Achieving Flow in the Workplace

OPTIMIZING WORKFLOW and PRODUCTIVITY IN THE OFFICE We've all been there. It's a busy day at work: emails flying, bosses checking in, meetings to attend, phones ringing off the hook; on top of work-related instant messages, personal instant messages, personal text messages, tweets, Facebook updates, etc., etc. The average worker experiences an interruption It typically takes :231 23 MINUTES to return EVERY 3 MINUTES. the original task. That means you're progressively falling more and more behind. Every day. TIME WORKING / TIME SPENT RECOVERING FROM WORKING TOTAL TIME |26 MINS 3MINS 23MINS 52 MINS 6MINS 46MINS 1 HOUR 18 MINS 9MINS 1 HOUR 9 MINS 1 HOUR 44 MINS 12MINS 1 HOUR 32 MINS 2 HOURS 10 MINS 15MINS 1 HOUR 55 MINS Sound familiar? At this rate you'll have spent less than 30 minutes on the project you're trying to focus on by lunch. U U In fact, recent research suggests 74% of businesses report the average worker only works 3 DAYS A WEEK taking at least one measure to minimize office distractions 74% - or about 1.5 HOURS A DAY. and optimize workflow. Let's examine some effective strategies. CANCEL ALL YOUR MEETINGS "Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything." Dr. John Kenneth Gilbraith MANY TEND TO AGREE Percent who believe meetings are a time-waste: 25% 50% 40% 30% Employees Managers Executives 16% 45% 80% 67% 70% of employees say meetings don't help them complete work. 67% of employees say they 45% of senior executives say But only 16% of companies their employees would be more productive without meetings. spend up to 4 hours per week preparing for status update meetings. report reducing workplace meetings. - Here's one way to address meetings mania Is this meeting a priority? NO YES Decline NO Is a meeting the best or only appropriate medium? a phone call, email, or IM would be more efficient YES 15 minutes Can this meeting time be cut in half? Cancel meeting, address alternatively YES 2 hours to 1 hour, etc. GET RID OF THE “MULTI-TASK" ETHIC The science is out: there is no such thing as multi-tasking. The more apt term is task-switching, and it's shockingly ineffective - to the tune of a Workers attempting to juggle set tasks with emails or phone calls literally become dumber, suffering a 10-POINT IQ DROP. 40% DECLINE IN PRODUCTIVITY. That's the equivalent of missing an entire night's sleep .. ... and twice the effect of smoking marijuana. In fact, with the rate of errors you'll make interrupting workflow, multi-tasking quickly becomes not just unproductive, but counterproductive. INTERRUPTION DURATION / ERROR RATE OF TASK 3 SECONDS / DOUBLE 4.5 SECONDS / TRIPLE The good news is that, with a healthy dose of self-discipline and good habits, we can retrain ourselves to focus on the task at hand. Some Easy Methods Avoid chatty, back-and-forth internal emails. Use a work phone or visit in-person. Turn off - or at least silence - your cell phone. 69 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 20 30 31 Make a simple, accomplishable to-do list. 3 items a day. Just do it. Prioritize on-the-go. If the task is non-emergency and not on your to-do list, make a note and return to it later. Learn to say no - or at least not right now. If it can wait, make it wait. LET WORKERS DETERMINE THEIR WORKSPACE Never overlook the importance of the physical work environment. Whether your office is open space, cubicled, or a hybrid, what ultimately matters most is worker empowerment. WORKER-EMPOWERED OFFICES SCIENCE SHOWS WORKER- PROMOTE PERSONALIZED: EMPOWERED OFFICES ENHANCE: Work spaces Business Morale Office decor Productivity Well-Being Common areas * Once you've been given the keys to the office, consider these additional tips. PRODUCTIVITY INCREASERS Green, blue, and red colors Personal photos or pictures Ergonomic desk chair/standing desk Outdoor views Natural light odood oooo Plants Rounded Healthy snacks furniture FINALLY: TAKE A BREAK! Scheduled, disciplined breaks are different – and much more productive – than unscheduled interruptions and distractions. 13% 34% And if you can get A 30-second A 15-second break from staring at your away with it, a 40-minute nap mini-break can 50% increase computer reduces increases alertness productivity 13% fatigue by 50% by 34% BREAKS HELP US TO: NEWS Your workflow is ultimately just that – yours. Find what suits you, and stick with it until you discover something even better. FOR NOW, GET BACK TO WORK! TIME TO WORK brought to you by ONLINECOURSEREPORT.COM CITATIONS www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201204/why-meetings-kill-productivity hbr.org/2015/06/conquering-digital-distraction hbr.org/2010/05/how-and-why-to-stop-multitaski.html coschedule.com/blog/multitasking-and-productivity/ hbr.org/2014/08/schedule-a-15-minute-break-before-you-burn-out/ www.cbsnews.com/news/study-3-second-distractions-double-workplace-errors/ www.businessinsider.com/design-tricks-for-a-highly-productive-workspace-2015-6 99u.com/articles/17437/the-perfect-workspace-according-to-science adobe99u.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/2010+jep+space+experiments.pdf www.lifehack.org/articles/work/the-importance-breaks-work.html Reduce boredom Retain information Re-evaluate goals Improve self-control Generate new ideas Re-energize