Improve productivity

[amine.ahd]

How do you do it?

What are the things you think reduce your productivity?

For me basically two things:

• Social Networks where I have to check them every 10 minutes thus losing focus on what I was doing.
• Bad breakfast that includes a lot of calories and then after two hours I become really lazy and can't do anything.

[fiveworlds]

What are the things you think reduce your productivity?

 

 

Availability of information and language barriers

[imatfaal]

 

How do you do it?

What are the things you think reduce your productivity?

For me basically two things:

• Social Networks where I have to check them every 10 minutes thus losing focus on what I was doing.
• Bad breakfast that includes a lot of calories and then after two hours I become really lazy and can't do anything.

 

 

 

There are add-ons to most browsers that lock you out of social networks whilst you should be studying - worth trying

[Phi for All]

What kind of environment are we being productive (or not) in? Big breakfasts work pretty well if you're working in the fields baling hay or something. Not so much for the office worker or student. I think a big part of productivity is understanding the nature of your work environment, and making choices that work well with that foundation.

 

Many small meals throughout the day is a great convention for people who don't do physical labor very much. It keeps you satisfied but never too full.

 

I'm reading more and more that multi-tasking is synonymous with "fooling yourself". Many people think they're great at it, but when tested they perform equally poorly at all their tasks, or it takes them longer than if they were to simply focus on things one-at-a-time. I'm one of those people, I've always thought I was highly capable at it. I've tested myself informally, and I can definitely say that multi-tasking is NOT as efficient for me as I always believed. And it's become synonymous with efficient workers who can handle more than one thing at a time, like focus is a bad thing. I think it's very detrimental that we revere multi-tasking as a sign of intelligence and a good work ethic. I think it's been promoted this way by corporations who want you to put in more hours, and not complain when they give you more work on top of what you already have.

 

And if you're going to focus more, you also need to get in the habit of taking a two-minute stretch every hour. I find it helps the eyes, especially if you're in front of a computer, it helps the brain reset and perhaps kick a few things loose, and it's good physically to move around and let your body know you don't need any adenosine right now, which is usually what makes you drowsy sitting at a desk too long.

[ajb]

Scienceforums.net seems to be my biggest trouble... I think I may be addicted.

[CharonY]

Naaaah. Can't be. Can it?

[Phi for All]

Naaaah. Can't be. Can it?

 

You can tell he's hooked when he runs through all the physics threads and starts trolling biology.

[CharonY]

To be fair, that would be the low-hanging fruit.

[ajb]

You can tell he's hooked when he runs through all the physics threads and starts trolling biology.

Most of the half sensible questions in biology loose me, but I am not so daft as not to recognise some very clear problems with some of the claims of the evolution deniers. I imagine that those who are more familiar with the details of evolution and so are amazed at the rehashed arguments that were debunked some time ago. In physics the relativity and quantum deniers often resort to old arguments that hold no weight.

 

Hang on... I should be working not replying to comments here. I need help.

[amine.ahd]

 

 

There are add-ons to most browsers that lock you out of social networks whilst you should be studying - worth trying

 

Thanks! just installed StayFocused in Chrome and gave my self "just" one hour of Facebook daily!

What kind of environment are we being productive (or not) in? Big breakfasts work pretty well if you're working in the fields baling hay or something. Not so much for the office worker or student. I think a big part of productivity is understanding the nature of your work environment, and making choices that work well with that foundation.

 

Many small meals throughout the day is a great convention for people who don't do physical labor very much. It keeps you satisfied but never too full.

 

I'm reading more and more that multi-tasking is synonymous with "fooling yourself". Many people think they're great at it, but when tested they perform equally poorly at all their tasks, or it takes them longer than if they were to simply focus on things one-at-a-time. I'm one of those people, I've always thought I was highly capable at it. I've tested myself informally, and I can definitely say that multi-tasking is NOT as efficient for me as I always believed. And it's become synonymous with efficient workers who can handle more than one thing at a time, like focus is a bad thing. I think it's very detrimental that we revere multi-tasking as a sign of intelligence and a good work ethic. I think it's been promoted this way by corporations who want you to put in more hours, and not complain when they give you more work on top of what you already have.

 

And if you're going to focus more, you also need to get in the habit of taking a two-minute stretch every hour. I find it helps the eyes, especially if you're in front of a computer, it helps the brain reset and perhaps kick a few things loose, and it's good physically to move around and let your body know you don't need any adenosine right now, which is usually what makes you drowsy sitting at a desk too long.

Your are correct about different methods for different contexts.

And multi-tasking is a nightmare and for it is a sort of procrastination most of the time and I end up doing poor jobs...

But I think there are some general rules that really help you stay productive for example being healthy and doing some sports is helpful too.

Most of the half sensible questions in biology loose me, but I am not so daft as not to recognise some very clear problems with some of the claims of the evolution deniers. I imagine that those who are more familiar with the details of evolution and so are amazed at the rehashed arguments that were debunked some time ago. In physics the relativity and quantum deniers often resort to old arguments that hold no weight.

 

Hang on... I should be working not replying to comments here. I need help.

I think those evolution deniers are doing it by purpose to keep you away from work. Illuminati confirmed.

[iNow]

As others have noted already, depends quite a bit on context. In certain manufacturing environments, productivity could be massively improved with changes to process and tools. In office environments, productivity could be improved by changing meeting schedules or introducing morning status checkins. At the individual level, a good exercise regimen could add energy and mental clarity if you want to be healthy, or Ritalin and cocaine and caffeine could improve productivity in the short-term if you don't care about personal health or legality. Improvements could be realized by improving your home life and escaping abusive or violent relationships or simply by sleeping better.

 

Depends on context.

[CharonY]

Or even just things like organizing workload into manageable chunks can limit procrastination. For example, right now I have scheduled for myself to work on a proposal.... darn.

[Sato]

I find that having a rational motivation for my work makes me more productive.

 

It's very easy to rationalize doing anything, and once you've got the idea "the thing I'm doing right now is important because ... and it's interesting because ..." grokked so that you can access it for an instant every few seconds, you should see yourself more fit to focus, consistently.

 

I think this applies widely, whether to a field worker feeding his wife and children, or a mathematician grasping the all-pervasive concept of categories, finding (or tricking yourself into feeling) interest and importance in the work is usually doable.

 

Not that ajb can't feed his wife and/or and grasp mathematics at the same time .

 

[imatfaal]

I find that having a rational motivation for my work makes me more productive.

 

It's very easy to rationalize doing anything, and once you've got the idea "the thing I'm doing right now is important because ... and it's interesting because ..." grokked so that you can access it for an instant every few seconds, you should see yourself more fit to focus, consistently.

 

I think this applies widely, whether to a field worker feeding his wife and children, or a mathematician grasping the all-pervasive concept of categories, finding (or tricking yourself into feeling) interest and importance in the work is usually doable.

 

Not that ajb can't feed his wife and/or and grasp mathematics at the same time .

 

 

I know 4 theoretical mathematics post-grad degree holders who got their ridiculously highly paid jobs in city of london solely due to their academic qualifications. If you have ambition, don't mind wearing a suit etc. and the sort of mind that can do it (and are willing to take Mammon's coin) then pure mathematics is probably one of the best degrees to make money with at the moment

[jajrussel]

I am so jealous.

 

Where I work all the work I do is inspected daily. Fail and there is the possibility of a right up.

 

The motivational speech usually goes;

 

(I am glad you showed up. I know you are tired, but it can be dangerous out there,so be careful. We want you to go home the same way we came in, and for God's sake don't do anything foolish. I hate firing people.) Foolish translates to immediately fired.

 

This translates to;

 

(Work faster. Don't screw up or you may get a right up. Enough right ups, then I don't have to worry about firing you. You'll fire yourselves.)

 

Their goal is usually always achieved. We tend to come in tired, and we go home tired.

 

If not for the saving grace that we show motivation by simply showing up, and the fact that supervisors can bend the letter of law with discretion. It would be pure hell.

 

I truely, am so jealous...

 

After reading the other post I forgot that this is about production. Generally when I get to work production is still in the way. This means I am given busy work until I can start my real job. It also means that the number of hours I have to complete my real work changes daily. In my line of work production is based on getting the same job done everyday without regard to how many hours there are left to work with. At certain times certain things have to be done period. If they are not the part of the company that is called production cannot start work. The inspectors have the final say as to when they do start.

 

Production is supposed to stop at specific times. My job is timed around those times. Vary rarely with any accuracy. If I manage to get all my work done no matter what the time limitations are, and it passes inspection before production is supposed to start. I have been productive. Failure is not an option. Failure is the way to unemployment. You live with this mind set every day, or find another job.

 

Forget, and fail to comply with lock out tag out rules just one time results in immediate three day suspension with continued employment pending investigation.

 

The general rule is you don't come back. I have never heard of anyone coming back. There is no supervisory discretion. You don't come back.

 

Self motivation is the natural state of those of us who continue to survive, our production is a given.

Edited September 28, 2015 by jajrussel