Boosting Productivity: Practical Ways to Beat Workplace Laziness

We have to admit that even the most passionate employees can still lose motivation every now and then. After all, aside from the energy they have to use at work, they also spend energy getting up early in the morning and on other activities throughout the day until night. Naturally, demotivated employees affect your team’s productivity. As an employer, you’ll have to find ways to keep your employees motivated and productive. As an employee, here are some of the things you can do to get out of a slump:

1. Start With a Clear To-Do List

Knowing where to go and how to get there is more important than most people think. It sounds like common sense, but it applies even when you have to do many things in a day. There’s a huge difference when you know what to do first, next, and last than when you work on your tasks without a plan. You’ll feel overwhelmed and directionless – and you’ll end up spending more time trying to figure out what you have to do and what you have already done. 

On the other hand, if you have already plotted or broken down your tasks throughout the day, you’ll find yourself more productive because you know what to do next as soon as you finish your previous tasks, and you’ll get a sense of motivation from your accomplishments.

2. Use the Two-Minute Rule

There’s a book with the title “Getting Things Done” written by David Allen that popularized a simple rule. It’s called the “2-minute rule”. The rule is simple, but it makes a huge impact on your productivity when done regularly. The principle is that if you need less than two minutes to complete a task, do it right away. Doing so keeps procrastination away.

3. Eliminate Distractions

Avoid distractions as much as you can. It’s not just about unnecessary chatting, gadget use, or a noisy environment. There are times when the use of those is unavoidable, and there are workplaces that can be noisy, like call centers. Well, we can only do what we can do, right? Fortunately, there are now free productivity tools online that you can download or install on your browser, like Pomodoro. For those who are allowed to use headphones in the office to listen to music, there are playlists like Lofi, Nature Noises, or Instrumental music that can help you drown out the noise and concentrate on your work better while getting your brain stimulated.

4. Take Regular Breaks

Too much of anything is never good – it’s the same for work. Our brain needs to have a break, too. One of the most popular productivity tools helps remind you of that. A Pomodoro tool uses the Pomodoro Technique. Just like Francesco Cirillo’s tomato timer, a Pomodoro app reminds you to break down your work in intervals of 25 minutes with 5-minute breaks in between. It helps in keeping your mind from burning out.

5. Stay Healthy!

Try stretching on your seat to improve your blood flow to avoid muscle pain, and reset your focus. Better yet, take a short walk at regular intervals or do some small exercises during your breaks. Sitting for too long in front of your computer not only damages your eyes and gives you a poor posture but also drains you mentally.

Physical activity, even in small bursts, can significantly improve your energy levels. Try stretching, taking a short walk, or doing a few light exercises during breaks. Movement increases blood flow to the brain and helps reset your focus. Also, keeping yourself healthy even outside your working hours affects your performance during working hours. Make sure to sleep enough and don’t skip meals.

6. Do Your Best To Appreciate Your Work and Celebrate Your Accomplishments

It’s perfectly understandable that it’s not every day that we can find motivation in what we do or find meaning in it. However, we shouldn’t let ourselves get stuck in those heavy thoughts. When you think of how the things you do affect the bigger picture, motivation follows. So, as much as you can, think about how even the small things you do contribute to your team, and even your company’s image towards your clients and customers. Knowing that the things you do actually matter is a great cure for laziness.

Of course, as confirmation of your purpose and accomplishments. Spend time and effort in celebrating them. Proportion the reward to your accomplishments to avoid spoiling yourself – but don’t wait to celebrate. Finishing even the smallest milestones deserves a small prize to keep yourself motivated until you reach the finish line and get an even bigger reward. A reward can be as small as a warm cup of coffee and as big as finally upgrading your phone.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to consider yourself lazy just because you sometimes feel lazy at work. Laziness at work can mean that you’ve been encountering stressful situations, that you have burned out, and lost motivation and energy. Finding lasting motivation may be difficult, especially if your stressors go beyond your control. However, the reality is that, in these times, having a stable career counts as a blessing. So, we just have to do our best to find meaning in what we do, create a good work routine, and motivate ourselves.