6 ways to increase productivity and efficiency at work

By Dhruvil Sanghvi, Founder & CEO, LogiNext

In life, change is the only constant. Many times, it becomes imperative to bring about change in personal and professional lives, in order to stay in sync with the latest developments in the environment. Here are six ways in which one can bring about change in their lives, and increase productivity and efficiency at their workplace

1. Work with a sense of urgency

To scale quicker, you must work faster than usual. Being proactive and observant will help you stay ahead of the competition. To create a sense of urgency, encourage your team to perform their best, but don’t go overboard with the nudges. Instead, talk freely and honestly, offer suggestions and resources, and always be willing to assist. Every task should have a deadline linked to it so that the team is aware of how quickly they need to work.

2. Deploy automation to improve efficiency and productivity

Teams at hyper-growth companies must don multiple hats as the responsibilities are endless—right from managing finances to sales and marketing, to building entire product modules single-handedly, and everything in between. While every team member’s time is best spent serving clients and developing new technologies, attention must also be given to completing smaller tasks in order to keep the firm running efficiently. It is critical that businesses automate several of these tasks, allowing the team to concentrate on increasing efficiency and output. At the end of the day, it is not about working less, but about making a bigger effect using automation.

3. Leverage the power of a lean team

Companies should trust in the power of small teams and adopt the strategy of hiring lean teams of no more than five people. It is true that as the team size grows, the amount of effort put in by each team member diminishes. People in smaller groups, on the other hand, put in more effort since they are more responsible for the outcome of the work they have done. Each member has the ability to wear numerous hats and is more enterprising. Their motivation is tapped because of their sense of ownership. Companies have discovered through experience that more talent does not equal optimal talent. Instead, prioritizing a culture that encourages each member to play an important role is a beneficial part of the smaller team

4. Get out of the comfort zone

We’re all bound by our routines, so it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. Getting out of that routine is the most difficult aspect. Every team member should seek out fresh experiences on a regular basis in order to become more creative and emotionally stronger than those who are stuck in a routine. This is because breaking one’s own mould makes one more resilient, stronger, and confident in their ability to achieve more success in both their professional and personal life. This encourages you to try new things, which leads to higher productivity.

Although it takes time to adjust, everyone on the team should be willing to step outside of their comfort zone and seek out new challenges on a regular basis. Getting out of the safe zone is a small step forward. Every time a person’s limits are stretched, they learn something new about themselves and the company they are working in.

5. Have a mentor

Being an entrepreneur is a fascinating opportunity to build something valuable from the ground up. Along with the highs of achievement, there are moments when you need some guidance to get you back on track, keep you in check, and help you establish a long-term business. This is where a mentor’s involvement is crucial.

Having a mentor adds a lot to an individual’s efficiency. Each mentor imparts a wealth of knowledge. They help in getting practical information and experiences that books cannot supply. They make significant contributions to advancement by providing constant moral counselling and effective professional assistance. In fact, if you’ve gained access to the industry’s inner circle and managed to impress them, they’ll often introduce you to more fascinating mentors without even asking. That’s when you realize you’ve had a taste of blood and want more and more of it.

6. Be critical and learn to say no

While setting up a company or while leading a team, it is a natural tendency that people would want to achieve everything in a short span of time. However, there will be a point where one may end up being excessively busy without reaching desired results. When one takes up more tasks than necessary, they end up having little (or no) time for the core tasks. So, learn to say no. To do this, it is best that you don’t let anyone else plan your day and manage your own schedule.