Tips for Productivity and Happiness at Work

1 Write stuff down.

The first and most important means to getting things done at work is to keep a to-do list and update it daily, if not hourly.

2 Spend less time reading e-mail and blogs.

A piled up e-mail that you may need to read daily can be time consuming. Except for those that need urgent attention and will improve enterprise productivity and profitability, some personal mails can be reserved for weekends and considered at a more relaxed mood. Same goes for blogging.

3 Work disconnected.

Take time out to ease up at liquid shop where you can also feed your brain with breakfast/lunch or some kind of snack. Some cups of coffee can perform the magic. There you can be more relaxed writing out approaches to tasks execution.

4 Listen to music while you work.

Some noise-cancelling headphones and your favorite music can do wonders for your productivity. Of course, ear buds work just as well – whatever makes the music sound good. Good music can really help you “get into the groove” of what you’re working on, regardless of whether it’s writing or coding.

5 Work longer hours on Monday and Tuesday.

This especially applies if you’re a contractor. Working longer on Monday can get you an early-departure on Friday. Furthermore, by staying late early in the week, you’ll get your productivity ball-rolling early.

6 Avoid meetings at all costs.

Find a way to walk out of meetings that are unproductive, don’t concern you, or spiral into two co-workers bitching at each other. While meetings in general are a waste of time, some are worse than others. Establish your policy of walking out early on and folks will respect you have stuff to do. Of course, if you aren’t a noticeably productive individual, walking out of a meeting can be perceived as simply “not a team player”, which isn’t a good idea.

7 Sleep.

While working late nights can be productive in the short term, doing it consecutively will burn you out quickly. Getting a good night’s sleep can often lead to greater productivity because you’re refreshed and ready to go.