Strategies for balancing efficiency and productivity at work in 2024

The end of the year is a time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished in the past 12 months—and look ahead to what you want to improve on in the new year.?

In the final edition of Forbes Edge for 2023, we’ll offer up some strategies on balancing the concepts of efficiency and productivity at work. Utilizing these when you return to the office in 2024 will give you a boost and get you off to a great start to the year.

Then, we’ll check in on some bad workplace habits to leave behind when the ball drops. We’ve all got some habits we’d like to get out of our system, and the start of a new year is the perfect time to do so. From people-pleasing tendencies to constantly overworking yourself, we’ll dive into some common bad habits.

Finally, please help yourself to the extra helping of stories I have included at the bottom of this newsletter, such as advice on how to craft your out-of-office email response before you sign off for the holiday.?

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Tips & strategies: How to balance efficiency and productivity at work

While many people use the terms “efficiency” and “productivity” interchangeably, in reality these two concepts are entirely different.

Productivity refers to the amount of work you can complete in a specific amount of time, whereas efficiency focuses on achieving the same amount of work with fewer resources.

Any successful professional should focus on finding a way to balance both of these concepts in their work. Let’s go over a few helpful strategies to boost your efficiency and productivity at the office:

1. Implement time-blocking: This refers to dividing your day into blocks of time that are dedicated to specific tasks. Set aside time to check email or to work on a specific project. Having your schedule blocked out like this makes it so that you don’t have to decide what to focus on as the day goes on.
2. Manage your energy: If you’re like me, you feel extremely motivated to get things done in the morning, but might start to lose steam as the mid- to late-afternoon hours approach. If that’s the case, tackle your most important tasks early on, while saving those simpler jobs for when your energy is waning.
3. Embrace single-tasking: It can feel impossible at times, but focusing on a single task is a great way to feel less stressed and produce more high-quality work. When you have to switch back and forth between projects, you lose focus, time and momentum.

These are just a few of the strategies for managing productivity and efficiency at work that Caroline Castrillon outlines in her recent article. Read the full story here for more tips.

Practical advice: Leave these harmful workplace habits behind in 2023

We all have habits at work, and many times the habits we build over time help us to be productive and successful on the job. However, there are some routines and patterns that can actively keep us from being our best selves.

Here are some work habits that many people fall into, but should be left behind in 2023. As we look ahead to 2024, do your best to get these out of your system.

1. People-pleasing: If you care too much about what others think about you, you will devote too much time to catering to the needs of others. People-pleasers tend to cultivate a “nice guy” attitude, where they feel entitled to favors just because they’re “nice.”
2. Gossiping to fit in: It’s far too easy to fall into the trap of gossiping with a co-worker over lunch or coffee. But getting a reputation for gossip can ruin future workplace relationships, especially if you’re new.?
3. Overworking yourself: On top of health factors due to increased stress, overworking yourself often leads to compromised quality of work. When you aren’t feeling 100% fit to work, chances are your output won’t be 100% ready to submit.

Read the full story here from Sho Dewan

More:?

• 6 Ways To Craft Your Perfect Out-Of-Office Reply For The Holidays
• 7 Best Ways To Celebrate Your Christmas Holiday Bonus
• 8 Personal Branding Trends For 2024: Your Blueprint For Career Success
• Is There Ever A Good Time To Be A Woman In Business?
• Tips To Build And Maintain A Good Credit Score

Calling all success seekers:?

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Thank you for reading! We're taking the final week of the year off, but we’ll be back in 2024 with the next edition of Forbes Edge. If you missed Tuesday’s newsletter, check it out here for a look at how AI tools are helping candidates to apply to more positions than ever, overwhelming some recruiters.

This edition of Forbes Edge was written and curated by associate editor Chris Dobstaff.?