Focus Points: 7 Foolproof tips to be more productive at work

1. THE DISAPPROVAL CAN DRIVE YOU

Pleasing others should not be an obligation. If you find yourself being too ambitious or too hardworking, that’s great. If you know you’re going in the right direction and you are capable of doing what it takes to please the big boss, ignore all the mockery and criticism from others. Negativity from your colleagues should not affect you – don’t let it reduce your productivity, but use it to drive your motivation instead.

2. FEAR IS PART OF THE PROCESS

Take the example of stage performers. Most admit to being absolutely terrified before going on stage in front of a large audience. They panic, but they eventually realise that this stress is a necessary step in the work that they do, and so, over time they are able to transform this into “positive” stress. It is normal to be afraid when we are given goals to achieve. The most productive people are more courageous than others – they just happen to use their stress as an asset, making it a tool that forces them to push through the day.

3. STRIVE TO DO YOUR BEST EVEN IN THE WORST MOMENTS

Being stuck in a mindset of procrastination is something we are all familiar with – there are days when you just don’t feel the motivation to do anything. Whether this is due to personal problems or a low morale, it should not be an excuse to put things off or to underachieve. We need to turn the mantra of “I should always strive to do my best” into a habit, even when the going gets tough.

4. CREATIVITY COMES FROM EFFORT

Most people expect to be struck with ideas out of the blue – they think creativity is something that comes on its own. Waiting for an idea to hit you can be a waste of time. While it can sometimes happen, good ideas usually come through a session of reflection, research and work.

5. ASKING FOR HELP IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS, NOT A WEAKNESS

It’s time to put aside your ego and embrace the help that people are willing to give. Imagine this: you are travelling in a country where you do not know the language. If you get lost, you will inevitably ask for help. This is exactly the same in the office. Nobody wants you to be constantly in the dark about something. Productive people are aware that the ability to ask for help is a strength, and it will help you achieve your objectives much faster than if you were floundering around for some enlightenment.

6. ACTUALLY MAKING A START IS VERY IMPORTANT…

Sometimes we lack motivation and self-discipline. We can be distracted, or be so afraid of failure that we don’t even want to make a start. It is easy to fall into the procrastination phase – but you have to realise: this will make you lose a lot of time.

It is usually the case that when we finally get around to doing the project or task, we get to the end of it and think: “Oh, I imagined it was going to be much harder”, or “I do not understand why I made a mountain out of such a molehill – I finished that faster than I thought”. The most productive people will not think so much about the problem but rather about the satisfaction they will feel once the task done.

7. … BUT FINISHING IS PARAMOUNT

In fact, people who are most successful in life always finish what they start. Whatever the difficulties, the obstacles and the effort involved, it is paramount to look beyond and see those end-game results. The key to being productive is to never give up!

Leila Chik

Photo: Getty Images

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