It can be more complex than it seems to put oneself in the proper frame of mind to complete tasks at work. It’s probably one of the most challenging things working people have to deal with daily. The typical office is a minefield of diversions, which doesn’t help. When a slew of pointless activities, like unnecessary meetings, continuous phone alerts, and casual conversations with coworkers, occurring all at once, it’s easy to get sidetracked. Let’s review some of the more typical workplace time wasters and advise on how to deal with them.
Red Tape – Regulatory Burdens
The term “red tape” is often used in business contexts to refer to unnecessary or onerous rules and regulations. Similarly, their name suggests they can constitute a significant barrier to progress and delay crucial decision-making. Unresolved issues can cause delays in moving forwards or even cause a complete standstill. Unfortunately, these restrictions are typically firmly ingrained in a company’s culture and internal processes, making it challenging to find creative ways to get around them.
While workers on the front lines may be powerless to reduce bureaucratic burdens, upper-level management has plenty of opportunities to lighten the load. One approach is to give workers more responsibility and the freedom to make decisions without consulting superiors. Time is money, and this has the potential to save a lot of it.
Employees are able to make these kinds of judgments and develop their independence if they receive thorough training on all the critical processes and other information they may need to do their jobs. If your firm uses Microsoft Teams regularly, you may find it beneficial to send some of your employees to a training course. Courses in time management and how to make the most of Office 365 are just two examples of online training that might benefit employees.
Unnecessary Meetings
It’s no secret that most people dislike meetings, but they are unavoidable in the working world. Work meetings typically rank at the bottom among the many potential interruptions for employees. Even more disconcerting, many executives feel they are not as productive or effective as they could be. In recent studies, meetings have increased in duration and frequency. It’s not surprising that employees are feeling stressed and exhausted.
The good news is that there are easy ways to deal with this irritating but essential time waster. For instance, before setting a meeting to discuss a specific issue, you should first see whether an email would suffice. Eliminating unnecessary meetings can be as simple as setting clear goals for the discussion and distributing documents in advance. Finally, team meetings should be limited to 30 minutes or have established beginning and ending periods to ensure that participants stay on topic and the session moves quickly.
Multitasking
Assuming that doing multiple tasks at once will increase your efficiency is natural. Nonetheless, the opposite is true. According to studies, only 2.5% of the population has a natural talent for multitasking. For the rest of us, striving to juggle numerous complicated things simultaneously leads to distracted thinking and subpar output.
The best use of your time at work is to concentrate on a single activity at a time and prioritise it in your daily schedule. You can move on to the next thing on your plan once you’ve completed the current one.
Emails
An email has become the de facto standard for business correspondence in most companies. It’s quick and easy, and employees can archive any work-related emails in a searchable digital archive. Each workday, in large part, can be responding to incoming emails and messages.
An overwhelming number of emails is a genuine issue managed in several ways. Most email applications, for instance, come equipped with filters to reduce the number of notifications that pop up and keep inboxes under control. Meanwhile, those who rely on web-based email can utilise browser add-ons or adjust their settings to avoid getting swamped with messages at work.
Distractions from Smartphones and the Internet
In many ways, mobile phones have completely altered how individuals interact socially and learn new knowledge. However, having unrestricted Internet access means having access to all of the temptations and distractions that it offers. The fact that digital businesses and social media sites make money from their users’ attention means they are motivated to keep users engaged for as long as possible.
The internet can be a great resource, but it can also be a source of distraction. For individuals checking their phones every few minutes, turning off notifications for all but the most important apps can be a huge help. Another option could be activating quality-of-life features like Android’s Focus Mode or iOS’s Screen Time to help you better manage your screen time. These tools allow you to restrict access to potentially disruptive applications for a specified period, such as when you need to be working.
Distractions will always be there, but we can always take steps to limit them. A simple solution to reducing the negative impact of these time wasters in the workplace on our daily lives is to change our habits.
Priority Management Australia always promotes work-life balance through proper time management. You can check out our productivity and time management courses here or contact us today.