Seven Tips for Increasing Workplace Efficiency

• Forget about “Multi-Tasking” Multi-Tasking is a Myth. There are very few people out there who can honestly “multi-task” efficiently. The problem with the idea of multi-tasking is that you are constantly starting and stopping and having to re-start tasks. Every time you switch from one task to another you are wasting time.
• Prioritize: Instead of “multi-tasking” try prioritizing your task list. Sit down at the beginning of each day and write down all the things you need to get done. Then determine which task requires the most urgent attention.
• First Things First! Take care of your most important tasks first thing in the morning when you get to work. This is when you have the most energy, focus and attention. Save you more menial tasks for the second half of the day, after lunch.

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• Cell Phones: Cellular telephones are a fantastic piece of technology and can greatly increase productivity – when they are used appropriately. On the flip-side they can cripple workplace efficiency if they are abused or misused. The problem with cell phones is that they are so immediate. If you have a problem, you can pick up the phone and call someone right away to fix it. Great, right? But what if the problem isn’t really a problem? What if, after you call someone to fix whatever it is that is broken, you re-examine the item and discover that it isn’t broken at all? Wheels have been set in motion before the problem has been properly diagnosed. I see this happen with alarming frequency.

There is also the issue of “ping-ponging” phone calls. Calls are placed before all the information is organized, and as a result, several telephone calls are made when a single, though out phone call would have sufficed.

Every one of these phone calls is an interruption. The person on the other end of the line has to stop what they are doing, then re-start that task once the phone call is over.

When making any phone call first spend a few minutes organizing the details of the phone call so that you can make as few contacts as possible in order to get the necessary information.

• E-mails: A lot of the same issues apply to e-mail. If the information isn’t organized and presented properly you can spend all day sending e-mails back and forth to in order to clarify a point. Also, on occasion a single phone call can take the place of a days worth of e-mails because you can ask a question and get an answer immediately, instead of waiting for the person on the other computer to reply back to your e-mail.

Where e-mail is very effective is in a situation where you want to keep track of detailed information. Also e-mail is a great way to keep a record of your communication.

Keep in mind that tone does not always translate in e-mails. Sarcasm and humor are easily misinterpreted. Keep e-mails brief and to the point whenever possible. If you are going to insert humor or emotion into your e-mails consider using “emoticons” in order to more accurately convey the mood and tone of the e-mail.

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• Organization: Keeping accurate files and an organized workspace is crucial to maintaining efficiency. This applies to files on the computer as well! Your computer’s files should be organized just like a traditional filing cabinet – with folders and sub-folders. Only the items you are working on at the time should be on your computer’s desktop. Files should be named or dated in an orderly, consistent manner so that you can find what you are looking for quickly.
• Planning: Make a point of organizing your time. At the end of each day think about what you want to accomplish the following day and make a list accordingly. Then in the morning review that list and prioritize accordingly. At the end of each week do the same thing. Make a list of all the tasks you want to accomplish the following week. On Monday morning review this list and prioritize accordingly.

Final Thoughts: Maintaining focus and finishing tasks is a fundamental key to establishing and maintaining workplace efficiency.