To Boost Productivity, Less is More

Do you ever feel like there are not enough hours in the day? In our constantly connected world, distractions are inevitable and we need productivity strategies more than ever. An article in the Harvard Business Review summarized advice from 26 bestselling science and productivity writers on giving your best performance during the workday.

Block out time. Take time to unplug and work away from email and smart phone distractions until you finish at least one important task.
Less is more. Challenge the idea that working more hours, often at an expense to your personal life, leads to greater productivity. Research shows that we have a limited capacity for focused attention; top performers cycle between 90-minute bursts of focused work and restorative breaks.
Leave important tasks incomplete (really!). Walking away from tasks prompts you to think about the work in different settings and allows your creativity to flow.
Take a step away. Instead of looking at vacations as lost work time, think of the time away as an investment in your work performance. Constantly working can stall creativity, whereas time away can promote new breakthroughs and solutions.
Don’t be afraid to say no. While having a lot on your plate can make you feel challenged and even needed, taking on too much can actually hurt your productivity and performance. Have a strategy for saying no; experts recommend creating an email template or writing out a script to use when doing it in person. Before saying no to your manager, write out all of the projects you are currently working on, indicating which ones you feel are high priority.

Bottom Line: When it comes to productivity, less is often more. Taking restorative breaks is necessary to boost creativity and produce your best work. By setting boundaries, taking mental breaks, blocking out time for uninterrupted work and saying no when you need to, you can work less and get more done. Read the article for more tips on boosting productivity to achieve peak work performance.

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