We’re always looking for new ways to become productive and hopping on new productivity techniques. But are your little habits and routines actually making you more productive? Today’s article will walk you through 3 ways to track your productivity at work.
The importance of tracking your productivity
Before we jump into things, let’s understand why it’s important to track your productivity at work. There’s a common misconception that productivity tracking doesn’t really matter. Some people are so excited to change their lives that they take a new productivity method and run with it without reviewing the actual results. Here’s where you should change your mindset a little.
Think of productivity as an exercise for your mind. When you’re trying to get more fit, you constantly review the results of your workout to see if your routine is right. Similarly, when trying out new productivity techniques, you should track your productivity. This will give you great ideas on what to tweak in order to maximize your productivity at work.
#1 Measure your outcomes
The first and most obvious method to track your productivity is to simply measure your outcomes. After all, productivity in the conventional sense is about getting more done within a set period of time. You should thus decide on a set group of deliverables you want to achieve each day and measure how successful you are in achieving these micro goals. For example, you might measure how many tasks you clear off your to-do list.
The most effective way to measure your outcomes is to first be clear on what your goals are in the first place. Start your day by planning certain tasks you want to get done. Prioritize your tasks and tick them off your to-do list as you go along. And at the end of the day, you can manually review how many tasks you’ve successfully done. If you have larger tasks, you can measure your progress in terms of what percent of the task you completed.
#2 Review your methods
Tracking productivity at work isn’t always about measuring output outcomes. It’s also about reviewing the different methods you’ve adopted to improve your productivity and comparing your performance. One great way to do this is to make a spreadsheet for all the different productivity techniques you’ve used in a year — for example, you might have used the Pomodoro Technique for one month and then switched to the Zen to Done rule another month. You can then list down your productivity output from each technique, preferably in percentages. This way, you can figure out which productivity technique works best for you in the long term.
#2 Ask for feedback
While reviewing your productivity on your own is great, sometimes, it’s best to hear from others! Don’t be afraid to get in touch with your managers and colleagues to get a gauge of your productivity. Ask them if they’ve noticed changes in the quality or efficiency of your work. Note this feedback down and then plan actionable ways to move forward. For instance, if the feedback is good then stick to your productivity technique and chug on! If not, work on their suggestions and inch closer to your productivity goals.
