Employee Productivity Fundamentals

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Employers are repeatedly asking the age-old question of “When are employees most productive during a typical workday?” There are countless websites, articles, blogs, and studies to reference and depending on where you go for the information, will determine the answer. According to a survey by Robert Half International, Tuesday is the most productive day of the week and a survey conducted by Accountemps found 10 a.m. to noon to be the most productive time of day, followed by 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Since Tuesday is the most productive day of the week, employees must get through the “Monday blues” first. The “Monday blues” often arise when the rhythm of one’s lifestyle is out of sync with the rhythm of one’s work life. The study of biorhythms believes the cycles of the sun, moon, and seasons affect one’s physical, emotional, and intellectual abilities and activities. Critics claim the correlation between the cycles of nature and the human cycles are unrelated and the study of biorhythms is often referred to as a pseudoscience. Supporters, however, believe that understanding one’s own cycles can help maintain a healthy balance between one’s physical, emotional, and intellectual abilities and activities.

If employees better understand their own cycles and maintain a healthy work-life balance, it can be inferred that they would be more productive during a typical workday. There are several websites that calculate biorhythms on a daily basis, an example is www.bio-chart.com.

However, for those employees who need more concrete assistance on beating the “Monday blues” and on becoming more productive during the workday, below are some helpful tips:

• Sleep & Eat – Be sure you are getting enough sleep at night, especially on Sunday nights, and start each workday off with a healthy breakfast.
• Think Positive – Keep a positive attitude, especially on Monday mornings, and be enthusiastic about your time at work; your positivity will likely influence others.
• Plan – Establish an efficient and effective routine for the week; pace yourself and be realistic about what can be accomplished in a typical workday.
• Avoid Procrastination – Face difficult tasks/projects head on and reap the rewards of finally crossing it off of your to-do list.
• Take Breaks – It’s a proven fact that taking breaks throughout a typical workday helps clear your mind and provides a fresh perspective when returning to the task/project at hand.
• Adapt – Embracing change and adapting to new situations will enhance your work-life experiences that can be utilized as a guide to success.
• Learn & Improve – Learn from your mistakes, seek additional training or education, welcome constructive criticism, and ultimately improve on your array of skill sets.
• Be Creative – If your job is monotonous, think of ways to improve it, make it more fun, or vary the process while maintaining the outcome.
• Avoid Drama & Conflict – Be empathetic toward negative coworkers, but avoid getting caught up in their drama; your goal as an employee is to get the job done properly in the most efficient and effective manner – getting caught up in negative behavior will only slow you down.