely to do all these things in an excellent way.

The researches indicate that those who attempt to do multiple tasks at once or claim to be good multitaskers are not more successful than their fellows.

As a manager, you have hundreds of tasks to deal with. However, if you try to get your hands on all of these things simultaneously, you will be dividing your attention and failing at all of these errands.

Instead, concentrate on one thing at a time. Complete the first and then go ahead. This is called touch it once policy.

For example, if you are reading your work emails, do not open all emails at once. Open an email only when you are ready to respond to it, and then respond to it.

4. Brain Dump

Your brain must be clear of all the negative thoughts before you start your workday. Make sure you do not let the non-sense things disturb your mind while you begin working on the important tasks for the day.

For example, you cannot allow your mind to remind you of what you should buy for yourself with this month’s salary when you are expected to give priority to your work.

If you have something non-work related, you can write it down on a paper to think about it in your leisure time.

5. Eliminate Distractions

There is no secret that workplace distractions are the main reasons for the productivity loss. The biggest distraction on the workstation can be the internet.

While the internet helps businesses to streamline operations and deal with a massive target audience across the world, it can negatively influence the productivity of the workers.

Majority of the workers and business managers use the internet for their personal purposes like doing online shopping, updating social media profiles, watching their favorite videos and listening to music.

As a manager, you are not only required to prevent yourself from the misuse of the internet but you are also responsible to keep your co-workers from not using this facility for unproductive purposes.

There are various tools you can use to improve the employee productivity at your workplace. When the workplace would be free of diversions, it would be more convenient for you and your colleagues to give their best to the company.

The Bottom Line

Undeniably, there might be innumerable challenges in getting things done but, luckily, there are quick fixes to productivity losses. With a clear mind, prioritized tasks and a few software and apps the business owners and managers can transform their workstation into a mecca of productivity.