Technology can become our greatest ally or adversary. The way employers utilize it greatly impacts productivity. Yet, the modern workplace is brimming with distractions that hinder concentration. ACM’s Neurotics Can’t Focus study discovered that multitasking harms focus levels, which typically last a mere 40 seconds. Assist your team in maintaining focus by emphasizing the importance of single-tasking—engaging in one activity at a time, free from distractions.
Although this may seem uncomplicated, it can prove challenging given the countless stimuli vying for our attention. How to boost productivity at work? The key is to find technologies that will reduce your workload and help you schedule tasks. Now, let us explore how technology can be harnessed to enhance workplace productivity and bolster employee focus.
Technology Tips For Workplace Efficiency
1 Plan Your Day Publicly
Each morning, share a list of the tasks you plan to work on that day in your open communication platform. Ensure that all stakeholders have access to the list, and briefly discuss it with your team members. When we can view each other’s projects, it becomes simpler to offer assistance and predict potential obstacles. In the long run, sharing fosters trust and cultivates a culture of strong teamwork.
2 Optimize Your Devices
Gradually, all devices begin to work slower and this is inevitable. An iPhone out of the box always works faster than a device after a year of use. You won’t be able to provide the same level of performance, but you can speed up your smartphone using a phone cleaner. If you run the cleaner app for iPhone, you can quickly get rid of temporary, outdated, and duplicate data. If you need a reference to a good application in this category, then let CleanUp be it. Also allows you to use secure storage on your device and compress videos to save space.
3 Messaging
Companies should prioritize fast and reliable messaging solutions, ensuring that all employees have prompt access to work channels at all times. According to The Wireless Industry Data by CTIA, 89% of people have their smartphones within reach. Instant voice recording or chatting is a practical option, compatible with most devices and smartphones. It also allows for customizable alerts, ensuring that workers are not stressed during their leisure time.
Some readily available apps that can be used include Slack, HipChat, Basecamp, DialMyCalls, RedBooth, Wrike, Skype, FlowDock, and Azendoo. Let’s stay connected and enhance our productivity!
4 Collaborate in the Clouds
Cloud technology simplifies the process for employees to upload documents and work-related files to a shared drive, promoting collaboration and easy communication among team members. No longer is there a need to exchange numerous emails to share files. The streamlined collaboration process enhances productivity at all levels of the company.
Managers can now better track and plan their departments, ensuring the timely completion of tasks. Employees can witness the results of their performance in group work, which serves as motivation to stay focused and engaged. Additionally, cloud computing offers flexibility to employees, allowing them to work remotely or while traveling, while maintaining a high level of performance.
5 Streamline Logins
To make the process more efficient and reduce frustration, many companies now adopt single sign-on solutions for their employees. With a single set of credentials, employees can conveniently access multiple systems throughout the day. These solutions also provide additional security features, including multifactor authentication, to ensure the protection of company data. Don’t worry, this technological advancement makes work easier and safer for everyone involved.
Also read: How To Choose the Best Technology Expense Management Software for Your Needs
6 Disable Pop-Up Notifications
To prevent pop-up notifications, emails and messages should be disabled. I receive numerous emails and messages daily, and my curious nature can’t resist the urge to see the full content when only a teaser is shown. However, switching from one context to another is detrimental. Instead of enabling pop-ups, I prefer to check my messages during breaks between tasks, allowing me to maintain focus on what I’m doing.
7 Leverage The Pomodoro Technique
I prefer using the Pomodoro technique as my go-to productivity strategy. I work for 25 uninterrupted minutes, ensuring that I close my email, shut down Slack or Teams, and put my phone on silent. After that, I take a well-deserved five-minute break. I repeat this pattern for as long as I can allocate time. It’s incredible how much I can accomplish when I maintain focus! Give TomatoTimer a try—it’s a convenient online tool for tracking your time.
8 Set Priorities
The key to success is defining your priorities. Sit down before each week to identify the three to five things (work and personal combined) that will give you a sense of accomplishment if completed. They can be big or small. Then, every morning, limit it to two things before starting your day. You’ll be amazed at the sense of achievement you can experience.
Conclusion
Human productivity does not depend on technology, but on the hands in which it ends up. If you optimize your workday and use workflow management tools, you can achieve much more than without them. However the specific software stack will depend on your type of activity and will have to be developed gradually.
