40% More Efficient: Wrike Customers On The Productivity Software Features That Help Them Do Their Best Work
What are some of the daily tools you use to be more productive? Whether it’s a simple pen-and-paper to-do list or an expansive work management software, we all have our go-to solutions for getting work done more efficiently. When it comes to achieving productivity goals, Wrike customers unlock their teams’ potential with features like in-context proofing, timeline and resource management, and workflow automation. As the global workforce has migrated to a more flexible, hybrid-focused way of doing their jobs, we’ve come to rely on software more than ever to help us get more done. There are many challenges to working in a hybrid model, including communication breakdowns, workflow silos, and challenges in keeping up with processes and best practices. With this in mind, we wanted to share the features our customers use to combat these unique obstacles. Who has Wrike helped to be more productive? Wrike has helped over 20,000 organizations worldwide address their productivity challenges and do the best work of their lives, all with our intuitive work management platform. Our customers include household names like Fitbit, Sony Pictures Television, and Nickelodeon, who have all used Wrike’s features in different ways to leverage their teams’ incredible skills. Let’s take, for example, Sony Pictures Television, one of the world’s leading television content providers, with teams in every region of the globe. With such a widespread workforce, Sony found it challenging to scale and manage projects between teams, searching for over a year to find a tool that was flexible enough to manage work across different time zones, work styles, and team structures. With Wrike’s unique features, such as real-time reports, personalized dashboards, and Gantt charts and table views, Sony was able to reduce project delivery times by 40% and reduce their email time by 90%. Which Wrike features can help my team be more efficient? Wrike’s features enable teams in any industry, anywhere, to work together as one — no matter their individual goals or working styles. Users can customize their dashboards and workflows to suit them, enabling teams to fine-tune their processes and get more done, quicker. Features like workflow automation and our 400+ app integrations increase efficiency by simplifying request intake processes and eliminating productivity killers like task and context switching. How much time per day does your team waste searching for a document in an email thread or transferring files between multiple platforms so that different people can add their edits? With Wrike, teams can work on projects in one accessible, centralized hub. Our in-context proofing features mean every team, from creative to HR, can add their insight, without losing any valuable information and feedback. Wrike provides 360° visibility instantly, which is invaluable for team leaders who feel like their workload may be spiraling out of control. Choose how you visualize upcoming projects, tasks and deadlines, and see each member of your team’s dashboards for their individual workloads — making it easier to delegate and streamline from the very beginning. Struggling with request intake across teams? Custom request forms gather details, auto-create, and auto-assign tasks to the right team member, every time — no more confusion over who should handle what. Resource management in Wrike is simplified, too. Shared team calendars allow everyone to see where deadlines and milestones lie, while time-tracking allows users to clearly show how their workload is distributed. Use Wrike’s advanced analytics to monitor progress and team performance, with real-time updates and insights as the project progresses. How can Wrike help me to communicate better with my team? Breakdowns in communication can be one of the most common and debilitating challenges that a team can face during a project. From endless emails to muddled chat threads, the stress of finding the right information, or being unable to reach the right person, can leave teams feeling a lack of motivation to do their best work. With Wrike’s collaborative features, this is a thing of the past. @mentions, real-time editing and updates, and email and chat app integrations allow teams to have one source of truth to communicate from. Rest easy with the knowledge that your project’s deliverables are all being worked on in one place, with input from every relevant team member clearly displayed. Focusing on clear communication allows teams to feel heard and valued, which leads to increased productivity and motivation. Just how much can Wrike help with my organization’s productivity? Need some numbers? We hear you. Check out the below infographic to find out just how much time and effort Wrike can save you on your future projects. Want to find out more about how Wrike can help your team boost its productivity? Take a look at our free two-week trial.
How to Set Up Your Workspace for Maximum Productivity (Infographic)
Take a moment to look at your desk. Are there piles of papers and scribbled notes? Crumpled granola bar wrappers? Photos of loved ones? Cold cups of coffee? Most of us have experienced firsthand how our work environment affects our ability to focus, but it can be difficult to know exactly how you should set up your workspace for optimum productivity. This infographic covers everything from color therapy and helpful music to desk-friendly exercises to help you create an ideal work environment. Check it out! Source: Davitt Corporate Psychology More Resources to Enhance Your Productivity Pick up more quick tips that will help you get things done in our infographic: 50 Productivity Tips to Boost Your Brainpower. Then start a free trial of Wrike to organize all your tasks and burn through your to-dos in record time. Read Next: Free eBook: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You More Productive 20 Top Productivity Apps for Your Mobile Device How Writing Down Your Goals Helps Increase Productivity
Customers Share How Much Time and Money They Save With Wrike (Infographic)
Wondering how much companies save when they choose Wrike? By empowering their teams with the most versatile work management platform, companies like Fitbit, Nickelodeon, Siemens, Aerotek, and Arvig see huge gains in productivity, project speed, and cost savings. An effective work management platform can do more than just help you manage your to-do list. Wrike customers are leveraging the power of automation, resource management, and 400+ integrations to embrace agility and scale across global teams and departments. Wrike saves companies thousands each year and hundreds of productive hours Wrike helps teams communicate effectively, collaborate from anywhere, and accomplish more in less time — but what does that look like in practical terms? For some of our customers across industries and sizes, that’s: 250% more projects managed (Arvig) $832,000 saved over three years (House of Design) 400 hours of meeting time saved (Fitbit) Wrike customers can amplify time savings, supercharge team productivity, and unlock speedier project delivery no matter their size or industry. Still need more convincing? Check out our infographic below to learn more about the ROI of Wrike and how companies save more, do more, and grow more with our flexible work management tools and features. Ready to discover the productivity benefits of choosing Wrike? Try our savings calculator to see how much you could regain in productive hours and money. Learn firsthand why 2 million+ users worldwide trust Wrike to help them do the best work of their lives. Try our free two-week trial and experience flexible, intuitive, all-in-one work management designed with productive teams in mind.
Craziest Productivity Tips of All Time
Deep breathing exercises. Head stands. Talking to yourself. Making funny faces in the mirror. People will resort to testing some pretty far-fetched experiments in the pursuit of greater productivity. Did you know that Balzac drank 50 cups of coffee a day? Or that Demosthenes shaved off half of his hair so he would be too embarrassed to go out in public until it grew back, forcing him to stay inside and focus? Maneesh Sethi of Hack the System even hired a girl off Craigslist to slap him in the face every time he looked at Facebook. Odds are you've got a productivity junkie in your office testing out the latest flavor-of-the-week technique and swearing by its genius — only to move on to something "better" a few days later. What are the craziest things you've seen attempted at your office to boost efficiency? How many of them actually worked? (We'd really love to hear — tell us in the comments below!) Tried-and-True Productivity Tactics With so many productivity techniques popping up, it's hard to know which are passing fads and which are the real deal. Here are a few we've tried and can vouch for ourselves, plus tips that are lauded as lifesavers by others: David Allen's Getting Things Done method Jerry Seinfeld's Don't Break the Chain The Anti-ToDo List Jay Shirley's Must, Should, Want method Biological Prime Time Workplace Productivity Tips from People Who Actually Use Them (Video) Productivity Tips from Manage Your Day to Day 5 Ways to Boost Creative Team Productivity 1 Question to Make Every Meeting Productive (Video) Follow the DroneCo Comic for More Startup Fun! Browse previous episodes of Welcome to DroneCo in the comic archive, and subscribe to the strip to get each new episode. Then follow DroneCo on Twitter to keep up with the gang all week long. Share the comic on your own site with this embed code: Webcomic brought to you by Wrike
Project Schedules, Hamster Wheels, and Your Team's Hidden Superpower
"Failing to plan is planning to fail," - some sources attribute this saying to Winston Churchill, while others refer to Benjamin Franklin, or Alan Lakein, author on time management. Whoever the author really was, his succinct wisdom could help many project managers avoid costly mistakes. It seems that there are many project teams who suffer from inaccurate plans and their consequences. In fact, this challenge ranked as no.3 in the list of the biggest productivity killers, according to our recent survey. In this post, I'll observe some ways to keep your team safe from this threat and make sure your project's timeline is accurate. Note: This is the third post in a series on fighting productivity killers. In case you’ve only plugged into this discussion, don’t miss the two previous productivity battles against interruptions and procrastination. Keeping project plans up-to-date is especially difficult if you’re the sole hub for collecting updates from the team and then communicating the changes to them. The more agile your project management approach is, paired with a volatile outside environment, the more challenging this job is. Trying to slow down the outside world will not be any more helpful than trying to ask the weather to be more predictable. The work isn't much fun if by the time you finish merging the latest updates into the plan and send it out, it's already outdated. One option is to manage your project with outdated plans, which is detrimental to the business and potentially your career. The other option is trying to use current plans but really you are running a hamster wheel marathon of pulling updates non-stop and still getting nowhere. Is there something else? You bet. The moment you chose to read this blog post over a Dilbert cartoon, you knew there has to be an answer, a jiu-jitsu move that embraces the facts as they are, and turns what could be a problem into an advantage. The bigger your team is, the more status updates you have, which makes your job harder. However the larger your team is, the more minds and hands are at your service to keep track of it all. As with many other things in management, the answer is in delegation. Work out a setting where instead of you being the hub and bottleneck of all project updates, pass the role of the hub to a tool, like a collaborative planning software or a board on the wall (well, I don't really recommend writing on physical walls in the era of smartphones and global teams, but I had to give you the choice, right?). So now, with that central hub available to all team members 24x7, if a person has an update, they don't have to pass it through you. Instead, the person can deliver it directly to the hub and others have direct access to this latest info, for when they need it. You still need to keep an eye on work progress, as well as coordinate, lead and teach, but leading and doing everything yourself are very different roles. The former is a critical factor in project success, and the latter is a bottleneck to all and a stress-generating machine to you. Delegating planning to your team members has a powerful effect on the psychological side. If the deadlines weren't imposed by the manager, but the employee set them on his own, he naturally feels more responsibility and more motivation for getting it done on time. Now, as with many other great things in life, it's easier said than done. Collaborative planning not only requires you to change your habits, but also the habits of your team. A team habit that is essential for collaborative planning is the culture of sharing. For more detailed insights into how to build this culture, check out my recent post dedicated to this topic. Also, if you are looking for some tips on how to introduce a new habit to your team, there was a post about that, as well. If you have adopted the centralized hub for planning, but your plans are still outdated, the problem is either with the tool or with its adoption amongst your team. You could use some jiu-jitsu in this area as well - instead of fighting with existing habits, you can sometimes leverage them in a creative way. For example, at Wrike we built convenient email add-ons that let your team update tasks right from Outlook/Mac Mail/Gmail. This uses email to your (and everyone's) benefit and helps with keeping project planning up-to-date. Another example of a creative approach is turning your "project hub" from a passive store for information into an acting agent (now you see why software is better than walls) - it can ping your team when they need to work on something, it can generate reports for you, it can even buzz a mobile phone or send a message when something interesting has changed. That does not just save your time, but it also helps to engage everyone. What are your thoughts? What other productivity enemies did you face in your team and how did you fight them off?
4 Weird Ways to Trick Yourself into Being Productive
Productivity is often times an internal struggle: The Lazy You vs. The Motivated You. The Lazy You says, "It's not due today, let's wait a few more hours to get started." The Motivated You says, "The faster you get this out of the way, the faster you can move on to something even more interesting!" For serial procrastinators, your lazy side can be extremely detrimental. Procrastinating leads to high stress levels, last-minute scrambles, and sometimes, missed deadlines. Improving your productivity is about learning how to fight back against your lazy impulses. And sometimes you'll have to pull a few tricks out of your sleeve to win. Try out these slightly strange suggestions and see if they help engage The Motivated You: 1. Talk to Yourself Musing out loud is a perfectly acceptable activity for the mentally stable worker. It can help build your self-confidence and calm your brain, and studies have indicated that talking to yourself can improve task performance. When you need to buckle down, encourage yourself with a little pep talk. "I start my day by asking these questions: 1) What would be the most fun to do? 2) What will make me the most money? 3) What will make me money right away? — If possible, I will start with the activity that gets all 3 taken care of first." —Sophie Mihalko, Facilitator of Consciousness, SophieMihalko.com Two things to remember when tricking yourself into being productive with private speech: 1. Switch up your pronouns. Address yourself in third person, or use "you" instead of "I" (e.g. "You did great today!"). Studies show it helps achieve better results. 2. Speak in positives. Negative words lead to negative mindsets — and that's not going to convince you to get more done. 2. Set Up Competitions: You vs. You This works especially well for competitive spirits, but can also work for the non-competitive. Challenge yourself to beat a personal record at work, or get things done faster than you expect. Got a boring task ahead? Give yourself an hour and race against your own procrastination. It might just keep you on track, so you don't feel tempted to check your social media accounts mid-task. "If I allot myself an hour to do something I'll see how fast I can get it done." —Jazmin Truesdale, CEO, Mino Enterprises Racing against the clock is one idea for self-competition, but that's not the only way you can compete against yourself: treat yourself to your favorite coffee drink when you finish a challenging task, or turn off your phone (nooo!) until you're done with a project. Share some of your other ideas in the comments! 3. Schedule Future Emails on Sunday... and CC Yourself If you're someone who starts work on Sunday to get a jumpstart on your week, you might actually be undermining your motivation. Completing several little tasks makes you feel accomplished and helps encourage your sense of "Don't stop now!" By doing all that work on Sunday, you've robbed yourself of little mood boosters throughout the week. But we're not suggesting you stop scheduling emails on Sunday — in fact, it's a pretty smart productivity trick if you can make it work for you. Instead, take this tip from Orun Bhuiyan at SEOcial: CC yourself on those emails so they show up in your inbox once they're sent. Seeing your own email will be a nice reminder of what you've already gotten done this week, and can give you that motivational nudge you need to keep up the good work. "Every Sunday I'll schedule emails to go out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning (I CC myself so I can remember what I sent). It's amazing how watching my past-self email people invigorates my drive and motivates me to work, but it does. It's a tremendous boost when I'm having a rough day." —Orun Bhuiyan, Co-founder & Marketing Technologist, SEOcial 4. Smile at the Mirror "No matter what you do, always start your day at work with a smile. (I have tried it. When you frown and enter your workplace, nothing goes right.)" —Yuimi Vashum, Outreach Manager, WiseCalvin.com You've probably heard this one before: smiling, even when you don't want to smile, is actually beneficial for your mood. For all you naysayers who say, "But it's not real happiness! It's not the same!" True, it's not the same. But just because it is a different type of happiness doesn't mean it can't be helpful. In an interview with Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert on the psychology of happiness, he says: "Let’s be careful with terms. Nylon is real; it’s just not natural. Synthetic happiness is perfectly real; it’s just man-made." So when you're tired, bored, or just fighting off The Lazy You, take a break to go smile at yourself in the mirror. Channel your inner 3-year-old and make funny faces at yourself. Do a little jig. Laugh at how absolutely ridiculous you feel — and if someone walks in on you in the middle of your "Thriller" reenactment, convince them to take the next two minutes and join the fun! You'll go back to work feeling rejuvenated, motivated, and a little bit closer to your new bathroom buddy. Be Weird, Be You, Be Productive No single productivity tip works for every person who tries it out; that's why we spend so much time talking about different options. So let us know, have you ever used any of these tips to be more productive? If these aren't your cup of tea, what productivity tips have worked well for you? Share your weirdest method in the comments!
Wrike Fuels Productivity
There has to be an opportunity to accommodate a variety of opinions in order to collaborate efficiently, according to Rurik Bradbury, chief marketing officer at Unison Technologies. Unison provides unified communications solutions to help businesses become more productive with their communications. Aimed at increasing its own productivity, the company was looking for flexible project management software that would fit into the way its international team works. “A good collaboration and project management solution is essential for getting things done in a team, especially in a distributed one,” says Rurik. It took Unison Technologies quite a long time to find the right tool. Most of the products the team tried had a unified structure of projects, which didn’t provide the flexibility the company needed. Thus, there was no gain in productivity. However, it turned out to be absolutely different with Wrike. Unison Technologies has seen a major improvement in productivity after adopting the tool. Read the whole interview to find out how Wrike allowed a team separated by oceans to increase the number of completed tasks by 20%.
Productivity Experiments that Shaped the Way We Work
As the Industrial Revolution swept America in the late 1700s to the early 1800s, managers started to become more interested in productivity. Over the coming decades, Congress passed safety regulations that sought to improve working conditions and put a cap on the amount of hours that employees could work each day. At the same time, sociologists began studying exactly what influences productivity — and their experiments continue to shape the way we work centuries later. All of this research has revealed some timeless insight into human behavior, motivation, and how these factors affect productivity. The Hawthorne Effect One of the most famous studies on productivity set out to pinpoint exactly which variables influence individual performance. Researchers began with two groups: a control group, and a group whose environment they adjusted. Over time, the researchers improved lighting, altered working hours, moved break times, and shuffled other environmental factors. What they found was that whenever they made a change, productivity increased — while the control group held steady. Perhaps more interesting was the fact that any change, whether positive or negative, led to greater productivity. This held true even when all the environmental factors were returned to their original state. As it turns out, worker morale was boosted by the simple fact that the company was interested in making changes and showed concern about their work environment and well-being. Even if employees didn’t necessarily like the changes, they were bolstered by the fact that managers were trying to make improvements, which directly improved their productivity. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow published a paper that outlined a 5-level hierarchy of individual needs. The idea was simple: if a person’s simplest and most basic needs weren't being met, they wouldn't feel motivated to achieve at a higher level. You have to start at the bottom and meet every need along each rung of the ladder in order to encourage high performing employees. The 5 Levels Physiological: in the workplace, this means food, water, and a comfortable place to work. Safety: this goes beyond immediate safety concerns and also involves financial security, health, and well-being. Belonging: feeling connected to others in the workplace and forming friendships. Esteem: feeling confident in their abilities and respected by others. Self-actualization: feeling that they can achieve anything and reach new levels of success within the company. Addressing each level of this hierarchy creates a happier and more productive employee. Expectancy Theory The Expectancy Theory takes a close look at motivation and what drives workers to try and reach their full potential. In 1964, Victor H. Vroom theorized that people make choices based on whether they think the results of their behavior will lead to desired outcomes. Essentially, all our choices come down to three basic elements: Expectancy: the belief that the effort you put in will result in your desired outcome. This is often influenced by individual confidence levels and the perceived difficulty of the desired goal. Instrumentality: the belief that you will be rewarded if you meet expectations. Valence: how much value you place on the reward. Workers need to believe that they will be acknowledged and rewarded with something valuable if they meet or exceed productivity expectations. Employers have to determine what rewards employees truly want, clearly communicate what those rewards are, and be consistent in handing out rewards for excellent performance. Higher Pay Doesn’t Increase Productivity It would be easy to assume more money equals stronger incentive, increased productivity, and greater work satisfaction — and more recent studies tend to focus on that relationship between money, rewards, and happiness. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the research shows that while happiness does affect productivity, money isn’t a large part of the equation. Some compelling statistics to consider: 87% of workers are disengaged at work Unhappy workers are 10% less productive Unhappy, unproductive workers cost companies around $500 billion a year Happiness improves productivity by 12% So how can companies create happier employees — and boost the bottom line in the process? The answer is to invest money in employee support programs instead of just raising wages. We are seeing this trend across the nation as more employers offer benefits like paid family leave, unlimited paid vacation days, health and wellness centers, and work from home opportunities. Essentially, this is another example of the Hawthorne Effect at work. When employees feel like their well-being is a priority, they are more productive. All of these theories distill down to a single simple truth: workers, no matter what industry or century, want to feel safe and appreciated. If companies make an effort to invest in their workers' happiness and well being, they will improve productivity. Investing in better benefits, increased employee support, and improved workplace conditions rather than simply handing out raises yields a bigger return on investment, because time and time again, studies prove that happy employees are more productive employees. Author Bio: Mike Hanski writes for Bid4papers. His productivity secret is simple: do what you like. And ear plugs. In that order. You can find Mike on Google+. Productivity Tips for the Modern Workplace Browse our collection of research-backed productivity tips, then put them into action and boost your team's productivity with a free trial of Wrike. Related Reads: 50 Productivity Tips to Boost Your Brainpower (Infographic) 20 Top Productivity Apps For Your Mobile Device How Writing a Journal Helps Increase Personal Productivity
5 Inspiring Productivity Tips from the Book <i>Manage Your Day-to-Day</i>
With so many productivity books around and so many authors proclaiming themselves productivity experts, it's rare to find a book that dishes out really useful advice and inspires you to change for the better. The book Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind (The 99U Book Series) is a collection of essays written by an array of thought leaders and productivity authors. Each section is a treasure trove of wisdom written as short, easily digestible blog posts (they all originally appeared as posts on 99U's website) or brief Q&A interviews. The book allows you to pick and choose topics that interest you, so there's no need to read it in chronological order — just pick a section and go. Note that this book was published in 2013, which may put off those of you looking for the latest greatest self-help tome. But trust me: the productivity tips and strategies laid out here are timeless. And the benefits are priceless for anyone willing to work more meaningfully in this world of information overload and constant distraction. Here are the top 5 productivity tips I feel are the most helpful from the massive amount of advice the book gives you: 1. Productivity Happens First Thing Both Mark McGuinness and Tony Schwartz suggest you do the most important things — the activities that add the most long-term value — during the first part of your work day. The first 60-90 minutes is especially crucial as this is when your energy is high and your mind fresh. Do all reactive work second, when your creative energy has been depleted and the ideas aren't flying as quickly. In my work as a copywriter, this translates to writing new articles in the morning and going through the editing jobs assigned to me in the afternoon. But if you're a nocturnal musician this might mean writing songs when you wake up at noon and answering email in the evenings. 2. Use Progression Markers to Display Productivity Dan Ariely presents the idea of using progression markers to list work that's been done. Especially for knowledge work where there is rarely any tangible evidence that you've done much, keeping a daily log or past iterations of your work is a great way to track all the tasks you've completed. A similar idea is the Anti-ToDo List, or what one of our readers calls his Ta Da List, where instead of listing todos, you list everything you got done that day. 3. Alternate Connecting and Unplugging Scott Belsky passionately advocates for balancing your life between being connected or "plugged in" to the deluge of information — our work emails, our Twitter stream, our Wrike notifications — and unplugging in order to be "more present." These windows of non-stimulation allow us to think, digest, plan, and create. It may sound fairly logical on the surface, but any modern knowledge worker knows how easy it is to lose yourself in the addiction to constant alerts, pings, and updates. This is why Cal Newport suggests you defend your creative time by blocking it out on your calendar just like a meeting. People are less likely to disturb you if you're booked, and you carve out a productive time for yourself. 4. Be Conscientious About Tech Habits Linda Stone argues that information overload isn't due to the availability of information. It's our fault for over-consuming! This overconsumption is leading to a host of very real, very physical effects: sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, overconsumption of food, even screen apnea — the temporary cessation of breath when in front of a screen. We have to be conscious of the physiology of technology so that it doesn't negatively impact our bodies and our ability to be productive. And we have to work at being more active away from all our various screens. In a similar vein, James Victore says we're losing the capability to distinguish between urgent and important. By prioritizing all the external pings of unread emails or Facebook messages, we are choosing others' needs over our own. Plus we're leashing ourselves to our electronic devices, always at their beck and call. The solution is really to take ownership of our time and to better choose where we direct our attention. 5. Engage in "Unnecessary Creation" Possibly the most important tip of these five, Todd Henry advises that we engage in "unnecessary creation" — personal time to explore possibilities, accomplish side projects, learn new skills, and pursue experiments for the sake of self-expression. This isn't a suggestion either. It's a serious requirement for all knowledge workers and those who depend on creativity for their livelihood. Why? It allows you to find your voice and develop yourself. It also allows you to do risky projects that may not have an avenue within your workplace. And it fills up your well of creative energy so you can face your daily work tasks with renewed vigor. Start by writing "morning pages"— three pages of handwritten, stream-of-consciousness style journalling upon waking up. This technique, developed by writer and creativity coach Julia Cameron, allows you to do a brain dump and clear your mind of all its concerns so you can face the day fresh. It also allows you to play with new ideas. A good next step is to block out time on your calendar for quiet, creative time where you can engage in some unnecessary creation. What's on Your Reading List? Have you read any inspiring books on creativity and productivity recently? Tell us about it in the comments. Read next: 44 Productivity Hacks to Turn Procrastination Into Action How to Increase Productivity at Work: 6 Mind-Switching Hacks Creative Block? 5 Surprising Ways to Spark Creativity
5 Fixes for the Major Headaches of Working via Mobile Device
So many of us rely on our smartphones to get work done during commutes or to check in on important projects after hours. But as convenient as mobile devices can be, they weren't designed for work productivity. Respondents to our recent mobile productivity survey identified their top stressors when working via their mobile devices. Read on to discover some of the biggest obstacles to mobile productivity, along with some effective remedies to help you get more done on the road. 1. "It's difficult to do detailed work or long-form writing." We all know squinting at a smartphone screen and clumsily thumb-typing our way through a complex thought or long set of instructions is a headache. So why insist on trying? Instead, use the annoyance of typing on a mobile device as motivation to keep email messages, directions, and feedback actionable and to the point. Use the constraint to your advantage, and instead of trying to compose an entire project or presentation on your iPhone or Galaxy Note, focus on creating a tight outline and logical plan that you can flesh out when you're back on your laptop. If you really need to expand an idea, invest in a good Bluetooth keyboard so you can type longer stuff anywhere. 2. "I'm often interrupted by incoming calls or message notifications." Luckily, most smartphones now have a Do Not Disturb function that can block incoming calls and notifications with the toggle of a switch. On both iOS and Android, you can set a timer on Do Not Disturb so you can work uninterrupted for an hour or two, then automatically receive your recent notifications and attend to any missed calls or messages. 3. "It's difficult to use multiple applications at once." Use an app like Workflow or IF by IFTTT to connect apps and automate multi-step tasks. Instead of opening several different applications to record and upload a voice memo to Evernote, for example, you can create a workflow to accomplish the same task with just one tap. Better yet, browse the workflows other people have created for inspiration and to easily grab the most useful shortcuts. 4. "Spelling issues & autocorrect slow me down." Instead of trying to type complete thoughts and long paragraphs on a tiny mobile keyboard, use a handwritten note-taking app to jot down ideas in your own handwriting, without getting tripped up by autocorrect. Try Notes Plus for iPad, or Squid for Android, Windows phones, and Kindle. If your handwriting is as illegible as mine, however, you might opt for a dictation app like Dragon Dictation instead. 5. "I'm distracted by other apps like Instagram or Candy Crush." Apps like Focus block a set of chosen apps (social media, personal email, games, etc.) for a set period of time so you're forced to stay on task. Plus, you can always use the lure of your favorite mobile game as motivation to complete an important task and reward yourself for a job well done. Boost Your Mobile Productivity Get more done at the office and on the go wth Wrike! Start a free trial and download the free mobile apps for iOS and Android. Read More About Major Mobile Productivity Trends Affecting Work Interested in other insights on mobile productivity? Download the full report of results from our survey to discover just how much we rely on our mobile devices for work, the surprising impact on our work-life balance, and how current mobile work trends will impact how we collaborate with colleagues in the coming years.
Simple Tips for Eliminating Procrastination Within Your Project Team
In the previous post, we discussed an essential soft skill for project managers - recognizing and beating productivity killers within your team. We started with ways to deal with unproductive interruptions, which almost 41% people see as the no.1 enemy for their work performance. Now, let’s move on to the productivity battle against procrastination, the second most dangerous efficiency killer according to our recent survey. Any habit, be it a good or a bad one, largely depends on the personality of the individual. For example, some people are naturally less organized than others and it's harder for them to stay on track. According to Dr. Piers Steel, who can be referenced as a procrastination researcher, 95% of people admit that they procrastinate occasionally, and for as many as 20% this is a chronic problem. Let's take a look at several common reasons why people procrastinate, regardless of differences in work styles, and how to deal with this problem within your team. A task looks too big and complex Even if an employee is very experienced and organized, a huge task might get him overwhelmed and prevent him to start on it immediately. Granular work breakdown is an efficient tactic that both managers and their team members can benefit from. Mark Twain phrased it very nicely: “The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” If you split an assignment into smaller tasks, they’re easier to understand for your team, quicker to tackle, and there’s a pleasant productivity feeling to mark a task completed. Some productivity methodologies, namely GTD, even go further and focus solely on the next action item. There is an incorrect sense of priority If a team member’s task list is relatively long, he might make an incorrect choice of where to get started. For example, he might pick something that looks easier, but a more difficult and also more important task will get postponed. Setting accurate priorities and communicating them to your team is the most efficient cure to this problem. Your guidance will help employees to act on first things first instead of procrastinating. A task doesn't feel important Many people say that they tend to put a task off when they don’t see much sense in it. So your goal as a manager is not just to prioritize things in your head, but also to convey the importance of the tasks to your team. Many tasks may seem mundane or insignificant, but are important steps to achieve the larger goal. Communicating this in a positive way helps your team understand that their work is meaningful and it makes them feel valued. Referring once again to our survey on productivity habits – a sense of responsibility was named as the most powerful productivity motivator. When people are aware that their work really matters, they feel inspired to achieve more! Interruptions get you off track The worst thing about getting interrupted is that it’s hard to get back on track afterwards, once the focus is lost. In this productivity battle, the weapon could be described as Prioritize-Filter-Plan. For more detailed recommendations on fighting interruptions, check out my previous post of this series that was dedicated specifically to this problem. Fatigue slows down work drive After all, we’re all human, and sometimes we don’t feel enough energy to tackle a task. But what if it just can’t wait? Recommend to your team to take short breaks. Typically, if you're in the flow, you won't need it. But when you naturally lose focus and feel distracted, it might be helpful to disconnect for five minutes and tackle the task later with your "second breath". Numerous studies show that switching your mind off of the task for a couple of minutes can help to lower tension and revive productivity. For example, a quick snack, a stretch, or a walk around the office – all these might help your employees make a fresh start. As a bonus tip - in the comments to our survey, one respondent said he feels extremely demotivated when he notices that someone on the team isn’t really focused on their tasks. So, to some extent, someone’s procrastination might be a “contagious” productivity threat that might affect other employees as well. This is why it's extremely important to "put out" this dangerous spark as soon as you can before it spreads wider. What’s your secret weapon against procrastination? Stay tuned for Productivity battle 3 (Inaccurate plans)!
How to Stay Motivated at Work: The Science of Productive Breaks [INFOGRAPHIC]
When you are feeling overloaded, instead of pushing harder, a wise thing to do might be to take a short break. As we discussed in one of our previous posts, short breaks can revive your productivity and decrease tension. We looked deeper into the matter and put together some interesting facts, as well as practical advice on how to stay fresh and productive throughout the day. Here’s a guide to productive breaks in our new infographic! What kind of break works best for your productivity? Do you have your own motivational song? Are short breaks supported in your organization?
10 Workplace Productivity Tips From People Who Actually Use Them (Video)
What's more annoying than sitting around in an unproductive funk all day? How about trying to get yourself in the mood to work by trying out productivity tips that have never actually helped anyone? No thanks! (Last week I did a handstand against a wall in the office to "get my blood flowing." It just made me dizzy.) So we did some research at Wrike HQ to see what our coworkers are doing to stay focused in the office. Their first suggestion was to stop doing handstands. And then they shared some insightful advice from their own tried-and-true productivity arsenal, including: Color-coding your calendar by activity type Starting off your day by helping your colleagues with their work Looking around at your desk space — and fixing it up to make it a better space for focusing Watch our quick three-minute video to hear ten pieces of advice that are actually helping office workers get more done, straight from the mouths of our most productive Wrikers: What productivity tips have you tried? Are you a productivity junkie? Have you tried every productivity tip you could find online, along with a few of your own homespun concoctions? Let us know what has helped you focus during a long day in the office (and what doesn't help at all) — we all want to learn from your experience. Here's to a more productive workplace for all! Related Reads: 16 Simple Motivation Tips to Get More Done (Infographic) 6 Reasons Your Marketing Plan Isn’t Working (+ New Welcome to DroneCo Comic) 4 Problems with Virtual Meetings that You Can Fix
20 Top Productivity Apps For Your Mobile Device
Ever since the first smartphone hit the market, mobile devices have become an ubiquitous presence in our lives: entertaining us during idle moments, keeping us connected to our network of friends and family, and, more recently, serving as a valuable tool for work and productivity. In our recent mobile productivity survey, over 850 respondents shared how their mobile devices enhance their ability to get work done, especially after hours or while working remotely. In spite of headlines stating that mobile devices encourage workaholic tendencies and always-on expectations, 70% of respondents said that their mobile devices either improve or have no negative effect on their work-life balance. And 45% of those who work frequently via their mobile devices say they use 5 or more apps to help them be more efficient. Here are 20 top-rated productivity apps for iOS and Android that will make your mobile device your best asset for getting more done and improving your work-life balance. Best Mobile Productivity Apps for iOS 1. Workflow This Editor's Choice app automates processes like getting directions, calling an Uber to get to your next calendar event, uploading the last photo taken to Dropbox, etc. ($2.99) 2. Duet Display Developed by a team of ex-Apple engineers, Duet Display lets you use your iPhone or iPad as a second display. Connect your device to your Mac with a lightning or 30-pin cable for a lag-free second display that preserves the touch screen functionality. ($7.99) 3. HabitList This app takes Seinfeld's "Don't Break the Chain" productivity approach to help you create and keep better habits. It tracks how long you've kept streaks going for a variety of daily tasks, from "work out" or "drink 8 glasses of water". ($3.99) 4. Pomodoro Timer Customizable timers let you set the length of your work sprints and breaks, all using a clean, beautiful interface. ($1.99) 5. Streaks Chosen as a Best of 2015 app, Streaks helps you form good habits by encouraging you to complete a chosen set of tasks from your to-do list every single day. ($3.99, also available on Apple Watch) 6. Super Notes Take notes, recordings, photos, and set reminders with this free app. Color-code your notes by topic, sort by date or category, search, and sync with your devices or cloud storage. (Free) 7. CamScanner Pro Use your phone's camera to scan receipts, notes, invoices, business cards, etc. Invite others to view and comment on your scans, make annotations, add custom watermarks, set passcodes to view certain documents, and sync across devices. ($4.99) 8. Interact Create and manage groups from your contacts list and easily get in touch with entire teams via message, email, and phone. ($4.99) 9. Forest Forest is a soothing app that encourages you to focus on the task at hand. Keep the app open for 30 minutes to plant and grow a tree. Close the app to check Facebook or Instagram, and the tree will wither and die. ($0.99) 10. Dragon Dictation This voice-recognition app allows you to quickly take down notes or compose messages, without having to type them out on a tiny mobile keyboard. (Free) Best Mobile Productivity Apps for Android 11. 7 Weeks Habit & Goal Tracker Based on the bestselling book, The Power of Habit, this app helps you develop good habits and break bad ones in just 7 weeks. A simple, color-coded design makes it easy to see just how far you’ve come. (Free) 12. Mindly Brainstorm, organize your thoughts, and plan a project with visual mind mapping. Attach notes or images to any element in your mind map, choose color schemes, sync to Dropbox, or export your mind map as a PDF. (Free) 13. TeamViewer Get secure remote access to your Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. Full keyboard functionality, real-time sound & video transmission, and two-way file transfer make it easy to access your files or provide live support to clients and colleagues. (Free) 14. Pocket Save articles and videos you find on the web to read later or offline, on any of your synced devices. (Free) 15. SleepCycle This alarm clock analyzes your sleep patterns to wake you at the best possible time during a 30-minute window, so you start your days feeling fresh, not groggy. ($0.99) 16. Twilight Twilight automatically filters out harsh blue light from your device’s screen to combat eye strain and help you sleep. (Free) 17. Shush! Ringer Restorer Ever silenced your phone for a meeting and then forgotten to turn it back on again? This app lets you set a timer to automatically restore your ringer volume after a set period of time (say, the length of the movie you're watching). (Free) 18. Pushbullet Push files and links between your Android devices, send and receive SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger messages, and have mobile notifications pop up while you're working on your computer. (Free) 19. ASTRO File Manager Find and manage all your files, whether they’re stored on an SD card, internal storage, Dropbox or other cloud storage, or on your networked PC, Mac, or Linux device. (Free) 20. Notification Toggle Customize your Android's swipe-down status bar. Quickly switch to WiFi, Bluetooth, silent mode, and adjust screen brightness, or create shortcuts to your favorite apps. (Free) How do you use your mobile device to improve productivity? What would you add to our list? Share your must-have productivity apps with us in the comments below, then check out Wrike's free mobile apps for iOS and Android. To discover the latest trends in mobile productivity, including the top benefits, favorite features, and major challenges of mobile work, download the full results report of our Mobile Productivity Survey 2016.
Why is U.S. Productivity So Low? (Work Management Roundup)
Welcome back to the weekly Work Management Roundup, where we collect and curate the standout business-related articles of the past week or so. This time, we lead off with a shocking headline: according to government labor measurements, recent US productivity hasn't been this low since Jimmy Carter was in the Oval Office. Don't believe it? Read on.
Amazing Online Productivity Resources for Procrastinators
If you're looking for ways to improve your productivity, there are plenty of educational resources to be found online. The hardest part about finding new productivity tips is making sure you're looking at something helpful and accurate. We cruised through tons of online productivity resources and made a list of the best links and sites for you, so that you don't have to spend any extra time searching — that's just one more time-waster you can avoid. Our list of links includes blogs, TED Talks, YouTube videos, podcasts, eBooks, online classes, and more. As for the thousands and thousands of online articles about calculating productivity — there are simply too many; so, we listed some popular websites with "productivity" categories at the end, and you can browse those sites if you prefer reading individual articles. Happy learning! And stay productive, my friends. Productivity-focused websites and blogs These websites talk about productivity, and productivity only. If you're looking for fellow productivity-fanatics, these links are for you: A Life of Productivity: They publish unique experiment results after trying many different methods for increasing productivity. You can also find books, articles, and advice for time management, energy management, focus, and general productivity. Productive Flourishing: Aside from featured articles on productivity, this site also includes a podcast, planners, and more. The Productivity Pro, Laura Stack: A woman with a loyal following of passionate productivity enthusiasts. Her site offers courses to help you increase your productivity, links to her published works, free resources, and a productivity blog. Productive! Magazine: They publish online issues of their magazine, featuring 10 articles on productivity and high-performing teams and individuals. TED Talks about productivity If you've never listened to a TED Talk before, you're missing out. TED Talks bring great speakers onto stages around the world to discuss their wisdom and impart their advice — including advice on productivity. You can browse their website for productivity talks via topics or the search bar. Here are two links to peruse to find the talks you're interested in: https://www.ted.com/topics/productivity https://www.ted.com/search?q=productivity Need a more definite place to start? Here are five productivity TED Talks we suggest: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity with David Allen The Psychology of Self-Motivation with Scott Geller How to Succeed? Get More Sleep with Arianna Huffington Forget Multitasking, Try Monotasking with Paolo Cardini As Work Gets More Complex, 6 Rules to Simplify with Yves Morieux Productivity podcasts Podcasts are a great way to learn while you're on the go. If you're in the car, on a plane, or you're sick of staring at your glowing laptop screen, open your ears and learn about new productivity habits from these business podcasts: Back to Work: Hosted by Merlin Mann and Dan Benjamin. They discuss productivity, communication, barriers to getting things done, productivity-enhancing tools, and more. New episode every Tuesday. Home Work: Hosted by Aaron Mahnke and Dave Caolo. A podcast focused on productivity advice for anyone who works from home, freelancers and telecommuters alike. If you want advice on a specific topic, you can submit questions to be answered on the show. New episode every Friday. The 5 AM Miracle: Hosted by Jeff Sanders. No, you don't have to wake up at 5 AM every day in order to be more productive (I shudder at the thought), but Sanders wants to help us be productive all day, every day. His episodes feature advice on making time for your passions, working with unpredictable schedules, and improving your brain to improve your work. He recently signed a book contract based on all the advice he has shared on his blog over the years. Beyond the To-Do List: Personal Productivity Perspectives: Hosted by Erik Fisher. He discusses and interviews people about all aspects of productivity, from creativity and freelancing to being a parent and still hustling at work. New episodes used to come out weekly or biweekly, but have slowed down to about once per month. ProdPod, a Productivity Podcast: Hosted by Ray Sidney-Smith. Listen to the ProdPod for hard-hitting productivity techniques, research, tool reviews, and other topics of interest for the productivity-minded. This show has already shared 90+ episodes at less than 2-minutes each, so you can listen to one right now for a quick break between tasks, or binge on several episodes at time for a nice 15-minute productivity session during lunch. Defeat the Drama: Hosted by Kirsten E. Ross. Her focus is on helping you get more done at work with less drama — that means cutting down on emotionally-charged arguing and excessive back-and-forth in decision-making. New episodes are released every few days. The Productivity Show: Hosted by Zachary Sexton. The "Asian Efficiency" blog has been offering time management and productivity tips for years, and now they host a podcast where they interview millionaires, actors, and regular Joes to discuss their business principles, and how you can learn from their success. Timeboxing: Hosted by Carl Sondrol. Having a hard time letting your creative mind go wild, while also staying productive? This new podcast interviews creative workers on staying unique, getting in the right mindset for work, and being productive without feeling boring and repetitive — a challenge for many creatives. Getting Things Done (retired podcast): Hosted by David Allen, father of the renowned Getting Things Done productivity method. He published 35 podcasts on how to successfully get started with his productivity method, sharing tips for different types of people, and tools you can use to fuel your focus. Habit Chef Podcast (retired podcast): Hosted by Kendra Kinnison. Productivity is not only working harder and faster, it's also making sure that your work is good in the long-term, not just the short-term. Kinnison's episodes discuss how to set out to achieve your goals and change your bad habits — and make those changes stick. Though no longer releasing new podcasts, 44 episodes are still available for listening on her website. YouTube channels and videos on productivity Videos are becoming the most popular way to digest information. If you prefer a video over an article, check out these YouTube videos and channels for more advice on improving your personal and team productivity: "Why Happiness is the New Productivity (The Story of Mindvalley)": A one-hour recording of Vishen Lakhiani's speech during the "Engage Today" conference in Calgary. He shares how his company went from a side project to a successful business by entering his "state of flow" and using happiness to be more productive. "The Science of Productivity": A whiteboard video on the science behind productivity and motivation from AsapSCIENCE. "Double YOUR Productivity in 1 Day With 5 Simple Tips": Sean Cannell (owner of the popular seanTHiNKS YouTube channel) discusses how he makes time to work full-time, co-run THiNKmedia and THiNK TV, do creative consulting work, create video blogs for his YouTube channel, lead a happy family life, and still have time to watch his favorite TV shows. "Work Smart: How to Make Procrastination Productive": FastCompany's video on accepting the inevitability of procrastination, and learning how to make that time more productive. "7 Brain Hacks To Improve Your Productivity": BuzzFeed's seven hacks to improve your personal productivity. "Becoming The Ultimate Productivity Ninja": A whiteboard video from American Express on the top three tips you need to become a productivity ninja. Work, Money & Business playlist by Actualized.org: Eighteen videos by the very lively Leo at actualized.org on different improvement topics (including procrastination and time management) relating to your work, money, and business. Time Management playlist by Eben Pagan: Nine videos by Eben Pagan on how to improve your time management for better productivity. Free productivity eBooks Never read an eBook before? It's a book-like PDF file that you can download and read from your laptop or carry around with you on your mobile device. They have great learning, and range from ten to hundreds of pages — but usually they are no longer than about fifty pages. Start with these four eBooks on better productivity: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You More Productive: Free eBook from Wrike. Download to read about productivity killers, learn how to fight them, and get actionable tips for your team from productivity experts. Overcoming Procrastination: Free eBook from Free Management eBooks. Download to read through ten chapters on the psychology of procrastination, why quick-fix solutions don't work, and methods to identify your reason for procrastinating every time it creeps up on you. Productivity: How to Get Your S*!% Done: Free eBook from Word Chef. Download this eBook to read 11 articles from different bloggers that cover various topics related to procrastination and productivity: "schadenfreude," the details behind the "standing desk" fad, and getting more real work done in less time every day. The Productivity Manifesto: Free eBook from Nathan Barry. He owns a software design company and writes in his free time. His short eBook shares what he has learned over the years about personal productivity and ignoring the siren call of Twitter and Facebook to buckle down and focus on work. Online classes on productivity Are you motivated by the hustle and bustle of lectures and assignments? Take these online classes to learn in a structured environment and connect with other people who are also interested improving their time management: Work Smarter, Not Harder: Offered on Coursera. This curriculum was set up by a professor at UC Irvine, and can be completed at any time. It includes 4-8 hours of videos, readings, and quizzes that will help you hone your personal awareness so you can use that knowledge to be more productive. Wake Up Productive online productivity class: This class is not currently available at time of publishing, but you can sign up to receive their free videos by entering your email address, and get a message when the class opens up again. Productivity resources found on social media sites Social media can be a great resource to find information on any topic that interests you. Start with these productivity resources, and then see go out and find more on the other sites you love: Flipboard magazine: Productivity Works!: Subscribe to this magazine to stay updated with new productivity articles. LinkedIn Group: Productivity Improvement: Join this LinkedIn group for advice on improving your productivity from other users. LinkedIn Group: Think Productive - The Productivity Ninjas: Another LinkedIn group offering productivity tips and advice for individuals and teams. Pinterest board: Productivity Boosters: Follow this board on Pinterest to see articles and infographics related to productivity. Slideshare: 6 Ways to Simplify Work and Be More Productive: Ways to improve our productivity, based on a TED Talk. Slideshare: 10 Timeless Productivity Hacks: If you're a productivity hack enthusiast, you've read these hacks before. But they're a good reminder if you need to get back on your feet. Slideshare: Productivity: A presentation given at an entrepreneur roundtable by Matten Griffel on productivity and how to organize your work. Slideshare: Rules of Productivity: A research report on eight productivity experiments and their outcomes. Take their lessons learned and improve your own productivity. Slideshare: Work Measurements & Productivity: If you're into math, this presentation gives you a way to calculate how efficiently people are working. Scientific articles about productivity I know, I said I wasn't going to list any productivity articles. But I really liked these two studies, and their scientific findings about productivity and happiness are worth prioritizing on your "to read" list. Check them out: The Science of Productivity by Gregory Ciotti Happiness and Productivity by University of Warwick Well-known news sites with productivity categories Ready to read even more about everything related to productivity? Browse through the archives of popular online magazines and sites for more, more, more. Here's a list of productivity article archives you can start with: "Productivity" on Harvard Business Review "Productivity" on Inc. "Productivity" basics on Psychology Today "Productivity" on Entrepreneur "Productivity" on Huffington Post "Productivity" news on LifeHack.org "Productivity" news, videos, and more on LifeHacker "Productivity" news on Mashable "Productivity" on QuickandDirtyTips.com "Productivity" on the Wrike Blog What are your favorite online productivity resources? Phew, that was quite a list — but I'm sure I missed some of your favorites. Share your go-to resource for productivity tips and advice in the comments below. I'm grateful for any contributions to our list. And now, a poem: Improving work productivity is so greatand we know you've heard a lot about it of late.So we collected this list of links for youto facilitate your daily work to-dos. —Ashley Coolman Related reads:3 Notorious Productivity Killers and How to Fight Them (Infographic)50 Productivity Tips to Boost Your Brainpower (Infographic)Kick Butt in 2015 With These 16 Motivation Hacks
51 Chrome Browser Extensions to Amplify Your Productivity
As more and more knowledge work gets done within a browser, and more work tools migrate to the convenience of the cloud, it makes sense to enhance your browser with extensions that help you get work done faster. We've listed these 51 extensions for Google Chrome that will help amplify your productivity.
How Writing Down Your Goals Helps Increase Productivity
My successful friend Robert always talks about a study he read that links happiness to goals. The main point he took from this particular article is that people are happiest when working toward their goals; even more so than when they actually achieve them. It seems to be true, but there’s one thing his familiar motivational speech on seems to miss every time: The magic really happens when you take the time to write down your goals, when productivity and happiness collide. Here’s how writing down your goals increases productivity at work and in your personal life. What You Need to Know About Your Goals Harvard Initiative for Learning and Teaching published an article on goal setting wherein they define the term as “the process of establishing an outcome (a goal) to serve as the aim of one's actions.” The benefits of goal setting include higher achievements and increased motivation. Those with clear written goals are more likely to succeed than those without. Additionally, Harvard says that you may want to consider recording how you plan to get to the final destination. Those who write the “whys” and — more importantly — the “hows” of attaining their goals are more likely, over time, to internalize them and develop more “goal-relevant” skills. For long-term, measurable productivity spikes, be sure to write out what you want to achieve along with the steps you anticipate taking to get there. How to Categorize Your Goals for Optimal Productivity The next step is to divide your goals into two categories: Procedural Goals: Cross-situational strategies to help you achieve something, such as learning a problem-solving skill. Outcome Goals: Task-specific goals, such as creating 7 advertisements or sending an email to a certain colleague. The best way to promote self-efficacy and achievement is to combine the two. You will be most productive if you begin with procedural goals, and then shift the focus to outcome goals. So, rather than just focusing on one specific type of goal writing, combine these two in a way that shows development. Here’s an example: Research the available tools for sharing multiple files at one time, weighing the pros and cons. Choose a file uploader for the project. Or… Find a course that covers all topics related to basic SMM marketing. Enroll in SMM course. Being as specific as you can when writing out your goals, transitioning from the procedure to the outcome. Don’t Write Out Goals that are Too Easy Research shows that challenging goals lead to personal growth. When tracking the progress of your goals, what you really want is to be able to see your progress. If you are simply writing out daily tasks in a way that is monotonous and uninspiring, all motivation and productivity go right out the window. The goals you set should really reflect the feelings you’re hoping to attain. So, set goals that are a little demanding of you. They should be realistic, but still inspiring. Look at examples of others’ work that influences you, and choose goals that make you feel energized. Your goals are a reflection of what you aspire to be and do; if they are mundane, your life will be too. Do You Already Write Down Your Goals? When you write clear, concise goals, you will become more productive. Include the steps it will take to reach the finish line, merge both procedural and outcome goals, and set your sights high to stay motivated. Start implementing these ideas into your short- and long-term plan today. If you already write down your goals, share your advice or tips with us in the comments below. How did you successfully turn this practice into a permanent habit? Eva Creerson is a student career and productivity consultant at Master Papers writing company. She is always on the lookout for new ways to optimize work.
4 Remote Working Productivity Tips With Microsoft Teams and Wrike
Keeping remote teams connected and productive is more critical than ever during these unprecedented times. Here's how integrating a cloud-based collaboration management platform like Wrike with Microsoft Teams can help.
3 Productivity Secrets: Sleep, Deep Work, No Multitasking (Work Management Roundup)
Welcome back to the weekly Work Management Roundup, where we collect the week's best reads in work, business management, and productivity to inspire you to work smarter. This week, we open with three articles that tackle why we're not performing at our best: we lack sleep, we don't schedule time for deep work, and we're addicted to multitasking. Read on!