When you hit a slump, it’s time to take a look at how you got there. What’s behind a lag in productivity?
Many times, it has something to do with lifestyle changes. Think about whether a poor work/life balance is eating into what you are able to do at work.
Look at the “Raw Hours”
One way to start is by tallying up the actual hours that you work during any given week. Then compare them with your productivity. Some things may start to become clearer. Maybe your work hours vary quite a bit from week to week, which in itself can be a warning sign. It’s good to see signs of stability in your schedule. If you don’t see them, that might lead to more questions.
Considering your hourly schedule is a good way to start to get a handle on accounting for job productivity.
Where Do You Work?
Another thing to think about is where your work hours take place – and where productivity happens. Look at your logged hours. How many of them are spent at home? What about on the road? Are you most productive in the home office or at the firm’s building?
When you can see your “work centers” and how productive each one is, you may be able to start to isolate some of the problem.
Identify Stressors
When it comes to a work/life balance, there are usually certain things that tend to bleed into other areas of your life, creating conflict. If you, for example, find yourself trying to care for children, maintain your home, or do house chores during work hours, that might be part of a work/life balance problem.
In the majority of cases, creating the right work/life balance has a lot to do with setting up specific work hours – and keeping them. In some cases, it means delegating tasks like child care. Sometimes it seems like there’s not a lot that you can do to improve work/life balance problems, but with a little creativity, change is often possible. Start by looking critically at the situation and addressing things honestly.
Create a Plan
Just like a new business leader needs a business plan, you need a work/life plan to keep your job and your home life from jumping off-track. Start drafting a weekly schedule that looks like it will allow you to correct any current problems. You may want to take your plan draft to someone you trust, maybe a supervisor or manager, or a peer. Try to figure out what’s going to work best, and write that into your life going forward.
These beginning steps can be enough to pull someone at least part of the way out of a slump in productivity. Doing this investigative work can help set the stage for better success at work in the future.
About Full Steam Staffing
Full Steam Staffing is a full-service employment agency in New Bedford, MA focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are looking for a new job in New Bedford, MA, browse our available opportunities or contact our team today!