Showcase Magazine Spring 2024 - Flipbook - Page 7
CAREERS
Simple Strategies to Work Smarter
During Your Apprenticeship
Workplace productivity tends to vary over time and it is normal for people to
experience days when they feel they could have accomplished more. Remember,
productivity is a habit that can be developed gradually. By identifying and adopting
methods and strategies that suit you, you can improve your productivity each day.
To boost your productivity, focus on tasks that matter most. Think about making small
adjustments to your daily work habits ... you might be pleasantly surprised with the
significant improvements!
Focus on one thing at at time
Research shows that multitasking is a
misconception; the brain actually task
switches, which in turn reduces productivity.
To improve focus, engage in external self-talk
to concentrate on one task at a time. E.g.
speak out loud and tell yourself what you
have to do.
Prioritise healthy habits
Taking care of your well-being outside of
work is crucial for productivity. Simple habits
like drinking water before coffee, stretching
hourly, and getting more sleep can
significantly boost energy, focus, and mood.
Exploring Unconventional
Career Paths
From
Professional Train Pushers in
Japan to Pet Food Tasters! Here are
some jobs that made it to the top of the
wonderfully weird Job List:
Professional Sleeper
Odour Judge
Snake Milker
Professional Mourner
Cuddle Professionals
And drum role please for our top pick...
Drying Paint Watcher!
Avoid distractions
Distractions hinder productivity and fall into two categories:
Self-imposed distractions like notifications, but these
can be controlled.
Environmentally imposed distractions like colleague
interruptions are harder to control.
Refocusing after distraction can take up to 23 minutes,
impacting time and energy, so it is important to minimise
these.
Learn from success as well as mistakes
One of the challenges of highly productive people is ensuring
that fast work is also good work.
Success should be analysed as much as failure. Productive
individuals repeat success by understanding what worked well,
why, and what to replicate. Evaluating successful situations
helps in achieving consistent success.