How to improve your business productivity with 6 tips

Learn how to measure, track, and influence business productivity within your company to meet your goals this year and beyond.

Productivity in the workplace is always a hot discussion topic. These days, people continue to debate whether working from home or in a traditional office environment yields higher productivity. Here are some facts to think about:

• As businesses continue to push for in-office work days, overall business productivity was down 2.1% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous quarter.
• Only half of millennials and about a quarter of Gen Z say they are just as productive working virtually as when they are in the office.
• The worldwide productivity software market is projected to generate more than $80 billion in 2023.

These facts show that the perfect productivity balance is proving difficult to find. Yet, regardless of your opinion on the matter, the fact remains that inspiring and maintaining business productivity is essential for achieving success.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for all businesses—to master productivity, you have to find what works best for you and your team. 

So, if you’re searching to increase your business productivity, read on for some effective time management tips and strategies to help you and your team.

Jump to:

• How to measure business productivity
• Tips to boost productivity
• Set goals and priorities
• Use time management strategies
• Meditate before you begin working
• Take breaks
• Develop healthy habits
• Experiment with productivity software
• Begin your journey of improved productivity

How to measure business productivity

In its most basic form, measuring productivity is figuring out how much input is required to produce one unit of output—or, basically, how much squeeze is needed to get the juice. However, there are more variables to it when you consider what one unit of output looks like for your business.

There are many ways of tracking business productivity.

• Efficiency ratios: This measures your ability to make good use of resources such as assets, labor, and time. 
• Key performance indicators: Also known as KPIs, these are objective metrics used to measure and track progress towards specific business goals.
• Return on investment: Also known as ROI, this is a financial metric that measures the impact of an investment relative to its cost.
• Customer satisfaction and retention rates: This is particularly useful in businesses that offer services because survival depends on customer relationships and loyalty.

Whichever way of measuring productivity for you is best, these six tips will help you increase business productivity within your team.

6 tips to boost productivity

Every person works differently, so what boosts your productivity may not work for someone else. The important thing here is to experiment with different productivity tips and keep what works best for you. However, these six specific productivity tips and time management strategies have proven to be valuable in the long run.

1. Set goals and priorities

Define what you want to achieve and break down your goals into smaller, more doable tasks. This helps you stay focused, motivated, and organized.

Setting goals also gives you your first measurable indicator of productivity: Either the goal is met, or it’s not. Setting goals helps:

• Provide a sense of direction and purpose
• Prioritize tasks
• Promote collaboration and teamwork
• Create a sense of collective responsibility

If you and your team are working toward a specific set of goals where you have defined your priorities, then you have a finish line in sight and the motivation to reach it.

2. Use time management strategies

Everyone has the same amount of hours in each day; how you use those hours determines your success. The bigger the goals you set for yourself, the more effective time management becomes important. Here are some techniques created to help you improve your time management skills. 

• The Pomodoro Technique: This technique breaks work into focused intervals, typically 25 minutes long, followed by short breaks. During an interval, you work entirely focused on a single task and then take a 5-minute break. After four intervals, you take a 15–30 minute break.
• The Eisenhower Matrix: This is a productivity tool in which tasks are broken down into four combinations of urgency and importance. It helps to prioritize and focus your attention instead of wasting time multitasking. 
• Timeboxing: This involves allocating pre-defined time blocks to different tasks to prevent overcommitment and provide a clear deadline for each task.
• Block scheduling: This process divides your day or week into blocks of time focused on a specific part of work, such as meetings, emails, and focused work.
• The ABC method: This method prioritizes your tasks within three levels, with A being the highest and C being the lowest.

3. Meditate before you begin working

Daily meditation helps grow productivity over time by giving you and your team a marathoner’s state of mind. You’ll be able to mentally juggle your long-term goals and short-term objectives without getting overwhelmed and losing sight of the big picture. 

Meditation is proven to improve cognitive function, emotional intelligence, concentration, creativity, and even memory. It’s also been shown repeatedly to reduce stress, a significant enemy of productivity. 

4. Take breaks

While it may seem strange, taking regular breaks can improve productivity quite a bit. Breaks provide an opportunity to rest, recharge, and regain your focus. Research shows that taking a walking or rest break during intensive work boosts productivity and the likelihood of finally having that “Aha!” moment.

5. Develop healthy habits

Sleep, a healthy diet, and exercise are key to maintaining the energy you need to be productive. Sleep deprivation, poor diet, and an inactive lifestyle can negatively affect your energy levels, focus, and overall productivity.

Whether you’re on your own or running an office, keep healthy snacks like fruit, vegetables, and mixed nuts around to avoid reaching for junk foods like chips and candy that weigh you down. If you’re stuck on a project, take some time to exercise a bit to clear your mind and shake off the tension. When you return, you’ll feel re-energized.

6. Experiment with productivity software

There are plenty of work productivity assistants and apps out there, and while using too many may eventually have the opposite effect, many apps are worth a try.

The right combination of work productivity software tools can help you manage to-do lists, assign tasks, streamline workflows, and track progress to identify room for improvement. Some suggestions for productivity software are:

• Grammarly: For document and email editing
• HoneyBook: For efficiently managing your clientflow
• Evernote: For organizing ideas, to-do lists, and notes
• Asana: For assigning tasks and due dates
• Pomodor: For a Pomodoro Technique timer

Begin your journey of improved productivity with HoneyBook

As you embark on your quest for business productivity growth, tools like HoneyBook offers a huge leg-up. HoneyBook is an all-in-one business management platform designed to streamline your workflow, automate administrative tasks, and help you focus on what you do best.

From client communication to project management and financial tracking, HoneyBook empowers you to run your business efficiently, maximizing productivity and achieving your goals.