No matter how much you spend on marketing, or how great your customer service is, if your productivity is suffering, so will your bottom line. Here are five things you can do to help yourself stay focused and productive.
Hunger, noise, temperature,
surroundings, energy level and overall health.
All of these impact how well you
function, your productivity and the quality of your work. It doesn't matter
what your business plan or marketing strategy is, the one thing that will make
or break your bottom line is your productivity. Because of this I spend as much
time with my clients talking about these things as I do about their business.
Unless these fundamentals are in place and working FOR you and not against you
nothing else you do is going to work. There are many things that you can do to
help set yourself up for success.
I'm going to share the five
strategies I use most often to make sure that my focus and productivity stay
where I want them to be.
Lower the volume!
Noise can come from many sources.
Phones ringing, television or radio playing in the background, people talking
around you, windows open and outdoor noises coming in. I know that sometimes
the noise can help you. Sometimes you may like music playing while you work,
sometimes you may enjoy the idle chatter of people around you. However, it's
important to recognize when the noise is a distraction.
Creature comforts.
Fresh air, a clean space,
comfortable clothing, a supportive chair, a cup of tea, light. There is nothing
worse than trying to focus on a project when you're thinking about your aching
feet or hurting back. You need to be comfortable to be productive. I always
have a cup of herbal tea or bottle of water on hand. I wear cozy slippers in
the evenings and open my windows as often as possible.
Wake up!
I'm not talking about caffeine here, and yes you
should get the sleep you need. What I'm talking about is knowing how you
function and when you are naturally more alert. Work on more difficult things
during those times of day. I'm a morning person.
Feel good.
I am not a nutritionist or an
exercise guru. What I do know is that when I eat well and exercise regularly, I
feel better. When I feel better I can focus on the work I am doing easier and
this has a direct impact on the revenue I bring in. The other thing that
exercise does for me... since I usually work out at a gym, I see and interact
with people regularly and get out from behind my computer!
Check out your view.
In part this is about cleaning up
your space and getting rid of the piles. If you have piles around you there's
no way you can be fully present with the work you are doing. However, there's
more to it than that. Ideally you want to work somewhere where there's a window
and natural light. Put up a picture or two that make you smile. Bring in fresh
flowers or a plant. The important thing to do is to give yourself a place to
look that will recharge you and make you smile when you look up from your work.
What are some of your strategies for setting yourself up for success?
There is always something you can do
to help minimize the distractions around you. It's up to you to decide if what
you're getting from the distraction is worth it.
Sweat a little Be better!
Africa's finest
Brian Pade
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