How many of us are office clock-watchers, who count the minutes before we log those minimum work hours and then leave our workstations? Well then, today should be right up your alley as it's Leave The Office Earlier Day . But that doesn't mean you've got a free half-day . What is does mean is that you need to increase your productivity so that you can leave work earlier than usual so that you can have more free time on a weekday.
The origins of leave the office earlier day
The occasion was the invention of Laura Stack, a specialist in employee productivity, who observed that Americans work an average of 49 hours a week, and, more importantly , 350 hours a year more than most Europeans. The day was therefore started as an incentive for employees to complete tasks before schedule and thereby make a conscious effort to increase their efficiency and productivity so they could go home earlier than usual. This means that the prospect of leaving work earlier is motivation for an employee to perform to higher maximum potential.
How beneficial is this concept
The idea of Leave The Office Earlier Day is to emphasize one's productivity, and not time, some thing that has come about with the advent of capitalization, globalization and outsourcing, says Ramadhar Singh, professor of organizational behaviour and human resoiour and human resources management. "It works on the concept of people wanting free time. So if you do your job, you get that free time. But that requires clarity of one's job. Questions like, `What can I do?', `What are my tasks?' and `What are my performance areas?' need to be answered. We are giving individuals freedom, but that requires clarity , which is usually ambiguous in organizations," he says. Moreover, people now have phone and internet access everywhere, so there is no demarcation between home and work, he adds.
How you can increase your productivity
There are ways that human resource management experts and organizational psychologists say you can increase your productivity so that you can finish your allotted tasks early , or get more done during your work days. Some of them include...
Not multi-tasking:
The ability to multi-task has been hailed as a boon to productivity, but psychologists have contradicted this, saying instead that attempting to do several tasks at once can result lead to lost time and productivity .
Avoiding meetings:
It's said that meetings are one of the biggest detriments to productivity , mainly because they can be too long, lack clear purpose and leave too much room for employee distraction. Try and accomplish the same goals or tasks via e mail , phone or web-based meetings. But if you must have one, try a standing meeting, as it is said to be shorter and more productive.
Taking regular breaks:
Taking scheduled breaks (say , every 90 minutes), during which you step away from your workstation, can help imp rove concentration, as well as help prevent back ailments related to sitting for too long.
Avoiding heavy lunches:
A heavy lunch will make you fatigued, thereby leading to deceased levels of concentration and productivity . Instead, snack on foods high in protein, fibre and antioxidants
Making the most of your commute:
Use the time you take to get to work to answer emails and to plan your day.
Make use of WiFi enabled vehicles in the city, like buses and cabs, to do this.