120+ Ideas About How to Be Productive at Work

Do you often scratch your head and wonder about ways how to increase your and your team’s productivity at work, so that you can all be more productive and healthier?

ManagerUp helps managers, executives and entrepreneurs reach maximum productivity and energy level to be successful in their business lives without sacrificing their health and private life.

We have done massive research to offer you a list of surprisingly easy productivity tips that you can implement and share with your colleagues at work. Below are 120+ effective tips and ideas about how to be productive in the office, during business meetings, and while traveling.

Some of us are unaware of the fact that to be more productive, we need to take a 360^o approach to our well-being. Indeed, our cognitive function will never be at its best if we fail to pay attention to other issues that usually haunt us in the course of our work lives, for instance, stress, mental fatigue, and exhaustion.

In other words, how long you sleep, how energetic you are during the day, and how well you manage stress usually influence work productivity. With these tips, you’ll be able to do more every day while staying healthy in your workplace. You will also improve your overall wellbeing.

In summary, these ideas will help you:

– Reduce any lingering stress and anxiety

– Remain energetic throughout the day

– Sleep better

– Eat healthier

– Create time for essentials like exercise

– Boost your confidence in and out of the office

Let’s dive right in and make the first step towards improving your productivity.

General Tips to Increase Your Productivity at the Office

1. Use A Standing Desk To Increase Productivity

Our roles usually involve a lot of sitting which, as we all know, could be detrimental to your health.

And we often wonder how to escape the threat of chronic health problems that could result from too much sitting in our offices.

Now, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel.

According to one study by the prestigious University of Pittsburgh, a standing desk can help increase your energy expenditure ( and by extension grow your productivity at work).

The Journal of Physical Health and Activity has further supported this theory. It suggests that standing desks reduces shoulder and backache.

That being so, could it be time for you to seriously consider investing in an ideal standing desk?

Start Using a Standing Desk and Amp Your Productivity at Work

2. Keep Your Door Shut While Embarking On Important Tasks

If you really want to focus on your tasks 100%, you have no shortcut but turning off all potential disturbances.

This could mean that you keep your door closed when working on the most mind-taxing assignments.

Or do you want to be interrupted by a colleague when trying to crunch the numbers in the spreadsheet you have just received?

Sure, your company could be running the open door policy, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t temporarily lock yourself up if it makes a difference.

Take it from us…it works like a charm!

3. Pick A Specific Location To Focus

As you might be aware, we are creatures of habit and you can take advantage of this to boost your personal production.

Instead of being all over the place, identify a spot/room where you feel wonderful working from.

Maybe you concentrate maximumly when in a quiet office.

Or, if you’re like me, in the light bustle of your neighborhood coffee shop.

It could even be you brim with energy while working from the midst of a conference room.

Or perhaps you’re at your most creative while at home.

Identify this place and move there every time you have some exacting piece of business to take on.

In short, the answer to your productivity issues could be location!

To better understand this, check out our article on how to train your brain to focus at work.

4. Cut Down the Distractions By Listening To Relaxing Music

If you work in a highly distracting environment, music could be the medicine that the doctor prescribed to increase productivity.

Try to listen to your favorite serene and relaxing tunes (use headphones to avoid distracting coworkers).

A relaxed mind is optimally focused and will help you be more prolific and finish tasks earlier (creating leisure hours in the process)

Read more on how you can use music to enhance your job performance and ‘workstyle’.

Learn How To Be Productive by Listening To the Right Music

5. Use Glasses Instead of Contact Lenses at Work

 Most of us use contact lenses while using the computer.

Yet, they typically make your eyes uncomfortable and dry especially if you spend more hours looking at the computer screen.

This dryness can distract us and hurt our productivity during important meetings or presentations.

Glasses prevent such eye discomforts and in the process, revitalize your vision.

This makes them a cool accessory to have for executives today and yet another answer to the question of how to be productive.

Learn More Useful Tips To Protect Your Eyes From Computer

6. Use Computer Glasses To Combat Digital Eye Strain

 You have to jealously protect your eyes if you want to work for more hours strain-free.

And when it comes to combating damaging digital eye strain,  computer glasses are better equipped than regular glasses because of their built-in eye safety properties.

They do a whole lot more and might even help you sleep better.

On that account, computer glasses for managers can potentially lift your productivity to record levels.

Say Goodbye To Eye Strain and Increase Your Productivity Today!

7. Follow The 20-20-20 Rule to Protect Your Eyes

Studies have indicated that computer, tablets, and smartphone users usually blink less than people who spend less time on digital screens.

But blinking is crucial for your eye health since it moistens and soothes your eyes effectively averting dry eye symptoms that cause your eyes to feel gritty, sticky, and even painful.

We thus encourage you to try your best to implement the 20-20-20 rule.

This simply requires that you observe a 20-second break from your computer/device every 20 minutes to gaze at an object 20 feet away.

Make it a habit and see your productivity snowball naturally.

8. Keep Your Computer Screen at a Suitable Level for Your Height

 Your office computer is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it simplifies your work. But on the other hand, you might occasionally suffer neck/back pains and throbbing headaches.

This certainly hinders your productivity in your organization.

You have to take charge and cushion your neck and back from such suffering.

First, adjust your monitor’s height so that the top of your screen is at or just below your eye level. Your eyes should be looking slightly downward when viewing the middle of the screen.

Then, position your monitor no closer than 20” (51 cms) from your eyes (or at an arm’s length distance).

The University of Auckland contends that such actions also brighten your mood and raise your self-confidence.

You should also consider implementing additional tips to get rid of back and neck pains permanently.

Correct Your Seated Posture and Increase Productivity at Work!

9. Expose Yourself To Sunlight To Light up Your Productivity

Cornell University recently commissioned a study on the effect of daylight on worker’s productivity in office environments.

And the results were quite interesting…

Just to highlight a few of the findings, 78% of the participating employees reported feeling better after exposure to natural lighting.

Then, 70% had a much-improved work performance in the aftermath of light exposure.

Still there, some of the workers registered a 56% drop in drowsiness.

To put it briefly, sun exposure can lift your energy levels and mood. And from the above outcomes, it’s clear that light can also help to swell your productivity.

And so you need to take a dose of sunlight every day to increase productivity.

You may start by placing your desk near a window where you can directly access some sun.

10. Tweak Your Lighting Systems and Boost Your Output

Be aware that desk lamps can be extremely beneficial to your eyes as their light helps minimize strain as you work.

So, get a powerful desk lamp if you don’t have one.

Additionally, always dim the lights and increase your computer’s font size when reading on your screen to lessen your strain.

Still there, CVS experts have argued that significant eye strain arises because of harsh interior lighting.

You can hence, if possible,  request your seniors to have your office lighting softened.

Don’t forget to read our comprehensive guide on eye strain to get a clearer picture.

11. Become a Productivity Guru

 The best way of transforming your productivity is to make pursuing productivity excellence a passion.

Equally useful would be reading renowned productivity books regularly.

You can view our favorite selection of productivity books for managers.

Learn How To Do More in Less Time Today!

Install a Task Management System To Be More Productive and Less Stressed

Brian Tracy wrote that productive people are happy people. I would add that productive people are also less stressed. The way you manage your goals and daily to-do lists has a direct impact on your health. Executives who do not have the right task management system in place are not only less successful but also act under huge mental pressure in a hectic and chaotic way. This has direct implications for their own health and that of their co-workers.

In this section, we will propose how to manage your tasks. You will become the star of the office and more relaxed, calmer and happier than the other executives.

 

12. Set Yourself Big Motivational Goals

You can boost performance by setting well-defined major goals. These become the real motivators that help prioritize work tasks. Importantly, big goals help us mitigate stress and increase our overall happiness.

13. Visualize Next  Week With the “2-Hour Solution”

Do you have the feeling that your life is running you, that you don’t control your priorities? Are you frustrated and stressed out at the end of each week because you were not able to execute important tasks? There is an easy way to change all that and bring calmness and direction to your life. I am referring to Roger Seips’s Train Your Brain for Success with its 2-hour solution.

What does the method entail? Basically, you spend a designated two hours weekly to think of the following week’s activities. It is not normal scheduling. Instead, you break up the time into areas as follows:

– Green time: paid work

– Red time: that supports green time

– Flex time: free time to help keep your plans in place

– Re-creation time: for yourself, including hobbies, exercise, and rest

After a while, you’ll find that you don’t even need the full two hours to implement the 2-Hour Solution.

14. Set Realistic Goals (Follow the SMART Rule)

There is nothing as frustrating as not being able to achieve your goals. It often happens when the goals you set for yourself are too ambitious.

A word to the wise: set goals that are:

– Specific: this means that if your goals are designated, they are more likely to be completed. Vagueness brings about misunderstanding and a failure to launch. Always be precise and clear.

– Measurable: progress comes from measuring achievement. Analyze your efforts toward your goal and notice the tangible consequences. It is easier to succeed when you break down goals into measurable units.

– Attainable: don ‘t go for impossible goals. One failure breeds more. Know your own skills and the reality of what you can accomplish.

– Realistic: everyone becomes demotivated by failure. So be realistic about your goals and what is likely to accomplish in a given amount of time. Don’t fly too high and stay down on the earth.

– Timely: Allow a set time frame for each goal to help you stick to your scheduled deadline. There is nothing better for morale than completing tasks on time.

Working with SMART goals will bring the missing motivation back to your life and significantly reduce your stress level.

15. Learn To Delegate Some Tasks To Increase Productivity

We agree you must personally handle sensitive and strategic stuff.

But there are plenty of less critical tasks that eat away your minutes without really adding value to your role.

This is our advice: Identify such tasks and delegate.

You will move much faster, achieve your set business targets earlier, and generally become a benchmark when it comes to productivity at your workplace.

As a bonus, you’ll feel more relaxed, focused, and love your work even more.

16. Check Your Scheduled Goals and Mark the Accomplished Ones

While working toward goals, it helps to stay focused and committed. Confidence comes from completing them on time. Analyze what worked and measure your productivity. Quality is always better than quantity, or so they say. Measuring your achievements will show you how to improve.

Remember that what is not accomplished can be rescheduled.

17. Set Rewards into Your Schedule

Experts say that rewards help productivity by motivating us to achieve more. Putting regular rewards into your schedule will make you focus on reaching new goals, even those hard to attain. Let the reward motivate you so that extra effort becomes a habit.

Productivity is a major goal and it is sure to bring pride and happiness to those who enter its realm. Even if you are your own boss, you can reward yourself with something, such as a free afternoon. Maybe go to a movie or eat at your favorite restaurant.

18. Seek Clarifications About the Tasks Assigned

Have you ever completed a task and found out later that it was not what you were expected to do? It may have been due to the unclear goals or instructions.

No matter how long you have been at your job – ten years or ten minutes – confused goals are common. You must seek clarification when goals are unclear. Otherwise, you may be wasting time on the wrong task.

Each time, ask what Is the end goal of this task? Assess the big picture with your boss if necessary to avoid going down the wrong path. Ask him or her to clarify anything you don’t understand. “What do you mean” is a great way to get more information. Ask for an example or the focal point of request.

19. Prioritize Tasks

No goal can be reached if you don’t prioritize the tasks involved so you know what is most important to tackle first. Have a look at Stephen Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People in which he explains the meaning of “first things first.” One method of note is the Eisenhower Decision Matrix. Basically, each task is broken into four quadrants:

1. Important: those activities that lead to reaching professional or personal goals.

2. Urgent: those activities of utmost priority, often leading to another’s goals. They demand our attention first.

3. Neither.

4. Both.

You can more easily decide what to do with this method. You can always delegate what is not important but urgent.

Prioritizing is a well-known approach to any task to reach goals faster and more efficiently. It is the basis of time management.

20. Do 2-minute Tasks Immediately

Huge to-do lists are scary and stressful. The short ones are motivating. One of the best ways to reduce stress and be more productive is to shorten your to-do list. There are many ways to do it. One of them is to do some easy tasks immediately.

David Allen in his book, “Getting Things Done”, recommends to always apply the two-minutes rule. If any action items on your project list takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.

21.     Protect One Week Day in Your Schedule Just for Yourself.  No Meetings.

Time flies when our days are filled with meetings and diversions. Many people complain of a lack of productivity as a result.

To improve work output, it helps to follow a schedule and protect your time. You must allow for meeting-free off-time so you can concentrate on what is at hand.

22. Schedule Recurring Tasks That Can Be Executed Regularly Per Day or Week

The essence of an effective schedule is to set time each week for regular tasks. This rule has saved many from burn out.

On-going projects can get boring, but they must be done, so why not make them routine. You will get more done and feel confident and productive.

23. Work in 90-minute Intervals

Research shows that successful people in every field work in intervals. Ideally, they should be 90 minutes to maximize productivity.

What you should do? In the evening, decide which tasks are the most important for the following day. I suggest you list a maximum of 2-3 tasks.

On the next day, start working on the first one for 90 minutes without interruption. And then take a 20-30-minute break. During the break, walk or exercise. After the break take on the second task. It works wonders for productivity!

24. Meet With Your Team Members to Clarify the Goals and Expectations Each Monday Morning.

Sit with your team members to strategize how to best accomplish their goals and how to be more productive. Next week, sit down with them and go over lessons from the previous week. With a few simple instructions, everyone can get on the same page and understand their role.

Such a weekly procedure will not only increase your team’s productivity but also significantly decrease the stress level of all team members. They will feel your leadership and know that you are for them when they need your help.

25. Work With Clear Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Goals

Here you subdivide a project into manageable daily to-dos, weekly achievement goals, monthly deliverables, and such.

And so you only think about tomorrow once done today. And about next week once you have fulfilled this week’s mission.

That way, even a gigantic-looking undertaking will look more attainable. And because of that, you’ll be more motivated to take on big jobs.

And so the question of how to be productive won’t bother you again.

26. Declutter Your Mind Before Reading the Important Stuff

Sometimes you are supposed to pour through volumes upon volumes of exhausting business reports and concentration is vital.

Clearing your mind before commencing will help improve your concentration.

For example, you can spend some moments meditating.

This will not only help you declutter but will also tune-up your mind to focus on the reading task.

And the best bit?

It won’t take too much of your time either it is a complex activity to get into.

We also propose that you check out our simple tips on becoming a highly effective reader.

Become a Highly Effective Reader With These 6 Easy Tips

27. Find The Ideal Time For Different Tasks

According to a series of experiments by one psychologist at the University of Sussex, our memories tend to differ in efficiency at different times of the day.

This means that you may find that you are more fruitful at certain tasks in the morning, mid-day, and in the late afternoon.

According to the analysis, you should pursue research activities in the early morning hours.

Then, you’ll achieve more at midday if you pre-occupy yourself with activities such as running errands and demanding work.

Finally, immerse yourself in deeds that involve applying new information and ideas during the late afternoon hours.

Well, these times may slightly vary based on whether you are a morning or night person so it’s upon you to find your sweet spot.

28. Schedule Breaks While Working in the Office

You obviously risk a burn out (now recognized as a medical condition by WHO) if you don’t take breaks.

To avoid this, program breaks of 10 minutes after working for about 60 minutes.

After resuming, you will find that you are more alert and concentrating much better.

That isn’t too much to ask of you. Or is it?

Manage Your Time Efficiently

 

29. Avoid Multitasking. Keep Your Attention On Just One Thing Before Moving On.

Productivity can be impaired by too many tasks, known as multitasking. Multitasking can destroy your brain, memory, concentration and even your relationships.

Sound scary?

Just have a look at this report from Stanford University.

Are you in the rut of doing too many things at one time? Multi-tasking doesn’t always work if it means you lose focus and reduce your overall importance.

Why not do one well instead of three poorly-executed tasks? Just commit to the most important goal and move on.

 

30. Set Weekly Time With Your Team To Not Disturb One Another in the Office

 Free time is golden in the office. Make sure you get enough by limiting interruptions from your team. Then you can tackle the most challenging tasks. Repeated questions from staff is deadly to one’s productivity.

31. Set a Time for Every Call Before Starting It

Calls eat up time so limit them when you can in number and length – say, to five minutes. Try to wind it up politely. Gabby friends can be a challenge! Some smart workers use a clock to avoid wasting valuable time. Unimportant calls should be shirked. 

It may be hard to end a conversation, but there are ways.

“Your idea sounds great. Let’s put it into action soon. can’t wait to see them in action. I’ll get back to you.”

“I will answer your question promptly, but for now I am bogged down.”

“Thanks for calling, but I am on another call. Can I get back to you?”

32.     Use Time Management Tools

There is nothing more productive and efficient than time management. A lot of research has been devoted to organization in life and at work.

Some of the principles include the use time tracking software. There are several good ones like Time Doctor that will guide you by computer. You get reports on how you spent your time.

Apps like Boomerang work wonders with Gmail so you can schedule your messages.

RescueTime is valuable to run any mobile devices or a computer so you know how you allocated your schedule.

Many prefer Evernote, a digital notepad to sync with the cloud or 15Five, a form of task manager, to get staff feedback. It is quick and easy to communicate with your team and review results.

You might like StayFocused, a tool that is self-evident. It will control your access to websites to prevent distraction.

Finally, take a look at Todoist, a chrome extension full of valuable features to help you set deadlines and get project reminders.

33. Set Self-Imposed Deadlines

Stress, surprisingly, is not always bad. Some degree of stress prompts us to become more productive and meet more goals.

It is a natural part of having deadlines, an essential way to control open-ended tasks. Focus is of the essence no matter what you do.

34. Schedule Less Time for the Task Than You Think You’ll Need  

Words of wisdom are found in “Train Your Brain for Success” so take a look. It will tell you why it is important to control the time spend on tasks so you don’t wander off into the stratosphere.

35. Communicate Your Expectations To Your Team

We all know how important communication is. Business thrive on good communication and fail when it is lacking.

Managers must learn the art of two-way communication when expressing their team’s responsibilities and goals. Make your expectations clear and reward staff efforts.

36. Listen To What the Other Side Is Saying

Listening is an art and it pays off in the work context.

Let the person addressing you know that you have understood what is important.

Furthermore, tell them you are on board and provide relevant feedback. Getting the other to repeat their message helps them stay clear. This way, you will avoid wasting time on misconstrued projects.

37. Schedule a Specific Hour to Answer Non-Urgent Calls and Emails

As you very well know, constant phone calls and emails popping up right, left, and center can be distracting, especially while you are engaged in absorbing tasks.

For instance, the last thing you want while preparing an important business presentation is a salesy email from an online gift shop, reminding you about their ‘awesome’ promotion.

But since you cannot always 100% barricade the annoying calls, social media alerts, or these kinds of emails, try to set a specific hour to attend to them.

Start by Informing your colleagues that you will henceforth be answering incoming emails or calling back during a certain window unless it is really urgent.

In fact, you are likely to become a more efficient communicator since your mind is dedicated to pending communication tasks at the appointed time.

Undoubtedly, this will, in the long run, make you more productive and a star at your workplace.

Plus, it can help to keep stress at bay.

38. Wake Up Early

The most successful CEOs and leaders get up early to maximize their day. Sleeping in means wasted opportunities.

Morning time can be the most valuable as you are fresh and rested. Don’t rush out the door. Quiet time is the secret of daytime success.

A lack of sleep can be deadly for productivity, however. Go to bed early enough to get those required eight hours.

39. Provide You and Your Team With the Right Tools and Equipment

No one can work effectively without the right tools and equipment for the job. If you want efficiency, make sure that your staff has appropriate supplies.

For example, you can’t expect prompt reports if your printer is slow and outdated. Get the most advanced equipment to save time and effort. This means anything from a printer and scanner to a copier and fax machine.

Software must be the latest as well. It all adds up to a more streamlined work flow.

40. Use Collaboration Tools

Teamwork implies greater productivity so enable your staff to collaborate when possible. Two heads are better than one!

Using project management adds is a boon to teams, making their goals simpler and faster to reach.

Think of the most popular apps like Basecamp, Asana and Trello. You can avail yourself of file storage and access apps like Google Drive.

41. Use Communication Apps 

There are many good communication apps for the office, whether actual or virtual.

To avoid losing track of email messages, use instant messaging like Slack or Twist. They help organize conversations, especially those with many threads.

Plus, many communication platforms allow for multiple access and file sharing to help the team stay in touch.

42. Take Advantage of Your Commute Time

A lot can happen during your commute time so take advantage of it. It is like a bonus so don’t waste it with mobile games or texting.

However, work emails can be done and you can get a leg up on your to-do list. Or sit quietly and brainstorm ideas for the day.

43. Improve Your Working Skills With Training

Listen to the research. A study from 2013 in the International Journal of Science and Research shows how valuable training can be for both employers and employees.

You can expect greater efficiency and productivity as a result. Teach staff how to run new software and equipment to maximize their abilities. More work will get done in less time.

Avoid Interruptions

 

44.    Put Your Phone and Inbox on Silent/Turn off Notifications

It goes without saying that the phone and email inbox are your enemies. Excessive use will impair your productivity in the short and long run.

Try to stop the bad habit of constantly checking your social media or text messages. Workplace distractions are a major cause of delayed goals. This includes too many bathroom breaks or chats with colleagues.

Nothing stops the work flow like a phone call so turn it off or silence it at the office. If your boss wants something, he or she will likely send an email or come and see you at your desk.

 

45. Limit Meaningless Time With Co-Workers in the Office

Talking all day long will waste countless minutes, if not hours. Don’t let it be your pattern at the office. It is fun but reduces productivity every time.

Discourage colleagues that want your ear. Set aside break time for chats. You can politely mention how busy you are. Try the following:

“I’ve got a time-sensitive project. Let’s catch up at lunch!”

“I’ll let you get back to you soon. My schedule is crazy but I want to help.”

“Let’s table that until later. I have a break at two.”

“I’m bogged down in emails so give me a moment. I’ll come by your desk in an hour.”

46. Get More Done Remotely As Possible

Remote working has been a boon to many industries. Virtual staff can work any time and any place, enhancing company productivity. Research shows that remote workers take less sick leave and get more done.

The office is a great social environment but there are multiple distractions. Someone is always out and about disrupting the work flow, affecting time-sensitive projects.

To make the point, a study in the Harvard Business Review found that working from home is the most productive.

An added bonus is that remote workers remain longer on the job. As companies set up remote systems, they are gaining an advantage over their competitors. In fact, working a home has increased from 39% to 43% according to Gallup.

Similarly, a Global Workplace Analytic survey reveals a 103% jump in telecommuters over the last ten years. Maye a change of scene is required now and then to boost productivity.

47. Wear Headphones To Avoid Being Disturbed

A simple usage of headphones can help dispel work distractions and make the day more productive. This is especially true for teams working in collaborations. People will see that you are preoccupied. It is a simple trick that wards off interruptions limits inappropriate comments.

While colleagues will think you are listening to messages, it could be music that filters out surrounding disruptions.

48. Use Plants Strategically to Avoid Distractions and Increase Productivity

Everyone loves a plant-filled environment. It is not just about décor. It is said that plants improve health, especially in poorly-ventilated offices.

They also reduce stress by producing oxygen. Studies show that a good garden design can impact productivity and foster better decision making by as much as 38%. What’s more creativity can rise by 45%. These are impressive numbers.

In addition, plants can be barriers to hide distractions. They can create designated spaces and act as vision-blocking “walls.” You will stay focused when you aren’t noticing all the hubbub around you. Your newfound privacy will deter interruptions.

49. Use Signs To Avoid Interruptions If Your Work in an Open-Space Office

Open space offices are at a disadvantage since noise and interruptions abound. You get used to it, but they are known productivity killers. You can devise ways to ward off disruptions, visual or auditory so that you are, in effect, working alone.

A whopping 70% of office workers complain of interruptions in open-plan spaces. You may not have a choice, but you can certainly give off signals of “do not disturb” to protect your valuable time. You can put an actual sign on your desk or wave your hand politely when you are busy. A simple gesture says it all.

There are some pretty creative gadgets that will do this for you. Get tech-savvy and use Luxafor, a glowing color-changing flag that goes from green to red (obviously denoting stay away).

Avoid Procrastination

50. Conquer Procrastination With the 2-Minute Anti-Procrastination Rule

This tried and true rule is simple. When starting a new task, take less than two minutes to finish it. Most anything can be scaled down dramatically. It will reduce time and effort, therefore the type of stress that plagues us at home or the office.

Reducing the time it takes to accomplish a goal means focusing more acutely. It also implies warding off procrastination because you have a time limit. Believe us, it is a powerful tool for better concentration and productivity. Just get in the habit of applying the 2-minute anti-procrastination rule right from the start.

A good piece of advice is to “standardize before you can optimize.” Consistency is the secret to productivity success.

51.    Use The 5-Second Rule to Dive Into Tasks You Don’t Want To Do

There is another option: the 5-second rule.  This one will help you avoid procrastination when you have something you don’t want to do.

The rule comes from motivational speaker, Mel Robbins, who advocates a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown before launching an undesirable task.

Anyone can overcome their bad habits and gain personal control. The rule empowers even the laziest among us to get with it and reach our goals.

 

Increase Energy to Be Productive

We occasionally receive emails about how to be productive from some of our readers. One of the questions we always pose is how well the person manages his/her energy.

Just how precisely can you be a bundle of energy at all times even when dealing with onerous tasks?

Well, understand that your overall energy level is the sum total of:

– Your physical energy (health status)

– Your emotional energy (happiness level)

– Your mental energy (ability to focus)

– Your spiritual energy (being aware of the reasons behind a task)

This means that you have to maximize all four aspects.

In this part of our discussion on how to be productive, we will highlight tips that can help you optimize all the aforementioned energy facets so you can maintain your early morning vibrancy all day long.

Let’s go!

52. Make Staying Hydrated at Work a Priority

When you’re even mildly dehydrated, you develop headaches, feel chronically fatigued and experience difficulty paying attention. In short, dehydration is the perfect recipe for a non-productive day at work. 

The remedy here is straightforward. Just drink as much water as you can regularly throughout the day.

You will be feeling like a bull, and your colleagues will be happy to have your energy in their teams.

Read: 7 Effective Ways to Stay Hydrated While at Work

 

53. Place a Therapy Lamp at the Place You Want to Dedicate to Focus at Work

Therapy lamps produce an effect similar to that of antidepressants and can massively boost mood. Installing one at your favorite working location might there help you experience a surge in output.

Having such a lamp will always make you feel like you’re on top of the world.

Read about this gold-standard therapy lamp to learn how these lamps battle work-related fatigue to increase productivity.

Increase Energy Levels While Diminishing Fatigue Today!

54. Use Aromatherapy to Boost Performance at Work

 

If you feel groggy at work,  try essential oils and aromatic plant extracts. These provide executives and managers with mind clarity while also boosting concentration.

Aromatherapy also packs other benefits, such as reducing your perception of pain and anxiety.

Some are portable mists; you can carry them to wherever you desire to gain concentration and focus.

Improve Your Productivity at Work Now!

55. Avoid Too Much Sitting in the Office by Standing While You Are on the Phone

 

As I had mentioned, too much sitting can cost you your good health.

And since we almost always sit, we are prone to suffering the myriad health issues resulting from leading a sedentary lifestyle.

In fact, some scholars have called sitting the new smoking.

Luckily, you can lower your risk by answering the phone while standing and moving about.

Take it from me: you will never run out of steam and should, therefore, increase productivity in the long run!

Enjoy the Benefits of a Standing Desk Today!

56. Learn Easy Office/Home Recipes to Help You Quickly Prepare Fulfilling Meals for Improved Energy and Productivity at Work

 

The food you eat may make you more energetic and productive. On the other hand, bad meal choices can drain your energy level.

And since you lead a hyper-busy life as an executive or entrepreneur, you have little time to prepare your own healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and so forth.

This means you often have meals prepared by someone else that aren’t necessarily healthy. This may be one of the reasons why you sometimes feel sleepy, weak, and dazed after lunch. Other days you just feel worn out and your body is unwilling to work.

By good fortune, there are cookbooks with yummy, exciting and nutritious recipes that you can easily and quickly prepare at home in the morning or during lunch breaks at the office.

Even more conveniently, you won’t need fancy cooking equipment to fix yourself a healthy bite- most work with your basic kitchen setup.

Our list of healthy cookbooks for busy people will help you start off.

57. Avoid the Vending Machine at Work to Satisfy Your Snack Cravings

 

You should avoid indulging your sweet tooth as much as possible.  That’s because high carbohydrates, high bad fats, and foodstuffs like doughnuts, cake, and pie which are stuffed with sugar, slow you down.

Instead, to sustain your energies and mental focus, replace these with healthy office-friendly snacks.

Our favorite healthy office snack proposals will point you to the right direction.

Keep You Energized and Productive at Work With These Healthy Office Snack Ideas!

58. At Work, Walk Instead of Using the Elevator

When your leg muscles move, your blood circulation increases, meaning that more oxygen is reaching your brain cells.

Can you train yourself to take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever going a few flights? As a consequence, you will be full of vim and vigor the entire day. 

Here are more tips to help you sit less and be more productive.

 

59. Cut Sugary Drinks at Work. Instead, Drink Green Tea

Sugar is a stimulant that actually eats away your energy and increases body tension.

In a small study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people reported more tiredness, lower energy and higher tension after eating a candy bar (compared to walking briskly for ten minutes).

Some evidence blames a high-sugar diet for impairing the human cognitive function.

Animal studies have further indicated that high-sugar diets blunt normal brain function. On the whole, we all know that you can’t perform if your thinking is blunted.

Green tea is a great alternative. It will not only help your cognitive function and energy, but it can also prevent killer sicknesses like obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Read: How to Regain Your Energy at Work When You Are Feeling Sleepy

60. Try Ginseng Capsules to Have Energy at Work and Avoid Being Sleepy

Also very helpful for energy are ginseng tablets.  They are manufactured from ginseng, an Asian herb famous for its energy-boosting and immunity boosting properties.

61.  Read in the morning

If you are one of those who wake up a bit groggy, take time to read something to get focused and motivated. I suggest about fifteen minutes to a half hour each morning to start off a productive day.

You can also listen to an audio book in your car on the way to the office. Anything of interest is valid whether on business, self-motivation and personal development or economics. A good read will inspire your day.

Reduce STRESS to Increase Productivity

Let’s face it:  Your job demands and long hours that eventually take their toll on your mental wellbeing, triggering stress and anxiety at work. Therefore, if you want to learn how to be productive at work you must learn some stress management techniques.

Stress induces a plethora of illnesses, disrupts your sleep and kills your productivity. Again, you need to counter it if you’re going to meet your set productivity targets.

Fortunately, most of the stress-busting methods are easy to put into practice.  For example, participating in yoga, mindful meditation, or just taking some “me time” to recollect your thoughts can go a long way in fighting stress.

You should select what works for you and carry it through.  In a nutshell, do whatever it takes to overcome stress if you’re to boost your productivity.

Here are some amazing tips to help smoke out stress:

62. Cut the Coffee After the Third Hour at Work

Coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant known to amplify your stress at work.

You don’t have much choice here but to drastically cut down on your trips to the coffee machine or completely shun it.

Go through this post to discover how caffeine exactly affects your responses to workplace stress.

63. Practice Mindfulness to Reduce Stress and Anxiety at Work

 

Mindfulness can effectively ease the nerve-racking pressure from your brain. Through this practice, you return your brain to the present moment.

By becoming more aware of the prevailing circumstances, you start seeing situations more clearly and regain your calm.

And since you operate from a more collected position rather than agitation, you can focus on what matters the most and be more productive at work.

Learn More About Mindfulness: A Simple Guide for Executives

64. Add Magnesium to Your Diet

Kelp, cashews, almonds, parsley, soybeans, avocado, and leafy greens contain magnesium, a mineral that produces bucketloads of beneficial effects on human health.

Magnesium helps you beat back symptoms of stress like anxiety, memory loss, apathy, irritability, slowed responses, and a persistent inability to focus.

It also inhibits brain degeneration and the release of the stress hormone, cortisol.

Including the above magnesium-rich foods in your diet will work wonders for your overall productivity.

Start Using Magnesium for Stress Today!

65. Use Mantras to Reduce Stress in Just Two Minutes

 

According to Dr. Herbert Benson, President and Founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard Medical School, chanting mantras can give you a psychological boost.

The resulting mental feel-good factor can be a shot in the arm for your productivity objectives. Note that chanting mantras is a straightforward affair and has no side effects.

Let me ask you: Since the benefits of using mantras are very immediate, why not use them to free from stress and heighten your productivity?

Have a Look at How to Use Mantras to Reduce Stress!

66. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation and deep breathing techniques are very impactful, and you can conduct them anywhere, anytime. They are thus one of the best daily stress relief methods for busy executives.

Spend a few minutes in the morning before work and embark on deep breathing exercises. Here is how to do them:

If not, “steal”  a few minutes from your hectic daily schedule at the office to reset and compose your mind with a meditation session.

Learn Other Stress Management Techniques and Boost Your Productivity!

67. Accept Things You Cannot Change to Avoid Anxiety at Work

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by excessive and persistent worry about different things, including those beyond your control.

For instance, you cannot change the bad attitude of a colleague at work or people gossiping behind your back. Yet, many of us spend more time worrying about such things and inadvertently lower our productivity.

Indeed, the Anxiety Disorders Association of America says that one in four employees is held back by unrelenting anxiety.

To fix this, simply accept that you will never change these situations and move on. This way, your mind will learn to ignore such happenings and refocus on important events.

Learn More Tips About How to Deal With Anxiety at Work

68. Don’t Dwell on a Problem Once and Again

Now, life will never be smooth sailing. Problems are an integral part of life. How you react matters immensely. You can choose to confront issues head on and try to solve them.

Unfortunately, some of us get really frustrated when we fail to crack teething problems and enter into denial instead of letting go.

Well, over-dwelling on defeats blocks us from moving forward. And, thus, rather than linger on such problems, you can contribute positively to your results at work if you quickly forget them and re-channel your energies into other pending tasks.

Read: Wonderful Ways that Businesswomen Can Use to Reduce Stress at Work.

  

69. Set Boundaries at Work

Another tip we often recommend to those asking how to be productive is to never try to please everyone because it’s not practical.

Whatever your position, you will certainly have people requesting your help at various points.

And because of oxytocin, the hormone that makes you feel love and compassionate towards others, you may feel guilty saying “no” even when you are not in a position to assist your colleagues.

This could aggravate your stress as it means you prioritize making others happy at your expense. What’s our advice?

Set clear boundaries as to who you can help (whenever possible) and learn to answer NO instead of allowing stress to torment you and mess with your productivity.

70. Remain Calm at the Office With Some Stimulating Stress Relief Toys

Every manager or executive will, at some point, feel super frustrated at an unexpected turn of events at work. Some of us lose our cool and end up venting on coworkers.

You shouldn’t let it reach this level because the consequence of slapping a colleague down could be grave.

Try to walk away from your desk to ease off or grab and start to stimulate a stress relief toy.  A stress-relieving toy may also entertain, challenge, and refresh your brain.

We suggest you consider These Entertaining Stress Relief Toys.

71. Practice Prayers to Reduce Stress

Researchers have discovered that there’s a major connection between the lack of spirituality and issues like anxiety and depression.

CEOs of some of the world’s biggest brands, including Pepsi Co., Tyson, Inc., and Loews Corporation perfectly know this and have been using faith to minimize stress and enhance productivity in their offices for years.

You can also better your mental health (and hence productivity) by turning to prayers.

       Read: Why You Should Use Prayer for Stress, According to Science

 

72. Look for Advice to Reduce Anxiety and Stress at Work

Sometimes seeking a helping hand can make all the difference in your struggle against stress. Reach for helpful stress management books and reduce your anxiety levels from the comfort of your sofa. 

Most have easy practical tips that help you instantly calm your mind.  As we said earlier on, the first step towards a better performance is a peaceful mind.

73. Try to Meditate With Some Help to Become More Regular and Effective

Negative experiences, like dismissal by a coworker when you need their help, are often devastating and derail productivity.

Studies like this have repeatedly provided compelling evidence that meditation can alter how your brain perceives unfortunate incidents by fostering positive emotions.

As a result, you are able to erase the frustrating feelings and soldier on with work. But since it might be difficult to achieve results at first, aids such as an easy-to-learn meditation headband come in very handy.

A good example is Muse, revered for its fantastic relaxing properties.

Start Relaxing Your Mind Now!

74. Control Your Breath Patterns and Anxiety With Biofeedback

When you are anxious or under pressure, your breathing pattern tends to be faster and irregular. 

Biofeedback tracks your breathing throughout the day and provides helpful insights into your stress resistance.

By measuring your bio-signals continuously, biofeedback can help you regain control of your mental wellbeing and subsequently boost your productivity at work.

Take a look at our review of Spire, a biofeedback device that works well for high-flying executives.

75. Use Aromatherapy to Beat Stressful Situations

Recent studies have finally confirmed what some of them suspected all along: essential oils have powerful medicinal properties that reduce stress and depression.

We, therefore, encourage you to start using portable aromatherapy mists if you want to expand your productivity.

Its fans have been all praised because of its powerful calming action on one’s mind.

Spray Anxious Feelings and Stress Away

76. Use Shiatsu Massage at Work

Massage can ease muscle pain/tension, improve your circulation and enhance flexibility.

But you may lack time to visit the massage parlor over the weekend or after work. That’s where office full body massagers come in.

With them, you can enjoy an intensely relieving spa experience from the privacy of your office, saving time and money. And nobody will outperform you at the office if you’re always jovial and relaxed.

Turn Any Seat Into a Relieving Spa

77. Declutter and Organize Your Work

A messy, disorganized desk and clutter are key stress factors at the office. It behooves us to organize our stuff for easier access.

Clutter is deadly for productivity. It denotes a cluttered mind and a lack of focus. No one likes spending hours looking for that one missing document. It is fun to throw old things away and work at a cleared desk.

78. Create a Calming Morning Routine

If you’re somebody who suffers from stress and anxiety at work, you know how difficult it can sometimes be to start the day with energy and mood to be productive in the office.

Create a calming morning routine for home and morning at the office to reduce stress and increase your focus and productivity at work. We propose the following:

– Limiting phone time immediately upon rising. Forget about what you think you might have missed and focus on today. Stress comes from all those rambling email and text messages and anxiety ensues from bothersome notifications.

– Take time each morning to enjoy something special like exercise (such as yoga), a good breakfast, playing with pets or your kids, and listening to your favorite tunes.

– Scheduled goals will guide your day by providing much-needed structure. You won’t be distracted and will get more done. No more restlessness and nervous energy.

– Breaks every once in a while are invaluable. Say once an hour. It is best to get up and move about to loosen up the joints.

– Get some sunshine outside at lunch.

 

SLEEP WELL to Be Productive

The sleep equation is very straightforward: poor sleep equals low productivity.

Conversely, adequate sleep brings better judgment, brilliant decision-making skills and faster reaction times.

Final result? A wholesome executive who will break long-standing productivity records, one after another.

The question is, what should you do to afford at least 7 hours of shuteye every single night, as recommended by the American Sleep Foundation?

Read on to get the answers.

79. Relax in Bed to Fall Asleep

As soon as you jump into bed, try to inhale through your nose for about 4 seconds. You then slowly exhale out via your mouth for 7 -8 seconds. Do it for 5-10 minutes.

This breathing activity engages your abdominal and chest muscles easing tension and puts your mind in a relaxed state, eventually nudging it to sleep.

Check:  6 More Ways to Sleep Better Even If Your Stress Is Eating You Alive

80. Stay Away From the Artificial Blue Light at Night

If you are not aware of it, the light emitted by your favorite, must-use gadgets like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more could be “stealing” your sleep. This light is technically called artificial blue light.

It’s because this lighting confuses your natural sleep-wake cycle by creating an impression of daytime during the night.

Our advice? Stay away from these devices for at least one hour before going to bed. You will experience sound sleep and wake up refreshed and pumped up for a new workday.

Read: How Blue Light Affects Your Sleep.

 

81. Use Melatonin Supplements

Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleep. But, sometimes, your schedule is in disarray or your body doesn’t produce enough of it to help you get those coveted Z’s.

Fortunately, melatonin is readily available as a supplement and can fill in the gap.

Please read our melatonin for sleep post to learn how these godsent supplements work. 

Rest Well Before a Busy Business Day With Melatonin!

82. Experience Daylight to Sleep Well at Night

 

Exposing yourself to natural light during the day is one of the best ways to kick insomnia to the curb.

According to one study, doing so helped participants fall asleep 83% faster.

In another study, older adults who enjoyed 2 hours of daylight would out sleep those who didn’t by 2 hours besides lifting their sleep efficiency to 80%.

Lesson? Sunlight is your buddy!

Get Another 19 Simple Sleeping Tips That Will Make You Sleep Like a Baby

83.  Never, Ever Work Before Bedtime

Some of us are sometimes overwhelmed and carry work home.

Ooh, please stop.

When you take assignments home and plug away at them, falling asleep becomes an uphill task because your work worries are still fresh in your mind. Moreover, the aforementioned blue light effects are still stalking your body.

Please believe me. Resisting the temptation to bring tasks home will make you a better executive (and person) in the long term.

Read:  Bad Sleeping Habits That You Must Shun

 

84. Test Yourself for Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is yet another sleep disorder that can be potentially serious.

The question is: could sleep apnea be dampening your efforts to sleep like a log?  Well, you can tell by testing yourself for symptoms.

Let me ask you:

1. Do you struggle with your breath while sleeping (it repeatedly stops and starts)?

2. Do you snore loudly?

3. Do you wake up feeling drained even after oversleeping?

Well, you could have sleep apnea if you have any of these symptoms. A visit to a Health Care Professional(HCP) would be recommended in this case.

The HCP may give you a suitable sleep apnea testing device and assess your breathing and/or blood oxygen level to confirm.  Either way, don’t panic since numerous natural sleep apnea remedies exist.

You should soon be sleeping well and waking up raring to go.

EAT HEALTHY to Increase Productivity

Our bodies are like finely-tuned machines; and as we all know, most machines need fuel. For our bodies,  this fuel comes from what you eat. For this reason, you must observe a proper dietary routine.

Scientific studies have shown that some foods can potentially upgrade your brain capacity and critical thinking function.

We also know that certain nutrients influence you and can strengthen our problem solving ability.

The bottom line: the answer to the question of how to be productive could lie in tweaking your eating habits. Start with the following:

 

85. Never, Ever, Skip Breakfast

Breakfast is essential for supplying the brain with the energy it needs for sustained concentration and problem-solving during work.

Make it a habit to take a healthy executive breakfast to improve your productivity and stay alert all day long.

The elements of a healthy executive breakfast include proteins, fiber, complex carbs and healthy fats.

Take a Look at Our Healthy Breakfast Proposals!

86.  If You Don’t Have Time for a Normal Breakfast, Drink It!

Work is unpredictable and sometimes it’s practically impossible to spare time to enjoy a heavy breakfast. Yet, you don’t want to ignore your early morning meal because skipping your breakfast limits your energy levels.

This is the time to take a liquid breakfast. The good news is that, for example, a green smoothie will still supply all the nutrients you need to get your day going and increase productivity.

Have a look at our 5 Quick and Easy Energy Drinks Proposals for a healthy breakfast.

87. Add Salmon, Leafy Greens and Avocados into Your Diet

We all understand that processed starches, such as sugary cereals, aren’t the ideal fuel sources. 

Foods like avocado, on the other hand, balance your sugar levels, so you retain your mental edge through the day.

Likewise, salmon positively impacts your mental health because of its omega-3 ingredient.

Lastly, leafy greens supplement your vitamin K reserves in your brain and help your cognitive functioning.

Overall,  these foods help revamp your memory, focus and cognitive performance.

Find Oud More Foods That Keep You Focused and Productive

88. Put Sugar-Free Chewing Gum in Your Pocket

Chewing sugar-free gum provides you a brain boost, thereby boosting your productivity.

Indeed, you’re likely to attain faster reaction time since chewing pumps more blood to the brain.

Can you give it a try?

89. Avoid Fast Food and Highly Processed Food at Night

Back to processed foods. I know that they’re tempting, but bread and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, burritos and tacos, soup, cookies, cakes and their ilk shouldn’t be on your dinner plate.

Otherwise, you’ll rise up feeling sluggish and mentally foggy.  Of course, you can guess how the rest of the day will pan out.

By contrast, healthy night eating gives you a good morning and helps your productivity.

Here’s the deal: We have compiled some healthy night-time food ideas for you to try.

Eat Healthy at Night to Have Energy in the Morning!

90. Create a Simple and Healthy Executive Lunch to Increase Productivity

Yes, we often really struggle after lunch! Do you know why your mind unfailingly enters into a lull after lunchtime?

Well, it’s mainly because the food you eat for lunch redirects blood from your mind to aid the digestion process.

Shifting to lighter  healthier) lunches could solve this early-afternoon sleepiness. For example, a single-serve pack of tuna contains 12 grams of protein along with omega-3 fatty acids plus vitamin D.

It would be thus very intelligent to store packets of tuna at your desk.

Also, stock broth-based soups that are low in sodium and contain combination of beans, carrots, spinach and other vegetables to add protein and fiber. Your colleagues will be in awe of your afternoon productivity

Again you can find a list of healthier and fulfilling executive lunch ideas here.

CONFIDENCE Helps to Increase Productivity

Studies show that confidence increases productivity at work and self-confidence motivates you to pick tougher tasks and hence stand out from the crowd.

So, what is confidence?  Richard Petty, a veteran psychology professor at Ohio State University simply explains it as that which turns your thoughts into action. 

To him, confidence is like gas and powers us to conquer untold obstacles.  And the best part? Raising your self-confidence isn’t rocket science.

Here’s how.

91. Read Self-Help Books on Self-Esteem

To deal with inevitable work challenges, learn from experts, business leaders or authors who have been there and done it.

Search for self-confidence texts by best-selling authors like Tom Rath and add them to your reading queue.

Such great reads will help you overcome issues that hurt your self-esteem like a dressing down by a moody boss. And your confidence (plus productivity) will be back up soon.

You might be helped by these Leading Self-Confidence Books.

92. Cut the Negative Self-Talk

You won’t get any better at work if you are always beating yourself up. Change this approach and talk to yourself kindly and encouragingly, rather than ragging on yourself for simple mistakes.

A positive mindset and being easy on yourself will help you learn from such mistakes and boost confidence.

Furthermore, changing your language from “I can’t…” to “How can I…?” opens your mind to solutions that can help you progress.

The resultant optimism will help you rise to any challenge and achieve more even when the odds are heavily stacked against you.

93. Build on Your Strengths

In a study dubbed Strengths Meta-Analysis, the renowned consultancy firm, Gallup, discovered that focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses boosts your chances of success on your job.

However, improving weaknesses is no mean feat and seldom brings expected results. It is thus much better to spend your time on tasks that further develop your strengths at work.

You need to identify these strengths first, then find ways you can use and enhance them each day. For example, identify projects which perfectly match you, and offer to be involved or lead them.  

You may also develop ideas that you’re sure to successfully execute.

94. Learn From All Your Failures

Failure is to man and man is to failure. Even your most successful role models make mistakes despite their peerless competence.

The difference between them and you is that they take each failure as yet another learning opportunity, and so they keep getting better.

You should copy that approach. Write down the lesson you learn from every new mistake and think of how you can avoid replicating your errors.

Your productivity will soar.

95. To Gain Confidence, Use a Posture Coach

According to the American social psychologist, Amy Cuddy, there is a relationship between body language and confidence.

Besides, research conducted at Ohio State University found that participants with better posture reported higher levels of self-esteem, better mood and raised confidence.

Good posture prevents back and neck pain, too, according to the American Chiropractic Association.

A posture coach might, therefore, do the trick!

Stand Taller and Become More Confident in the Office!

Do EXERCISE to Increase Productivity

Exercise raises productivity levels to levels you thought you could never reach.

That’s because, according to Science, the raised heart rate sends more blood to the brain, boosting your cognitive function tremendously.

Even simple walking improves your brain function and will sharpen your mind, resulting in higher output.

Sweating it out additionally betters your overall fitness and hence your immune system. This improved immunity shields you from myriad illnesses and pains, including back and neck pain, so you can focus on work instead of pain.

But our hectic schedules make getting time to visit a gym an enormous challenge. That’s why we urge you to try these tips.

96. Get Up and Move Throughout the Day in the Office

Resist the temptation to sit throughout the workday. For instance, you can receive the phone while standing and talk while walking. Also, walk to your co-worker’s desk and chat a bit at intervals.

Also, walk upstairs to colleagues working from the next floor and catch up a bit.

In short, take advantage of every possible opportunity to move around. You will be happier, more creative, and you will ultimately concentrate better.

97. At Least Once a Day, Leave the Office for a 15 Minute Walk

Even if it’s lunch time, try to squeeze 15 minutes from somewhere and walk. I know they may appear little, but the 15 minutes total up to 30 minutes work (if you achieve two trips).

It can be very beneficial to your weight loss efforts. For instance, a 185-pound person burns as much as 222 calories walking just 30 minutes!

 

98. Practice Yoga at Your Workplace

Yoga strengthens many of the qualities needed to excel in business. While engaging in yoga, you focus more on breathing and staying calm, while assuming difficult or stressful poses.

By so doing, you slowly retrain your brain  to deal better with negative feelings. If you make it a regular habit, yoga will strengthen your capacity to fight stress and job anxiety in addition to alleviating physical ailments.

The increased focus and reduced stress usually enhances your creativity and lifts your energy at work.

Find Out the Benefits of Practicing Yoga for Executives

99. Have You Ever Tried Working Out at Work?

The next time you are waiting in line for the copy machine or your turn to use the microwave at work, start doing some calf raises.

Such a quick office workout can help your cognitive function and productivity.

Get More Office Workout Ideas and Be More Productive!

100. Try an Under Desk Elliptical

This petite workout device sits hidden under your office desk so you stay active despite the fact that your role forces you to sit the whole day.

You can even take phones calls and meet with others at your office without worry because it’s quiet and won’t bother others.

Importantly, it boosts your creativity and cognitive skills, not to mention that it aids weight loss efforts. 

Exercise Discreetly at the Office!

101. Implement Low Back Stretches into Your Daily Workday Routine

When your hamstrings tighten, they start to pull your lower back muscles and create tension and pain.

Can you focus while your back is aching? Hell NO! Luckily, you can easily prevent this.

You start by taking off your jacket to allow yourself some relaxation. You then select and engage in one of these simplistic lower back stretching office exercises.

Do them daily and watch your focus and production soar.

How To Be Productive at Business Meetings

You cannot run away from the fact that our performance during meetings can have a huge impact on our company’s bottom-line and your personal career success.

For example, if you flunk a sales presentation for a new product, your boss will be on your neck since such a mis-step can lead to a lukewarm market reception.   

The good news is that you can easily shine during meetings by:

– Learning how to manage your meetings effectively.

– Controlling time and distractions during meetings.

– Avoiding foodstuffs and drinks that can decrease your productivity in the course of meetings.

We shall devote now a segment to the tips that can help you achieve the above. Let’s start.

102. Limit the Number of Attendees

In most cases, smaller meetings are simpler to control and more productive.

You should only invite those key to the debate instead of the entire community.

103. Create a Smartphone Free Zone in the Meetings

The presence of smartphones not only lessens the quality of discussions (the frequent beeps are disruptive), but they may also offend some  attendees.

You should thus create a smartphone free zone to avoid distractions during big meetings.

104. Create and Distribute a Meeting Agenda

To avoid wasting time, always endeavor to draw up and distribute the agenda of your meetings to all participants, well in advance.

Also, ensure that all discussion items have been assigned to the respective parties and time allowed for each item or idea clearly stated.

105. Assign Clear Action Items and Clear Responsibilities To Do After Meetings

To avoid feeling let down by your colleagues or team members who fail to follow up on action items and resolutions, allocate to each person a clear to-do items as per the past decisions.

This won’t take more than ten minutes at the end of the meeting and can help your meetings produce the desired results.

106. Listen to Motivational Music Before Important Meetings

Listening to motivational music ahead of important presentations or crucial meetings can help raise your spirit and confidence.

You will thus be more compelling in your arguments, meaning you will probably get the result you amed for.

We discuss how to best use music to boost your productivity:

Listen To the Right Music at the Right Time!

107. Organize Short and Stand Up Meetings at Work

With short meetings, things get done quickly, and you are back to other business issues soon.

You can also hold a stand-up meeting where attendees participate while standing. Because standing is uncomfortable, you and your colleagues will take a shorter time.

Standing up also helps creativity and problem-solving, so participants make better quality contributions.

108. Never, Ever, Go Hungry To Business Meetings

The typical meeting snacks drag you down and may make you less productive.

And since you’ll be tempted to eat if you show up hungry, it is best that you have a healthy meal before every meeting.

This means a healthier you and higher productivity during the debate.

Get More Advice on Healthy Eating During Meetings

109. Water or Green Tea Are Perfect Drinks for Important Meetings

Coffee and sugary beverages reduce body energy and negatively affect your stress response at work.

According to a study, your brain activity and productivity will rise if you gulp down a beverage containing green tea when preparing for a meeting.

Water has identical positive effects and, accordingly, we recommend that you  replace coffee and sweet drinks with water and green tea.

110. Make Good Food Choices at the Business Lunches or Dinners

If you are at a business lunch or dinner, politely decline high-carb foods as well as alcohol and sugary beverages.

Why? They slow you down and decrease your cognitive functioning, thereby lowering productivity.

How To Be Productive During Business Traveling

The biggest challenges during business travels are a lack of deep or enough sleep and unhealthy eating.  Obviously, jet lag (a sleep disorder that affects people flying across multiple time zones) worsens these sleeping problems.

Failure to attack them means that you’ll rarely be productive while traveling for business.

Here is how to launch an onslaught on the above problems.

111. Consider Arriving a Day Ahead

As a successful executive, you know that a less-than-stellar performance can significantly affect your company.

And as you might be aware, jet lag affects your ability to think critically.

One remedy is arrive at your destination earlier. You will have time to become acclimatized and ease jet lag and travel fatigue.

You may subsequently achieve improved performance on the day of your meeting.

Read More About Jet Lag and Its Common Signs and Symptoms

112. Take Melatonin To Beat Jet Lag

As mentioned earlier, melatonin, the sleep hormone is available in pill form as a supplement, can help you sleep despite jet lag.

The key is taking proper dosage and at the right time.

In clinical trials, a team of researchers noted that travelers who took 5 mg of melatonin gained sleep quicker than those taking lower doses.

Read More About Melatonin Supplement and Dosage Now!

113. Get Some Sun During Your Business Trips

When you travel across time zones, your body gets out of sync with the rising and setting of the sun.

Research published in the Journal of Biological Rhythms indicates that a three-day exposure to bright sunlight in the morning can shift your circadian rhythm by about 2 hours.

Hence, bask in the sun before heading to your hotel room or business meeting to help your internal body clock adjust to your new time zone.

This will ultimately increase your productivity.

114. Sleep Well With Eye Masks on Your Business Flight

Your body uses the sleep time to repair damaged cells and refresh your mind. Eye masks can help you go into the deep sleep stage by creating darkness even in the brightest daylight.

If you experience a night of deep sleep, you will earn praise at your business destination due to your creative suggestions and faster decisions.

115. Use a Neck Cushion While Traveling for Business

Sleeping in an upright position can cause neck cramps. These involuntary muscle contractions make you uncomfortable during the long hours sitting in the plane, and, worse, dampen your mojo in meetings.

A neck cushion is designed to support your neck and prevent stiffness and other resultant discomforts.

People often fall deep sleep during business trips while using one.

You also arrive relaxed so these type of cushions can be wonderful for your performance.

Have a Look at This Neck Pillow for Executives Who Travel on a Regular Basis

116. Avoid the Food Provided in the Airplane While Traveling for Business

Sadly, the food served on airplanes is mostly packaged and often has scary amounts of harmful saturated fats. You are thus in danger if you consume them during your frequent executive travels. Specifically, such foods escalate your risk of suffering troublesome ailments such as heart disease, obesity, among others.

Please stay away from these foods if you want to avert high cholesterol and conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Find Out How To Eat Healthy on a Business Trip

117. Take Healthy Travel Snacks To Increase Productivity

Now that we have agreed that packaged foods are packed with health risks, what should you eat during your business trip that is both healthy and energetic?

Well, if your workday is going to be spent on the road, pack your own healthy travel-friendly snacks and bring them along.

Snacks will keep you energized during a long business trip and help you beat the urge to indulge in unhealthy eating from the time you land at the airport all the way to your post-meeting drinks with prospects.

All your engagements will also surely be very productive.

Read:

50 Healthy Travel Snacks Every Manager Should Know

118. Avoid Fatty Foods for Dinner on a Business Trip

 Fatty foods worsen indigestion and prevent you from sleeping well.

Favoring easily digestible foods will help you sleep well and be productive the next day.

Therefore, eat easy-to-digest foods like porridge, sandwiches, and fresh fruits.

119. Avoid Caffeine During Your Business Flights

As executives, we need to have better focus and concentration and a calm mind for the business goals we have set.

Now, those of us who drink a lot of caffeine experience increased stress levels and lower output at work.

This is not surprising considering that drinking a cup of coffee before your regular bedtime can delay the release of the circadian system that regulate melatonin by a staggering 40 minutes.

Also, drinking coffee close to nighttime at your destination risks chasing away deep sleep.

Therefore, you have no choice but to avoid caffeine in order to decrease travel-related stress, help you sleep like a baby, and be productive the following day.

120. On long Flights for Business, Eat According to Your New Time Zone

Our body has several clocks some of which are regulated by meal times.

Therefore, once on the plane, start eating meals according to the time zone of your destination in order for your biological systems to remain on track.

This helps your body tune in to the meal times of your new time zone faster, meaning you will be revitalized and can perform exemplarily as everything will be in sync.

 

121. Fast to Beat Jet Lag in Long Business Flights

If you need to cross more than 5 time zones, you can fast for at least 16 hours during your traveling and only eat a filling breakfast upon arrival at your destination.

This again allows you to adapt to the new time zone and beat jet lag, bringing quicker results.

As a bonus, exhaustion and irritability at your business meetings will also disappear.

Read:

How To Manage Jet Lag

122. Keeping Yourself Well-Hydrated While Traveling for Business

Aircraft fly at the height of more than 35,000 feet (10,000 m) from the earth’s surfacAt this height, the air tends to be extremely dry because humidity sinks to just 10-20%.

Breathing in such dry air might reduce the moisture in your body thus, causing dehydration while traveling.

Research has shown that dehydration can affect your moods adversely and make you irritable so you might end up creating a negative impression on a client or business partner.

The solution is your water bottle. Make it your best friend and you will be able to crack the productivity puzzle and hit your business targets.

Find Out Another 24 Serious Effects of Flying on Your Body

123. Never, Ever Drink Alcohol on a Business Flight  

Booze is not part of the answers to the question of how to be productive…

In fact, contrary to what some think, alcohol doesn’t help you sleep and, instead, worsens performance.

That’s because it dehydrates and weakens your cognitive abilities, memory, and, of course, worsens your concentration, according to Science.

So just keep off  tippling while traveling.

Learn How Your Body REacts When You Take a Beer While on a Plane

124. Offset the Stress of Business Trips With Easy Travel Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

There are some brilliant travel-compatible workouts you can pursue as you hop from one destination to the next.

And they really ease travel-induced stress besides clearing your mind as you prepare to win the upcoming audience.

Take a Look at These Easy Travel-Compatible Workouts

Do you want to learn more about productivity? On our website we invite you to take a journey through healthy productivity. We also encourage you to assess yourself and find out where you stand in terms of our 12 Drivers of Productivity.