Want to Boost Productivity? Cut Down on Email

Building workplace productivity is essential to any organization’s success, but many business leaders hinder their team’s productivity by failing to give them the tools they need to succeed. David Karandish, CEO of CapacityOpens a new window , breaks down four proven ways to boost your team’s productivity so they can make the most of their workday. 

One of the biggest fears in shifting to widespread remote work earlier this year was the impact on productivity for business leaders. The good news is that work-from-home mandates had little effect on employee productivity and, in some cases, even improvedOpens a new window it. 

On the other hand, having poor processes in place can lead to a decline in your team’s productivity. A recent survey administered by Capacity revealed that 15.5% of people believe a lack of time management prevents them from having a productive day.

While there isn’t an end-all-be-all solution for improving productivity for every team member, there are a few ways to help your team maximize their productivity and feel better about the work they’ve done. 

1. Streamline Your Workflow

While we like to believe we’re capable of multitasking, the truth is we’re notOpens a new window . What we consider “multitasking” is simply switching between different tasks at a faster than normal rate. However, the constant back and forth tied to “multitasking” actually hinders our productivity. 

It takes us longer to complete each task when our brains are constantly toggling between multiple tasks. Many tasks, like assigning or approving a project, are simple. They don’t require much time, but trying to do them all at once creates chaos in our workflow. 

Luckily, technology can help us streamline our process to focus on one thing at a time. Workplace tools with the power of automation offer seamless ways for teams to do their best work without disrupting their workflow. By removing the tedious tasks from your plate, automation technology helps you make the most valuable work time. 

Learn More: How to Ace Your Remote Meetings With Videos

2. Use the Pomodoro Technique

Known as a proven time management tactic, the Pomodoro Technique focuses on working in short-yet-productive intervals throughout the day. This method is a great work style for people with a schedule full of meetings or multiple “interruptions” to their workflow.

With the Pomodoro Technique, you separate your workload into 25-minute increments of “focus time” followed by a five-minute “reward” after completing each time block. You would complete four of those 30-minute increments before rewarding yourself with an even longer break of 15 minutes in an ideal scenario. When done correctly, the Pomodoro Technique is effective because it instills a sense of urgency into your day. This slight adjustment can help you save more time and be more productive.

3. Provide a Meeting Agenda and Stick To It

While meetings are scheduled with an end-goal in mind, we’ve all been in one that has gone way off course. Falling down a rabbit hole can significantly eat away at your precious time. Pretty soon, that 30-minute meeting turns into 45 minutes or an hour. To ensure everyone is prepared for the conversation and avoid unexpected tangents, always come prepared with a meeting agenda. 

For the sake of everyone’s time, it is important to keep a meeting on track. When you deliver a meeting agenda ahead of time, attendees have full visibility into the conversation’s expectations. Along with minimizing the risk of interruption, this helps them come prepared and focused on the discussion items that need to be covered.

Learn More: How to Leverage Communication for Business Continuity in a Crisis

4. Set Aside Time for Email

Continuously checking your email (a habit so many of us are guilty of) can be a serious time-suck if you don’t set some boundaries. There will always be an email to open between external and internal communication, a multitude of notifications, newsletters, and more. It’s important to remember that not everything needs your immediate attention. 

Instead of sporadically jumping into your inbox, set aside time specifically for it. Whether that be the first thing in the morning, after your lunch break, or even before you head out for the day, limiting your exposure to email can help you be more productive. Without your inbox top of mind, you won’t be tempted to check new messages every time you get a notification. When you schedule a time to check your email, you can prioritize the messages that need your attention first. 

Now, more than ever, professionals have to maintain focus and get more done as we continue to cope with distributed work and shifting schedules. While this year has been stressful, it also poses the perfect opportunity to recreate the way we do our jobs. The workplace is rapidly evolving, which means we have to evolve along with it as professionals. Fortunately, with the right tools and practices in place, we can overcome challenges in the new way we work to make the most of our time.

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