{"id":15667,"date":"2021-02-01T10:10:37","date_gmt":"2021-02-01T10:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=15667"},"modified":"2023-01-17T10:25:14","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:25:14","slug":"increase-productivity-watch-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Increase Productivity: What to Watch Out For"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/office\/product-overview.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">how to increase productivity<\/a> is clearly a question that\u2019s in high demand of answers, especially in an age where multitasking is a prerequisite. At RingCentral we\u2019re always looking for ways to help the individuals and companies who use our products be as productive as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology does a lot of heavy lifting, but there are things that we as individuals can do to improve our focus and output. We\u2019ve put together a few points on what can affect productivity in the workplace, so you know what pitfalls to avoid.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Social media overload<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many answers to the question \u2018how does technology affect productivity in the workplace?\u2019. Some technology can be great for boosting motivation and efficiency, but if we\u2019re talking about social media, we\u2019d have to say that this particular piece of tech is somewhat of a productivity killer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s no secret that your favourite networking sites are designed to keep users coming back for that dopamine hit the brain produces when we get a notification. So don\u2019t feel too bad if you find yourself spending more time than you\u2019d like scrolling the various feeds. In fact, the realisation that you no longer find it as satisfying as you once did is probably a red flag. Actually reducing your social media time is where the discipline comes in though:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try moving any apps in question away from the homepage of your phone and turn off push notifications for any apps you\u2019re addicted to.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use browser plugins to help you. These can either lock you out entirely or simply make you aware of the time you\u2019re spending.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Log yourself out of all social media sites on your work computer (and put your phone out of sight if it\u2019s too much of a temptation).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If all else fails, deleting your accounts may be the only solution to getting the headspace you need to focus on work.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have to use social media to do your job (or even instant messenger-like services for communicating with customers), we\u2019d recommend limiting your use to normal working hours. More on <a href=\"\/gb\/en\/blog\/effective-time-management\/\">time management<\/a> later in this article.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Unnecessary meetings<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does the workplace affect productivity? With unnecessary meetings. There\u2019s nothing worse than getting called up for a meeting that you\u2019ve got nothing to do with, and you might feel unsure as to whether it\u2019s rude to decline the invite or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unnecessary meetings are a huge barrier to increasing employee productivity in the workplace. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atlassian.com\/time-wasting-at-work-infographic\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Atlassian<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the company behind time-saving tech like Jira and Trello, the cost created by pointless meetings to U.S. businesses alone is somewhere around the $37bn mark. In 2019, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.blog.doodle.com\/2019\/01\/10\/pointless-meetings-will-cost-companies-530bn-in-2019\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doodle State of Meetings Report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> priced that same trend at a cost of \u00a345.4bn for the UK. What steps can you take to make sure you\u2019re staying out of the boardroom when necessary? Your company might like to try the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coming up with a set agenda that\u2019s sent out ahead of time. This allows people to see what the meeting\u2019s about and bow out if it doesn\u2019t concern them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting a time limit. A definitive end point can really work wonders in terms of making progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When scheduling a meeting ask yourself; \u2018Could this be an email?\u2019<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><span class='bctt-click-to-tweet'><span class='bctt-ctt-text'><a href='https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fringcentr.al%2F3pGvcFk&#038;text=How%20does%20the%20workplace%20affect%20productivity%3F%20With%20unnecessary%20meetings.%20There%E2%80%99s%20nothing%20worse%20than%20getting%20called%20up%20for%20a%20meeting%20that%20you%E2%80%99ve%20got%20nothing%20to%20do%20with.&#038;via=RingCentralUK&#038;related=RingCentralUK' target='_blank'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How does the workplace affect productivity? With unnecessary meetings. There\u2019s nothing worse than getting called up for a meeting that you\u2019ve got nothing to do with. <\/a><\/span><a href='https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fringcentr.al%2F3pGvcFk&#038;text=How%20does%20the%20workplace%20affect%20productivity%3F%20With%20unnecessary%20meetings.%20There%E2%80%99s%20nothing%20worse%20than%20getting%20called%20up%20for%20a%20meeting%20that%20you%E2%80%99ve%20got%20nothing%20to%20do%20with.&#038;via=RingCentralUK&#038;related=RingCentralUK' target='_blank' class='bctt-ctt-btn'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span><\/blockquote>\n<h2><b>Noise<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Workplace environment and productivity are closely linked. Especially when it comes to noise \u2013 which can be one of the big barriers to productivity, not least when you\u2019re on a deadline.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re in the office, you might be dealing with chatty colleagues, loud phone calls, or music playlists that aren\u2019t up your street. And while you might get a little more peace at home, that probably won\u2019t be the case for those with children, or a partner also working from the house. The same goes for those who work remotely \u2013 noisy cafes and busy trains don\u2019t typically make for great working environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, a set of headphones or even earplugs are a must. Failing that a \u2018backup\u2019 workspace (local hotdesk, library, or a quiet, dedicated room in your own home) can help.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Poor time management<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deadline \u2018fear\u2019, staying in the office too long, becoming distracted by checking your email, reluctance to prioritise \u2013 each of these symptoms can take a toll on your overall productivity. What simple yet effective measures can you take to improve your time management?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first, make a list of priorities. Doing this the night before your working day helps you feel more organised and allows you to make a quicker start in the morning. Set deadlines and stick to them \u2013 but be kind to yourself if you miss them. If you\u2019re really struggling with a task, make sure you are as distraction-free as possible. Switch off your notifications, close that inbox and turn off your phone if you have to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is, of course, technology that\u2019s on your side in terms of time management. Trello, Monday, Grammarly to name a few examples. Our very own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/contact-centre\/overview.html\">Contact Centre<\/a> fits into this category too. It includes <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/contact-centre\/features.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">time-saving features<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as email categorisation, self-service for customers and dynamic reply assistance to give just a few examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Multitasking<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Noble as it is, multitasking is overrated if you ask us. All too often productivity levels suffer at the hands of individuals being \u2018spread too thin\u2019 across different tasks. Tasks that often deserve dedicated focus and attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multitasking more often than not leaves you open to mistakes and the dreaded possibility of having to start over. There\u2019s plenty of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/research\/action\/multitask\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to support this fact. Studies show that our brains are not designed to focus on multiple things at once, and that multitasking can lead to what psychiatrist Edward Hallowel, M.D. calls Attention Deficit Trait (ADT).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The antidote to over-scheduling yourself is simple. Learn what your natural capacity is and get used to saying \u2018no\u2019 to things you can\u2019t handle. Or, better yet, ask for help. Teamwork and productivity in the workplace go hand in hand, so don\u2019t be afraid to stick to your limits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t<div class=\"cta-banner  CID-2FdM5dTp IID-6a0b2a00e48b4\"\r\n\t\tdata-dl-custom-type=\"ctaButton\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"cta-banner-img-wrap\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"cta-banner-img\" style=\"background-image:url(\/gb\/en\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/remote-teams-cta.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<div class=\"cta-body\" data-dl-custom-type=\"ctaButton\">\r\n\t\t\t<span class=\"cta-sub-heading\">Collaborate from anywhere<\/span>\r\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"cta-heading\">One application for all interactions<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t<p>Keep your team connected and collaborating while working remotely.<\/p>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"rc-cta-shortcode btn btn-primary btn-lg\" data-dl-element=\"button\"\r\n\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/why-use-ringcentral-desktop-app.html?\" class=\"btn btn-primary\"\r\n\t\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-dl-additional-info=\"One application for all interactions\"\r\n\t\t\t\tdata-dl-name=\"One application for all interactions | Find out how\">Find out how<\/a>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n\t\n<h2><b>Sleep deprivation<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This productivity killer is a bit of a no brainer. Lack of sleep quite simply translates as a lack of physical and mental energy to perform at your job. There are those lucky few who can spring out of bed with just four hours of sleep but most mortals need their full eight hours in order to feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find you have any of the following symptoms, you might not be getting enough rest: impaired judgement, poor concentration, decreased communication, and caffeine cravings. Getting a good night\u2019s rest is all about \u2018sleep hygiene\u2019, i.e. having a set \u2018bedtime\u2019 routine that gives your body cues that it\u2019s time to rest. It might include measures like switching off devices an hour or so before bed, reading a book, and making sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Poor diet<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019re all prone to the odd cheat meal, but making consistently bad decisions on what we eat can see productivity levels drop drastically. Ever notice that mid afternoon slump that comes after a lunch of junk food? That\u2019s the inevitable comedown that happens when the sugar and empty carbs leave your bloodstream.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By making sure you\u2019re well hydrated and eating foods that give you a more sustained release of energy you\u2019ll be well set for a productive day. Foods that are high in protein (like fish, chicken, turkey, chickpeas) are great for this, as are \u2018smart\u2019 carbs like sweet potato, nuts, leafy greens and whole grains.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Perfectionism<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Last but by no means least on our list of things responsible for a loss of productivity in the workplace is perfectionism. Yes, all projects need a certain degree of attention to detail in order to make sure they\u2019re complete, but when it gets into micro-tuning the fine print, progress can really become stifled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For us it\u2019s about finding a balance between striving for excellence and actual output. Look at it this way; if you don\u2019t \u2018finish\u2019 something how can you learn from it and improve it for next time? Learning to embrace any failures as valuable lessons will mean you can keep productivity at an optimum level and standards as high as (humanly) possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Getting down to business<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hopefully we\u2019ve offered up some useful information in terms of productivity killers to look out for and ways to remedy them. The benefits of improving productivity in the workplace might be obvious, but harnessing that focus and the power that comes with it isn\u2019t always easy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s why we\u2019ve designed our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/contact-centre\/features.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact Centre services<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to be as intuitive and efficient as possible. From allowing you to manage large volumes of email, to machine learning that automatically understands an incoming message \u2013 there are plenty of built-in features there to help you be as productive as possible. Just don\u2019t forget those pitfalls.<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t<div class=\"bottom-cta style-3 mid  CID-cta-2FdM5dTp\"\r\n\t\t\tdata-dl-custom-type=\"ctaButton\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"bottom-cta-copy text-center\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"h2\">Keep your team connected and collaborating from anywhere<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<p><\/p>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"rc-cta-shortcode btn btn-primary btn-lg\" data-dl-element=\"button\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg\" style=\"margin-top: 16px; font-weight: bold;\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Learn about collab app\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/teams\/overview.html?\" target=\"_blank\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\trel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-dl-additional-info=\"Keep your team connected and collaborating from anywhere\"\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-dl-name=\"Keep your team connected and collaborating from anywhere | Find out how\">Find out how<\/a>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learning how to increase productivity is clearly a question that\u2019s in high demand of answers, especially in an age where multitasking is a prerequisite. At RingCentral we\u2019re always looking for &hellip; <a href=\"\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How to Increase Productivity: What to Watch Out For&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":244,"featured_media":15715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5],"tags":[74,56,178,39,126],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Increase Productivity: What to Watch Out For | RingCentral UK Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Keen to increase workplace productivity? Know your enemy. 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Whether you\u2019re at home or in an office these \u2018productivity killers\u2019 are worth watching out for.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ringcentral.com\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"RingCentral Team","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":":\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/"},"author":{"name":"RingCentral Team","@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/cc4f043d2b478862a8622c28b0ebd08c"},"headline":"How to Increase Productivity: What to Watch Out For","datePublished":"2021-02-01T10:10:37+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-17T10:25:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/"},"wordCount":1640,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/#organization"},"keywords":["cloud communications","collaboration","employee experience","remote working","working from home"],"articleSection":["Cloud Communications","Collaboration"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":[":\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/","url":":\/gb\/en\/blog\/increase-productivity-watch-out\/","name":"How to Increase Productivity: What to Watch Out For | RingCentral UK Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-02-01T10:10:37+00:00","dateModified":"2023-01-17T10:25:14+00:00","description":"Keen to increase workplace productivity? 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