Your Work Energy Booster

Energy drinks, energy bars… what else? Of course you don’t have to take these to boost your productivity. In this article, I am going to offer you some tips for enhancing your performance at work.

With the fabulous weather outside, you’ll be daydreaming that you’re sipping lemonade at the beach. It’s sometimes hard to concentrate on your work and be productive every day. As Anita Attridge, a Five O’Clock Club career and executive coach stated on Forbes, “The warm weather and thoughts of vacation can be distracting to employees and can potentially reduce productivity.” However, summer is not an excuse for slacking off.

So, what can you do to boost your work productivity?

1. Had your breakfast yet? Did you know that eating breakfast, the most important meal of the day, gives you the energy and strength to stay awake for the entire day? Having healthy eating habits keep you focused and your brain alert all day long. A full breakfast can make a difference. So grab a healthy grilled chicken caesar wrap with a half sweet green tea latte to start off a brand new day!
2. Create a To-do list – I personally love using post-it notes to create a short to-do list at the beginning of my work day as well as a checklist of all the tasks that I have to complete. Plan your day ahead, set priorities to identify which tasks are important and which ones are urgent.
3. Take breaks – A tea break at 3:15pm is not enough! Remember to take breaks throughout the eight-hour work day. Don’t simply stay glued to your chair for hours! For example, you can incorporate easy-to-do stretches right at your desk, or go for a short walk to take some vitamin D from the sun. You’ll definitely be energized again!
4. Go for a short vacation. If you haven’t taken vacation for ages, why not take a “long break”? Read one of my previous blogs, Travel Your Career, to see how you can strategically turn your break into a meaningful one.
5. Say “No” to social media. Some of you may get easily distracted with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. However, if you want to work productively, you may have to switch the notifications off and concentrate on your work first. You’ll have sufficient time to use these social networking sites after work, right?

These tips will definitely help me (and hopefully you too) boost my work productivity even in summer. You can also read the article by Forbes, 10 Easy Ways to be More Productive at Work, to learn more interesting ideas on being productive at work. What are some of your tips for increasing your work productivity?

Lead image: creative-commons licensed photo by Tim RT on Flickr. 

Jeannie Chong is a Special Projects Assistant with SFU Career Services, and a fourth year student studying communications and publishing. Jeannie volunteers at a radio station, spends time doing crafts and Chinese calligraphy, and loves to indulge her sweet tooth.