03 July 2015 
Rachel Ward, Learning and Development Manager
Given the holiday season is fast approaching, a recent article from the CIPD on how to be more efficient and productive at work, particularly after breaks, is timely. It suggests workers adopt strategies such as ‘recognising decision points’, and has tips for how to approach starting a fresh piece of work, move from task to another, or choose what to do next.
We usually make many decisions automatically, such as opening email as soon as we fire up the computer. However it suggests we should use these decision points to pick the piece of work which is going to be most beneficial given the time available, energy levels, and the work's importance. In other words we should take control of these decision points rather than letting them take control of us.
The article explains how our brain can get tired much more quickly than we realise, and once that happens we can waste time and are more likely to be unproductive. It also highlights how some tasks create emotions that impact our ability to perform, so if we pay attention to this we can spot it and plan the right time to do the work. So we should do the tough projects when our brains are fresh and creative, and do tasks like checking our email when we have less energy for the bigger stuff. Other tips include managing your 'mental energy', stop fighting distractions, and 'use your mind-body connection'. The full article covers them in more detail.
So next time you return to work, or before you even go on holiday, try one or two of these strategies for a more productive work life. Start small, do one thing and see what the results are.
