Productivity – A measure of the efficiency of a person, machine, factory, system, etc., in converting inputs into useful outputs.
Productivity is computed by dividing average output per period by the total costs incurred or resources (capital, energy, material, personnel) consumed in that period. Productivity is a critical determinant of cost efficiency.
How many times at the end of the day have you ask yourself: Did I actually get anything meaningful done? And your answer is no… it means you’re wasting the biggest asset you have: TIME.
Fitness is an enjoyable industry with an aim to feel & move better and enhance peoples lifestyles – this is usually accomplished in fitness facilities: The Project. We often work with investors and upcoming fitness business owners who share their amazing visions, plans, ideas and desires. Most of them have something in common: ideas remain ideas because of lack of execution. We as consultants manage those ideas and make them reality, yet we need focused and engaged clients.
Think about it, when was the last time you focused on a task working straight for about 1-2 hours without interruption? Probably that night when you were rushing to finish a deliverable because the deadline was meant to be the next day. I don’t blame you, all of us are victims of distractors, mainly the technology and constant online mode. This constant connectivity is exceeding the human intellectual boundaries, at levels where you get overloaded with unused information difficult to process, absorb or retain.
Years ago the trend dictated us, you should be capable of “multitasking” as a desired soft skill in your CV, however new studies prove when you switch from task one to task two your attention doesn’t follow at that speed, some part on your mind remains focused on the original task and additionally you will get distracted by other thoughts that suddenly show up like a carnival parade in front of your eyes.
We recommend to our clients strategies to keep their productivity high and so save time towards a timely project opening / scope of work completion. To get the job done it is not necessary to spend endless shifts in front of a computer, but hours of proper focus in a specific task – offline with yourself. These are a few suggestions to improve productivity:
- Prepare yourself to do the most “project valuable task” first thing in the morning. Ask yourself what your focus must be to have the maxim impact on moving your project forward. This will avoid procrastination and you will feel better during the rest of the day – and in the evening you feel accomplished.
- Understand when your best productivity time is during the day. All of us are different, and even there’s a recommendation to join the 5am club, some of you will never feel comfortable at early morning’s. Find the time that works for you.
- Avoid during this chosen time block, any sort of technology distractors: no WhatsApp, no phone calls, no e-mails, no open tabs, no Social Media. In case of doing research, don’t get caught following ads or navigating in YouTube.
- Find a place where you can feel comfortable on your own getting the job done. You can also communicate to your colleagues that you’re not available until a certain hour, and block that space in your calendar for yourself.
- Remember “The way to get things done is to stimulate competition” think about your competitors, how successful they are, and how much you want to be better than them.
- Take account of your time vs. task accomplished and challenge yourself to get better.
The above sounds simple, yet in a world of constant connection it will take self discipline to stay productive and not just busy. Together we will achieve what we have set out to do.
acta non verba
Loreana Acosta – Project Director YP Business Consulting