Keeping up with daily work demands can be a challenge. Many managers are over-tasked, and so are their teams. This often creates an environment where working longer and harder is the norm.
However, pushing yourself and everyone else to the brink isn’t the most effective approach. By using management tactics that enhance productivity and battle overload simultaneously, you and your team can thrive in 2019. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are a few management tactics to explore today.
The Pomodoro Technique
Most people know a person can only focus for so long in a single sitting. The Pomodoro Technique acknowledges that fact and encourages professionals to break down their day into 25-minute periods, each with a break in between.
For the 25 minutes, you or your team member concentrate on a single task, giving it your full concentration by working without distractions. Then, when that time ends, you step away for five minutes, creating a period of relaxation. After four intervals, a longer break is used, promoting rejuvenation.
The approach of eliminating distractions and concentrating for short intervals can enhance productivity, ensuring progress is made without the work becoming overwhelming.
The COPE Technique
The Clear-Organized-Productive-Efficient (COPE) technique involves thoroughly analyzing your day to identify the root cause of why you seem to run out of time during the workday. You begin by logging all of your activities, including timewasters, and eliminating anything that doesn’t help you remain productive.
Next, you make organization a priority, ensuring everything is in its proper place and that your tasks are suitably prioritized. You avoid multitasking at all costs, increasing productivity. Plus, you can improve efficiency by creating systems for common tasks, like email templates for everyday communications.
18 Minutes
This technique was developed to enhance focus, something that is critical for productivity. You spend five minutes each morning on considering what you need to accomplish for that day to deem it a success. Make sure you are realistic but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself a bit.
Then, every hour, you take one minute to take a deep breath and consider whether your last hour was productive. This allows you to review your day in manageable chunks and identify any missteps you need to correct quickly.
Finally, in the evening, you do a quick review of how the day actually went. Consider your results as well as lessons learned, then use that information to help form your goals when you prepare for your upcoming day the next morning.
Ultimately, all three of these tactics can be incredibly beneficial, and not just to managers. Share the concepts with your team and encourage them to try those that speak to them. Make sure you give them enough space to experiment, as you will likely find productivity and efficiency rise when they have a chance to learn and grow using these techniques.
If you would like to learn more about the management tactics above, the staff at CPS Recruitment can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our management expertise can benefit you.