“Time is gold,” as the popular saying goes. How important is time really, especially in the virtual workplace? Business owners are one of the busiest types of people in the world, having lots of tasks to accomplish, every minute is a treasure.
Efficiency and productivity are crucial for success in any work environment. By streamlining your daily operations, you can increase productivity, increase output, and eliminate time-consuming tasks. Whether you’re an employee looking to advance in your career or a business owner striving to achieve your business goals, finding ways to work more efficiently and effectively can make a big difference.
In today’s fast-paced world, it is quite difficult to be patient. Just the same as, in the workplace, it’s more important than ever to be able to do more in less time. In this blog, we’ll explore some tips and strategies for maximizing efficiency and productivity at work. From setting clear goals to staying organized and taking breaks, we’ll cover a range of approaches that can help you get more done and achieve better results.
Virtual Workplace Efficiency vs. Productivity
Most of the time, we use the words efficiency and productivity. But what do these terms mean? Efficiency and productivity are closely related, but they are very much different. The term efficiency can be defined as the ability to do something in the most effective way possible, with the least amount of waste or unnecessary effort. It’s about getting the most out of the resources you have available, whether that’s time, money, materials, or people. In short, it means doing things in the right way. For example, a virtual assistant who completes any administrative task quickly and accurately is efficient.
Productivity in the workplace, on the other hand, is a measure of how much work is done in a given period of time. It’s a measure of services produced or the output. For example, a virtual assistant who produces a large number of high-quality products in a short period of time, such as doing all the back office jobs, is said to be productive.
So, while efficiency is about doing something well, productivity is about doing a lot of things well. Increasing efficiency can lead to increased productivity, as it allows you to get more done in the same amount of time. Therefore, they are correlated. However, increasing productivity does not necessarily mean that you are being more efficient. Thus, when a virtual assistant focuses solely on productivity, let’s say, answering more emails than usual within the same timeframe, as well as getting more tasks done with the same resources may not improve quality. At the same time, you could be working longer hours which would increase your productivity, but not necessarily your efficiency.
Tips for Working Virtually to Improve your Efficiency and Productivity
The virtual workplace has become increasingly common in recent years, with many employees working remotely or collaborating online from different locations and different work schedules, as discussed in Best Practices When Working with Virtual Assistants in Different Time Zones (link to this blog). Certainly, working remotely can offer a lot of flexibility and convenience, but at the same time, it can also present some unique challenges when it comes to maximizing work efficiency and productivity. Here are some ways to make the most of your virtual work environment:
1. Setting clear goals and expectations. As a business owner, you need to let your virtual assistants know the goals and expectations by communicating to them clearly for them to stay productive as mentioned in First 30 Days Expectations From a Virtual Assistant. This is especially important in virtual environments where the same level of face-to-face communication may not occur. Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable parts will help your virtual assistants exactly know what is expected of them, thus will be more productive. A structured onboarding program with clear goals is also one of the things that you should strive to achieve. Goal setting is helpful to be more focused one task at a time, maximizing work efficiency and productivity while building momentum in the process.
2. Creating a dedicated workspace. When working from home, dedicated workspaces can help one stay focused and avoid distractions, as a cramped and disorganized workspace impacts employee satisfaction and productivity. According to Julie Thompson of business.com, “you can create a more positive work space, working on improving one element at a time.” The site also has enumerated the following suggestions on how to address it:
A. Add color. Transform the space by painting it as well as rearranging the area.
B. Bring in more natural light. Utilize the natural lighting by having windows or mirrors installed in your space depending on the budget. Upgrading the existing light to help in the ambient lighting of the workspace.
C. Turn down the noise (pollution): if noise is really the issue in the area, noise-canceling headphones are a must-have. This is to reduce the background noise allowing you to have a more accurate conversation.
D. Create a natural motivation boost with plants. The addition of a little greenery can improve the office atmosphere by offering physical, emotional and other benefits, according to a study in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture. For example, add plants that will purify the air in the room to inspire one’s creativity and at the same time reduce stress and depression. This may include palm plants, rubber plants, ferns, and English ivy, which can filter toxins to increase mental health
E. Design your workplace with tasks in mind: Factors can affect a person’s productivity and efficiency depending on how the workplace was designed. As mentioned in previous points, sound, light, and even the “scent” of your work environment can cause burnout if not managed well. Thus, your area must provide cognitive support and the tools needed to do your best work. With this in mind, frustration towards which could lead to lack of motivation, lack of pleasure in the job, and most importantly, lack of belief in your ability to finish a certain task, can be avoided.
3. Staying organized. With so many tasks and responsibilities, it can be easy to lose track of things in a virtual setting. Thus, a cluttered or disorganized workspace can be a major distraction and drain on your productivity. Take some time to tidy up your desk and get everything in its proper place. Make sure you have a good system in place for organizing your work, whether that’s through task lists, a calendar, or some other method.
4. Using technology to your advantage. There are many tools and technologies available that can help one work more efficiently. As cited in Best Practices When Working with Virtual Assistants in Different Time Zones, it is essential to consider using project management software, time-tracking apps, or productivity tools like Trello or Asana to stay organized and on top of your tasks. A company that invests in new technology enlisting tools and services, such as automation software, may see an increase in efficiency as tasks can be completed more quickly and accurately. For example, putting it as simple as a virtual assistant who streamlines their workflow by using keyboard shortcuts and automating repetitive tasks will be more efficient in their work.
5. Taking breaks. It’s easy to get caught up in work when you’re in a virtual environment, but it’s important to take regular breaks to rest, recharge, and refocus. Develop regular virtual meetings by creating mental health check-ins or providing a virtual social space for the team to destress. Encourage positive and engaging conversations. Working nonstop can actually decrease one’s productivity in the long run. Also, consider taking screen breaks for greater ease. Step away from the computer, take a walk, or do some stretching to help you stay focused and avoid burnout.
6. Learning to say “No” and prioritize things. It’s important to be able to prioritize your tasks and not take on more than you can handle, especially when everything in your list is said to be important. Don’t be afraid to say no to requests that will distract you from your most important work.
7. Delegating tasks. Delegating tasks effectively will allow one to focus on the tasks that require your specific skills and expertise, and it will also help develop the skills of the rest of the team members. According to Harvard Business Review, “To set the table for effective delegation, make sure you express why something is important to you, confirm that your expectations for the work have been clearly communicated, ask how much of your involvement they need, and practice saying no. Don’t let a focus on execution hold you back from the big-picture work of leading. If you delegate with these principles in mind, the work will get done, because the right people will be focused on the right tasks.” Therefore, a business owner who invests in training for their team and provides them with the tools and resources they need to do their jobs well will be more effective in leading their team.
The Path to a More Productive Virtual Workplace
On a final note, every successful business knows that maximizing virtual workplace efficiency and productivity is key to achieving desired results. Happiness is good for any business as it builds resilience. As a business owner and leader, take advantage of the opportunity to have a happier workplace to improve your virtual assistants’ performance and inspire them to stay engaged and motivated. Follow the strategies above in creating new dynamics for your business, such as, setting clear goals through effective communication, organizing your dedicated workspace to stay focused, using technology to your advantage, taking breaks, prioritizing things to avoid distractions, and delegating tasks. Accordingly, happier employees work harder which leads to efficiency and greater productivity in the virtual workplace.