What is the key to productivity?

[Camile.Bidan]

How do you stay productive at work? Are there some tried and true methods?

As i have worked throughout my life, I have usually received 4 or 5 (out of 5 ) review ratings, and I seem to be 5x to 8x times productive than my peers. I don't really know because I assessing myself, but I usually get good comments about my efficiency, and work quality. However, I always feel that there is something more I can. My team and I came in under budget FY13, i and really feel it has a lot to do with the effeciency of myself and my boss ( she is a shiny example of efficiency). I feel, however, that there is always room for improvement. Are there any tips that you guys have?

Some of my habbits:

-Memorize all keyboard shortcuts for highly used software functions, and i mean all. Name something, and I probably know the shortcut.

-I never surf the web at work. (I am taking shyt right now while using my phone).


-I can stay focused for hours on end. ( In my field i can easily work 15-17 hours a day)
-no coffee (it gives me a cloudy head)

-left hand mouse. I have cut a lot of time with this somehow. I read about it on a blog.

-if it takes more 5 minutes for me to figure something out, I ask for help.


Things I could work on:
-taking a shyt a work... i spend way too much time taking a crap.

-lunch, maybe I could work during lunch more often?

-switch keyboards? I currently use a Cherry mx brown switch keyboard ( which has increase my wpm dramatically) I have heard that faster speeds are possible with Cherry mx red?

 

[jdubnyce]

not coming on thecoli during work hours

I swear that NY lost thread had me about 4 hours behind on stuff

 

[DEAD7]

Incentive.

 

[Vandelay]

I have a small sticky pad that has 15 lines on it. I write 15 objectives on it work and personal things I need to get done today and the immediate future. I make it imperative that I complete atleast 5 a day in order of importance and deadline. Rinse and repeat the following day.

I rarely answer every email...if it's important enough I already know about it before the email, or I will see it again if its that important.

I limit myself to working 9 maybe 9 1/2 hours a day. It forces me to find a way to complete my work. That extra hour or hour and a half I work before everyone gets to work or after everyone else has left so I can be relatively undisturbed.

It's a work in progress because I'm not the most structured person and I get bored easily.

 

[Kritic]

not coming on thecoli during work hours

I swear that NY lost thread had me about 4 hours behind on stuff

while coli keeps one updated, it's a distraction just like facebook. at least with facebook you dont' really have to respond cause of your friend's list but coli anonymity sucks you in. i purposely kept away from this site for 2-3 yrs and accomplished so much. started a business etc.. but lately i can't even run it well cause of distraction by coli. when i reduce coli posting i do numbers.

 

[NZA]

i use a cherry mx red kb (cooler master quickfire with a lot of custom keys). extremely fast. i got it for gaming and had to train myself to not lazily drag my fingers because it registers subtle pressure. it's like having a bunch of sanwa buttons. red is for speed, but brown is for people that like more tactile feedback since they have some kind of bump that you hit on the way down

i think the capacity one has for efficiency will depend on how much they like/dislike what they are doing, and what they will be compensated for having done it. all efficiency improving techniques will have to work within the range set by these factors. people who try hard and cant get any more efficient either need a new job or a raise

also, some people look at a large list of "to do" stuff and get de-motivated. if that's you, break it up into smaller chunks and simply do not look at the other groups until you are done with the current group

 

[Bomberman]

One of the best ways is to get into the habit of doing what you don't want to do the most, or at least the most daunting task which has the most consequences if not done and biggest reward if completed the first thing in the morning. That way you can go into the rest of the day knowing that your day gets better. It also breaks the habit of procrastinating if you practice it enough.