Mark Twain once said, “Find a job that you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Unfortunately, not everyone is that lucky. Many people do not land in the intersection of things they enjoy, things they’re good at, and things that make them money. Most people work because they need to survive and pay bills.
To even survive at a job, you need to be productive. Some managers may discuss workplace productivity at annual reviews. However, this is something employees also need to evaluate for themselves. It can have a direct correlation to your happiness and mental health. If you’re just living with the same routine and lacking motivation, watch out for these signs. Your productivity may need a boost.
1. You’re Late
You set multiple alarms and do all the right things, but you often end up coming late to work. Not only can that raise a red flag for your manager, it can also leave you always feeling frazzled. Instead of always blaming the traffic, weather, or car trouble, you need to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on fixing them. Some simple tips could be to do as many tasks the night before as possible. For example, figuring out lunch and what to wear can be sorted before you get ready for bed.
Another reason why you may be scrambling in the morning is lack of sleep. Your body just did not get enough shut eye, so it doesn’t cooperate when it’s time to wake up. Enjoying a warm bath before bed, soothing herbal tea, and calming music may help you fall asleep faster. If that doesn’t work, consider trying some deep sleep gummies. If you choose ones made with natural ingredients like chamomile and magnesium, you don’t have to worry about melatonin dependency or other harmful side effects.
2. You’re Crabby
Inadequate sleep can also affect your mood. You may also feel “hangry” if you don’t have a proper breakfast or lunch while at work. Some feel skipping meals helps them achieve some weight loss goals, but it can make your sugar levels crash and leave you tired. Plan for a quick nutritious breakfast and lunch that keeps energy levels at bay without any unnecessary sugar or heavy meals to make you feel lethargic in the afternoon.
You may also not feel very productive if the people around you trigger your insecurities. Some people just spend their lunch break bad mouthing others. It makes you wonder if they’ll mock you when you get up and leave. Other groups are just talking about their next big vacation and designer handbag purchase. If you are just making ends meet, such talk seems vain and petty.
Try to change the topic to more meaningful discussions. If that fails, find other like-minded people and make your own lunch group. If that also does not work, having lunch on your own with a good podcast or book is not such a bad idea.
3. You’re Stumped
You can also use your break to learn a new skill. You may have said you have some knowledge of spreadsheets in your job interview. However, you didn’t know you’ll be expected to create complex pivot tables and formulae nearly all day. You watch tutorials, but still find it hard to master. If this is something that you’re interested in adding to your skill set, ask management to help you enroll in the right courses or provide you with one-on-one training.
Your workplace productivity may be suffering because you are in a job that you don’t enjoy or don’t know how to do. Perhaps you had joined a school to be a teacher, but they needed someone in administration. Now you feel tied to a desk and don’t feel creative or satisfied with your job. You need to voice your concerns to the principal. That way, they’ll know you want to return to the classroom and spend time with children as soon as there’s an opening.
4. You Feel Left Behind
If you want your dream job, consider learning some new skills to amplify what you already know. If you are an esthetician who specializes in facials at a spa, take your skill set up a notch. Get certified in more medical-grade procedures like lip fillers and Botox. More people are getting such treatments when they come to the spa, so it can improve job prospects. Taking the initiative could also mean a pay raise for you if your employer doesn’t have to hire more staff for complex procedures.
As a full-time remote employee, you may miss out on the camaraderie in the office. If that’s the case, ask for a hybrid position. Just like any relationship, the other party cannot read your mind. You must communicate your wishes. Managers may think employees would prefer being fully remote. If you feel you’ll be more productive in the office, let them know.
If you’re spending around one-third of your day at work, you should feel productive and proud of your work. Everyone deserves to feel appreciated and like a vital part of the team. It may require some effort and initiative on your part. However, it can be worth it for your career and mental health.
