An employee’s worth in a firm is decided by his/her productivity. The growth of a business depends on the performance of the employees. It is the employees that led a company to its growth or decline. Whether it is the executive or a mid-level employee, each worker has a role to play and it is a team effort that leads to a firm’s success. This is why almost all the leading firms regularly take a toll on their employees’ performances. The employees are judged on the basis of their individual performances and given benefits like promotion accordingly.
But, not all days are the same. Every individual has their good days and bad days. But if the bad patch extends for a longer period, it might affect not only an individual’s growth but also the growth of a company or business. There are several reasons that can cause a decline in the productivity of an individual.
If you are concerned about the decline in your productivity, it might be a time for self-assessment. What can you do as an individual if your productivity is declining? The first thing that you need to do is figuring out the reasons that might be affecting your productivity. There are some common reasons that affect the productivity of an individual. We’ve tried to compile the common reasons behind the decline in the productivity of an individual, after several hours of brainstorming.
Sleeping Habits
A healthy individual needs six to seven hours of uninterrupted sleep and that too during the same time period. But recent surveys have revealed that most of the executives and employees in the leading firms were getting less than six hours of sleep. This was mainly due to extra workload and other problems including stress. While it might appear to be great for the work in the short run, inconsistent sleeping might lead to a decline in your performance over time. In order to boost your performance, you need to give your body and brain proper rest.
Improper Seating
Yes sitting on a chair and working on a desk is the best way to work but that does not mean it’s always right. As individuals, we need to sit 8 to 9 hours on a chair continuously during the working hours. This leads to several problems such as body pain, stress, weight gain, depression, heart disease and fatigue. That is why it is very important that you make proper seating arrangements and select a proper chair for yourself. You should also not ignore problems like body pain and back pain. You can increase your productivity by 10 to 20 per cent just by investing a little on your seating arrangement.
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Technology
Technology is both a boon as well as a curse for all of us and there are plenty of proofs to prove my claim. Technology has made our work easier in a lot of ways but constant popping of notification on our phone screens and computers can impact our concentration in a negative way. In the long run, it might lead to stress and an interruption in your thought process. That is why it is advisable to put your phone on Do Not Disturb or silent mode during the working hours.
Bad Eating Habits
What you eat is what you become. Your energy levels depend on what you eat throughout the day. It is important to eat light and healthy food before going to work as having a heavy diet just before working can cause problems like body pain, stress and weight gain. Also, a lot of people have a habit of delaying their meals due to an extended workload. This is OK when done occasionally but inconsistent meal timing over a long period can have several negative impacts including weight gain and stress.
Multitasking
If a firm asks you to do more than one work, you might consider looking for another job. There’s a reason that there are different fields and departments in a company. Everyone is meant for dedicated work and when you put your feet on two ferries, you are bound to fall down. Doing one task with excellence is far better than doing multiple tasks with less efficacy. Quality over quantity is always sustainable in the long run.
Not Taking Breaks
Being a good worker doesn’t mean you need to hit your fingers on the keyboard for 9 to 10 hours continuously without taking any break. It is advisable to take 10-15 minutes of break after 3 to 4 continuous hours of work as it might help you as an individual in overcoming problems like stress and workload. It will also help you in starting fresh for another session. Taking a break should not be confused with being lazy. It is important to keep a balance between the workload and rest to maintain productivity throughout your career.
No Automation
Automation is the need of the hour and all the leading firms are using it as a time saving and workload reducing measure. When you enter the corporate world, replying to emails, feedback and reverting to queries is mostly considered as secondary work. If you spend more time on secondary tasks, your primary tasks get affected. This is why you need to take the help of automation in performing secondary tasks such as reverting to emails and follow-ups.
