Do you look forward to going to work in the mornings? Are you happy with your workplace environment? If you want more out of your work, here are a few ways that YOU could make your business a fun place to be!
- Don’t allow the culture of “busyness” to become a good thing. Our culture loves to be busy. The busier you are the better you are at your job, right? Wrong. Being “too busy” is never a good thing. When you are busy, you can’t give 100% to anything you do. You most likely give 70% to everything and leave work at the end of the day feeling exhausted and unaccomplished. Have you ever given 70% to something just to get it done and then had to turn right back around and redo it because it wasn’t right? We all have. Although it can seem the most efficient thing at the time, not giving 100% to your task at hand can add more stress and more work in the long run. Slow down and accomplish what you can to the best of your ability.
If this sounds impossible, you might need to have a talk with your boss about your work load. If you can’t give 100% to anything that you do, you aren’t benefiting yourself or the company. See if some of your responsibilities can be passed on to someone else or if it is time to hire someone to help.
“Focus on being productive instead of busy.” – Timothy Ferriss
- Have a to-do list and actually intend to complete it. If you are overwhelmed with the amount of work you have on your plate, simply write those things down in order of priority. By doing this, you can visually see what needs to get done and have a strategic plan to accomplish those things. When you have multiple things to get done in one day, you can spend an ample about of time worrying about how you are going to get all of it done rather than actually getting it done. As you move down your list, mark off the things you have completed so that you can see the progress you are making. This simple tactic can instantly remove stress and allow you to be more productive.
- Ask your boss about areas you could improve in. This can be an awkward conversation at first, but you will be glad you did it. Often times, your boss will tolerate things you are doing because they don’t want to lose you. But if you open the door to constructive criticism, it won’t only improve your productivity, but it will also improve your work relationship with your boss. This is turn leads to a happier and more productive workplace.
- Keep your workspace organized. For some people, this sounds like the most impossible step. For others, they think they work better when their desk doesn’t look perfect. Although being organized is harder for some than others, it will benefit you in so many ways. Being aware of where things are allows you to spend your time being productive rather than constantly searching for things. You can begin training yourself to be organized by agreeing to clean up your desk every evening before you leave. You will be glad you did when you come in the next morning to a fresh start to the day.
“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin
- Take responsibly for your role in the workplace. Being a team player is huge when it comes to having a productive workplace. When everyone feels like each person is doing their part, it motivates everyone to work harder. Holding each other accountable and knowing that you can count on each other to get things done on time benefits the company and in turn, benefits you.
Being a valuable employee is important because it allows you to feel like you are making a difference. Everyone wants to know that their role in the workplace matters. You can begin to improve your workplace environment by applying these principles one step at a time!
