5 Tips for Work Efficiency to Achieve Work-Life Balance

Setting Realistic Goals

Setting goals at the beginning can help someone achieve success. With clear goals, you will gain direction and motivation to do the job. Realistic goals are also needed to help improve work efficiency.

Quoted from the article on Indeed.com, a realistic goal is achievable given your current mind, level of motivation, timeframe, skills, and abilities. Realistic goals can help you determine what you want and can achieve.

To set realistic goals, you can use the SMART approach: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based.

Time Management

If you are faced with piling up work and feel overwhelmed with the tasks that need to be completed, you can improve your time management.

Effective time management can make your work more organized and efficient. You do this by dividing daily activities into chunks or chunking and executing them at the right time and according to your energy level.

For example, when you are chunking, put responsibilities such as responding to emails, following up on documents, or meeting in the morning while you are still fresh. You can do less thought-provoking activities later in the evening when your energy starts to run low. With adjusted time management, you can complete more tasks in less time.

Eliminate Distractions

Did you know that 75% of workers in the United States feel distracted by digital notifications from their smartphones during working hours? According to UGM researchers, distraction refers to distractions that come from the media and occur when someone is accessing information, especially via the internet.

Working with computers and internet networks makes a person more distracted. There's always a temptation to open an Instagram account, scroll through TikTok, or watch adverts on YouTube. To reduce distraction and make work more efficient, you can turn off social media or install time-limiting software on your computer or smartphone. In addition, placing the smartphone in a different room during working hours can also improve focus and reduce distraction.

Create an Environment that Supports Productivity

Research shows that a clean and comfortable workplace can increase productivity and motivation.

Therefore, you need to pay attention to the cleanliness and comfort of your workstation, both your cubicle at the office and your desk at home. Apart from providing ergonomic chairs, an internet network, and complete equipment, you can also put your favorite music or plants on the table to create a comfortable atmosphere.

Enough Rest

Feeling tired and quickly losing focus can signify that your body and brain need rest. Fulfilling tasks according to deadlines is important, but your physical and mental health is far more valuable.

Overworking or too much work is a serious problem that must be avoided. Reporting to BBC.com, research shows that people who work more than 54 hours a week have a higher risk of death. Overworking is also ineffective because work productivity will decrease with suboptimal physical and mental conditions.

Adequate rest can increase work efficiency because the ability to focus will increase with a fit body condition.

You can try some of these tips to increase work efficiency. This will not only impact your productivity at work but will also affect your quality of life. The less time spent working, the more quality time you will have for yourself and your family. That way, you can create an ideal work-life balance.