Crafting the perfect business pie requires a list of ingredients. A great idea, an awesome team, and an actionable plan. But the most important, do-or-die ingredient to make your perfect pie is productivity. Putting the proper thought into hiring the most productive team and creating an effective plan will keep your business from crumbling.
So why not learn from those who are proving they can get things done day after day? Here are 8 quick, valuable lessons we've learned in increasing work productivity from our awesome Wrike fans.
1. "Divide complex tasks into smaller ones."
— William Fetter, Director of Marketing and Communications, Hexagon Metrology
Hexagon Metrology was struggling with the fast pace of work and tracking the progress of their tasks. They found it easier to break larger tasks into manageable — and more trackable — pieces. [Learn more]
Secondred was wasting time with routine tasks like sending daily to-do emails and updating the team on task status. Instead, they turned to a software tool to automate these tasks. [Learn more]
3. "Clearly define your goals."
— Kat Holt , Head of Marketing, The Huntercombe Group
The Huntercombe Group started every project by stating specific objectives and goals they wanted to accomplish. It helped them complete their work in a clear and concise manner. [Learn more]
4. "Assign tasks to each other and report to the whole team on what you have done."
— Laura Roeder, Online Marketing Strategist and Social Media Expert, LKR Social Media
With their small, non-traditional team, LKR Social Media found that the best way to get the most done was to hold one another accountable for every task. Sharing and creating together saved precious time. [Learn more]
5. "Create unlimited projects within one single workspace."
— Nick Doherty, Managing Editor of Television, SBS Online
Nick Doherty found a space where he could place every project and every task so that he didn't have to jump back and forth between various tools. Now he doesn't worry about forgetting to check up on multiple different tools, and work never slips through the cracks. [Learn more]
On a distributed team with an overwhelming amount of information changing between hands, it was critical for Hildebrands GmbH to keep everyone updated in real time so no one accidentally worked with old information. [Learn more]
7. "Eliminate the e-chatter and focus on the next step."
— Erin Blakemore, Co-founder and Director, VOCO Creative
VOCO Creative was swimming in updates and to-do emails, without gaining a true sense of priorities. They now use online project timelines to clear the fog and stay out of their inboxes. [Learn more]
8. "A good collaboration and project management solution is essential for getting things done in a team, especially in a distributed team."
Unison Technologies was having problems because every team member wanted to organize and approach projects his or her own way. Now they rely on flexible software that fits each user's needs, creating a shared workspace to organize all their work and a productivity time tracker to monitor tasks. [Learn more]
What do you think of these productivity tips? Agree? Disagree? If you have other productivity tips that help you at work, share with us in the comments below!
Ashley Coolman
Ashley is a former Content Marketing Manager of Wrike. She specializes in social media, dry humor, and Oxford commas.
44 Productivity Hacks to Turn Procrastination Into Action
If your to-do list is like mine — longer than the Great Wall of China — you’re probably desperate for productivity tips and shortcuts to help you squeeze a few more hours out of every day. Since we’re all about boosting productivity here at Wrike, we’ve compiled a compendium of productivity hacks to help you zip through your to-do list in record time.
Without further ado:
Focus
1. Unplug. Put your phone on airplane mode or Do Not Disturb (or use an Android app like Shush). Black out background browser tabs and notifications with an extension like StayFocusd, and mute your email with Inbox Pause for Gmail.
2. Tidy up. Did you know that the average worker spends 76 hours every year looking for lost stuff? Cleaning up your work area lets your mind focus.
3. Write distractions down. Free up some brain space by taking note of every reminder and distraction that pops in your head. It'll silence that nagging "I'm forgetting something..." feeling and let you focus on the task at hand.
4. Read/watch later. Use Pocket or the Wrike Chrome extension to save interesting links and videos that would ordinarily trigger a marathon link surfing session.
5. Take a hike. Periodic breaks refresh your brain, so go for a walk to boost creativity, sharpen your focus, and brighten your mood.
6. Change your scenery. Work from a coffee shop, library, or your backyard to improve focus and creativity without any office distractions.
7. Be healthy. Losing just 1.5 hours of sleep reduces alertness by 32%, and avoiding junk food can raise your productivity 20%. Exercise helps you better handle stress, makes you more alert, and gives you more mental energy.
8. Get comfy. An office that's too chilly or too warm (outside the 70-77 degree range) lessens productivity by 5%. The pleasant smell of lemons improves focus and reduces errors 54%. And sitting by a window keeps you focused 15% longer.
9. Go green. Houseplants improve creativity by 45% and overall wellbeing by 47%, while sharpening focus and concentration.
10. Grab some headphones. Listening to ambient music or white noise improves focus 35%.
11. Practice meditation. It teaches your brain to tune out distractions and focus longer. Even 5 minutes a day can have an impact!
12. Say "Awww!" Looking at pictures of cute baby animals or photos of nature increases your attention span and memory.
Want to improve collaboration on your team? Start a 2 week trial of Wrike today!
Save Time
13. Quit meetings. If you can't cut them completely, keep them to short stand-ups, or make at least one whole day a week meeting-free.
14. Say no. You can't do everything! Just make sure you say no the right way: “I don’t” is more effective than “I can’t”.
15. Delegate whenever possible. You've got a slew of talented teammates around you, so use them! Just don't dump tedious busywork on them — make sure every task you and your team take on is truly worthwhile.
16. De-clutter your inbox. Unroll.me compiles all your newsletters and subscriptions into a single daily digest.
17. Track your time. RescueTime shows how many minutes you spend using various applications. By productivity tracking, you'll get an accurate picture of your daily work habits and discover where you can improve.
18. Quit Facebook (partially). Move everyone from your “friends" list to "acquaintances" — you'll still get the important updates, but you'll spend less time scrolling through quiz results and food photos in your newsfeed.
19. Automate! Create standard email responses to common inquiries, set your browser to automatically open your favorite tabs, set up an RSS feed to monitor essential news outlets and use Zapier or IFTTT to automate other routine tasks.
20. Batch similar tasks. You'll get in the zone and power through several items in less time.
21. Quit typing. Try speech dictation software to get your thoughts down faster, or record new ideas and communications on the go.
22. Keep a "Stop Doing" list. It'll help you watch out for and eliminate the fruitless time sucks from your day.
23. Stop multitasking. Not only is it less efficient, it drops your IQ 10 points. That means more mistakes, which you'll only have to go back and correct... wasting even more precious time.
Prioritize
24. Try the “Must, Should, Want” method. You identify three tasks that will help you accomplish your immediate and long-term goals, plus keep you from burning out.
25. Don't check your email first thing each morning. Instead, spend the first hour or two of each day tackling high-priority items. Too often emails derail our plans for the day, and what we intended to do gets pushed off or lost in the shuffle.
26. Do that ONE thing. Ask yourself: "If I could only get ONE thing done today, what would it be?" Do that first.
27. Pick 3 "Most Important" tasks. Write them on a Post-It, and keep it within sight all day long.
28. Prune your to-do list. If it can’t be done only by you and it's not important enough to delegate, rethink whether it's really worth doing at all. Don't waste time on unproductive tasks!
29. Do creative work first. Take advantage of a fresh brain and leave paperwork, meetings, and follow-up tasks for later.
30. Be picky about the work you accept. Write down your mission (or company's mission) in one concrete sentence, whether that’s “Build useful software” or “Bake beautiful wedding cakes.” Will that task help you achieve your mission? Only take it on if the answer is a firm “yes!”
31. Write tomorrow's to-do list tonight. List 3 items to jumpstart your day with a sense of purpose. And make at least one of those items something fun to get your day started on the right foot.
32. Use Stephen Covey's prioritization matrix to sort tasks. Important & Urgent at the top, then Important but Not Urgent, followed by Urgent but Not Important and finally Not Urgent and Not Important.
33. Ask yourself 5 questions: Does this get me closer to my goal? Is it important to my boss? Does it make me money? Does it make my life easier? Does it have to be done today? Sort your list based on the # of yeses.
Get Motivated
34. Break big tasks into bite-sized pieces. This should kill your procrastination. Or, commit to working on a big project for just 30 minutes, and then stop. 30 minutes a day can add up to significant progress pretty quick!
35. Try David Allen's two-minute rule. If it takes less than two minutes, do it now. Yes, right now. Checking small items off your to-do list boosts motivation.
36. "Eat the frog." You know those big tasks you always dread? Crossing one off first thing in the day gives you a sense of accomplishment and makes you motivated to get even more done.
37. Find your “biological prime time.” This is the magic hour where your energy, focus and motivation align at a high point. Schedule your most important tasks for that window.
38. Make progress visible. Check off tasks or keep an anti-to do list (see #38). It’s easy to lose motivation when you feel like a hamster running on its wheel, going nowhere. Celebrate your successes!
39. Create an “Anti-todo list.” Keep from getting down on yourself for not completing your planned to-dos by keeping a running list of all the stuff you did get done.
40. “Don't break the chain.” Mark each day you accomplish an important task with an X on your calendar, and watch the chain grow. Then don’t break the chain!
41. Start a StickK contract. Name your task or goal, give yourself a set amount of time, and then put up some cash as stakes (optional). If you achieve your goal, you keep your money. If not, it goes to charity.
42. Strike a power pose. Think Wonder Woman or Superman — wide feet, hands on hips, chest out, chin up. The right body language can boost confidence, lower stress, and help you get "in the zone."
43. Eat some chocolate. You'll get a rush of dopamine, a hormone that boosts motivation. Chocolate also releases chemicals that promote calm and stimulate your brain, perfect for buckling down and getting things done.
44. Be happy! A good mood makes you 12% more productive, so joke with a colleague, watch a funny cat video, or chat with a friend.
With these productivity tips bookmarked or pinned to your wall, your list of accomplishments will be more impressive than ever.
Get Work Done - 17 Workplace Productivity Hacks from Wrike
Related Reads:• 10 Encouraging Productivity Proverbs for Your Office Wall• How to Create Productive Work Habits (Slideshare)• 8 Lessons in Increased Productivity from Wrike Customers• 10 Free Productivity Apps for Getting Things Done
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7 Ways Wrike Customers Save Time, Money, and Increase Productivity by 150%
Wrike’s work management platform increases team efficiency at every level. Here’s how Wrike customers save time, money, and increase productivity by 150%.
Collaboration
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Intelco Unlocks Operational Efficiency with Wrike
Here’s a story we’re sure you’ll like because it’s one that you can probably relate to or stirs up past memories.
Intelco is a software house that provides services for large industrial groups such as the motorway, airport, engineering, retail, textile, and many others. Based in Gussago, Italy, they’re a true strategic partner for companies that outsource personnel administration. The company offers a wide range of services thanks to the "tailor-made" customization of the IRIS software, an Intelco-owned platform made up of about 42 modules to optimize, rationalize, and digitize human resource management processes.
Back in 2019, the company faced an all-too-common scenario. Their teams worked out of disparate systems, needed more visibility, and couldn’t track work efficiently or see work in progress or a historical record of completed projects. They were determined to find ways to optimize their processes and work smarter. Change management was needed. Although change seemed intimidating, they knew it had to be done to reach their end goal — improving collaboration and streamlining processes.
We talked with Mattia Ronchi and Paolo Baiamonte, Project Managers at Intelco, to learn more about their workflows, major pain points, and what led them to choose Wrike.
How did Intelco manage and track work before?
MR & PB: We used to manage all our work via spreadsheets and handwritten notes. Our service team, in particular, relied on email and phone calls because clients couldn’t initiate new requests without first emailing or calling the service team. So any time a bug needed fixing or a change request was sent, the service team was inundated with inbound inquiries. It wasn’t ideal, and we knew there had to be a better way.
What motivated your team to look for a better solution?
MR & PB: It all started with upgrading our ticketing system and fielding new requests. The glaring problem was with multiple channels to accept requests. There needed to be a consolidated, easy-to-track system to handle everything. But we also wanted to streamline processes, enable more teams to have visibility into the work being done by all departments and collaborate. And here’s the big thing — we wanted to achieve everything in one place.
What was your evaluation process, and what sold you on Wrike?
MR & PB: Implementing organizational change isn’t easy, but we knew change management was in order, so we sought a work management solution. We sat through multiple product demos to determine which solution best fit our needs. After all the demos, we weren’t impressed because every provider was too niche, the software was too clunky, or it was not customizable to what we needed.
Once we saw Wrike, it was clear how robust the platform was and how we could customize it to how we preferred to work. The other platforms were not as flexible as Wrike, which made all the difference. For instance, the request form is everything we hoped for and more because it simplifies the process and auto-assigns the right teammate instantly. Our request forms help us to prioritize work so that every morning when our teams arrive, they can easily see a prioritized task list in Wrike of what they have to do, so they’re not guessing what needs to be done.
Which Intelco teams use Wrike to manage work and collaborate?
MR & PB: Along with the service team, our project management team was the first group into Wrike because I helped spearhead the change management process. Once we saw immediate success, word traveled fast to other departments like marketing, legal, finance, and IT. Fast forward to today, and the entire company works inside Wrike.
That’s another wonderful aspect of the product — each department at Intelco has its own dedicated Space where we set up projects and can track activities. It’s great because all our work can be kept separate yet still housed in Wrike.
What Wrike features do you recommend most?
MR & PB: With request forms, we can tie them to Blueprints and launch full-fledged projects in a few clicks, so that’s great! And before using Wrike, we didn’t track time spent on work, but now we do with timesheets — we couldn’t live without them! We can monitor the time spent per task in real-time. We can better plan and forecast easier because there’s more visibility and a record of time spent.
Speaking of visibility, other features we love include the ability to create custom dashboards via Wrike Analyze. Everyone, including managers, can see which projects are being released and their respective statuses. No more digging through emails, spreadsheets, or handwritten notes because it’s all in Wrike. Not only is all our work and collaboration in the platform, but these features specifically have helped us quickly understand which teams are performing the most compared to others and where we need to improve.
What’s next for Intelco using Wrike?
MR & PB: Every new employee gets onboarded into Wrike from day one, and we plan to use Wrike Integrate to sync our Salesforce account and others from our tech stack.
Check out the full case study
There’s more to the Intelco story; you can get the complete details here. You’ll see how, with Wrike, they deal with 90% fewer emails, can complete bug fixes 50% faster, and save 30% time in progress meetings. Read the full case study here.
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