Whether it’s you or your team, a lack of productivity makes it difficult to feel organized. This results in frustration, confusion, and can make a difference in your bottom line as well. So how can you establish patterns of productivity for everyone on your team? What are some practical examples to help you be more productive? This blog post will address these questions, so read on.
ONE THING AT A TIME
One of the easiest ways to derail productivity is to feel overwhelmed by multiple tasks on your to-do list. To counteract this, work on one task at a time without thinking about the other things you need to. This helps to keep you focused and less likely to make errors along the way.
TAKE BREAKS
Have you ever found yourself frustrated with a task and attempting to finish it over and over without success? Sometimes the answer is stepping away from your task for a few minutes and coming back to it later. This may seem simple, but taking breaks helps clear your mind. Whether it’s data entry or file organization, walking around the office for a few minutes can give you new eyes to finish your task. Breaks are especially important for more menial and repetitive tasks where it’s easy to overlook things.
PRIORITIZE
One of the reasons a large to-do list is overwhelming is because it can seem all over the place. If you and your team organize your tasks by priority, it can help make sense out of chaos. For example, maybe you want to tackle tasks with specific deadlines first, like bills and payroll. Other “less important” tasks – like the lightbulb in the waiting room that needs to be replaced — can be lower on the priority list for now. The key is not forgetting about them!
“WORST THINGS FIRST”
Some people find a “worst things first” approach to be helpful. Is there a task you need to do but really don’t enjoy? Tackle it first! This is especially true for things like decluttering office space and organizing patient records and other more “long-term” goals. You will feel a sense of accomplishment by finishing the more dreaded task first – not to mention a sense of relief.
ELIMINATE EXCUSES
Finally, the key to getting and staying productive is getting in the habit of eliminating excuses. Tempted to do something “later” that can be tackled right now? Don’t give it to those thoughts! If a task takes less than a few minutes, do it right away. While this can’t apply to every scenario, getting rid of excuses will go a long way to boosting your productivity, both individually and as a team.
For more productivity and dental practice management tips, pick up one of Dr. Coughlin’s books or email kcoughlin@ascentdentalcare.com.