In the average work-a-day world of the digital age, it's not uncommon for us to be scrambling for ways of increasing productivity. Our lives seem to get busier and busier, and thanks to technology and the ever-present Internet, distraction is everywhere. That said, increasing productivity isn't as complicated as we think. It does take a measure of discipline, though.
Here at the GDCF, we've found that focused personal systems work. They can help a small group of people do the work of a team much larger than they are. And we're not talking about anything complicated here. We're talking about simple and organized approaches focusing on prioritization, accountability, mutual support, and above all, patience. With ourselves, and with each other. A person can—and should—only do so much in one day.
Yet still, some of us out there continue relentlessly chomping at the bit to succeed at increasing productivity. This is not to say that wanting to do so is a bad thing. In fact, it's admirable. But there must be a balance.
There are ways of increasing productivity that don't have to push us to the point of exhaustion—or worse, to the point of resenting where we are in life.
We recently found an infographic published by Wrike called 50 Productivity Tips to Boost Your Brainpower. It's easy for many of us to equate increasing productivity with longer hours, fewer breaks, and putting our own "selfish" needs on the back burner. However, productivity is not about working harder. It's about working smarter.
It's also about increasing brain function by having fun and relaxing from time to time. This is supported in an article from Inc.com that focuses on 5 ways to work smarter that are backed by science. One of these practices, oddly enough, is the formerly taboo indulgence of—that's right—actually taking breaks.
So if you're looking for ways of increasing productivity no matter what industry you're in, you've come to the right place. Thanks to Emily, you've now got 50 of them.
