The
noted sports commentator and IIM A alumnus Harsha Bhogle had once remarked:
“With a project deadline dangling over our heads, we waste time when there is
ample of it available like nobody else in the world and yet in the closing days
we work hard to get work done like nobody else in the world.” The statement may
appear subversive if not paradoxical. At Ishan Institute of Management &
Technology, one of the top PGDM Colleges
in Delhi NCR, the academic team presents before you this short piece where we
have put forward some time tested tips on performance and productivity
management at the work place.
Early Bird Catches the Worm
This
may sound like good old parental advise but there is real business behind it.
Many Indians are catching up with the unhealthy lifestyle of waking up to the
snooze button and a steaming cup of coffee. It is advised to start the day with
a shower and a light breakfast. Moreover there is scientific evidence available
that asserts that the production of cortisol a hormone that promotes alertness
hikes between 8am and 9am, i.e 30-45 minutes after waking up. The time
preceding 8am-9am therefore can be used to enhance creativity, think and
reflect on out of the box solutions to existing challenges and ideate
brilliantly on campaigns that require the leveraging of innovations.
Dealing with Emails and Morning Blues
It is
advised that emails that require a respondent to think and then reply should be
sent straight away at and after 6 am in the early morning. A research by the
digital marketing company Hubspot shows that emails that are sent at 6am have
higher open rates. The time before leaving for workplace is not ideal for
answering emails at length but a great time to read emails.
Innovate and Ideate on the Go
It has
been asserted that innovation is inverse proportional to alertness. Even before
one reaches the workplace and while on the go, alertness is found to be down
and out. This is the time that can be used to do the thinking part.
Start the Day Firing on All Cylinders
There
is more physiology to explain the alertness levels and focus at work place.
Most adults do their best focussed work in the late morning. A rise in the body
temperature brings agility to the mind, enables focus and concentration and
thus gives a boost to alertness. This is the time to rush through the toughest
part of the day at work place and slog through the things that are important
and call for the long haul. A generous dose of caffeine can really help to
propel you.
A Power Lunch Break
It has
been observed that alertness dips soon after the mid day. People should ideally
not work during the lunch break. This means that people should ideally take a
long break from work during the lunch hour. A real break means going for a walk
around the campus, some leisure reading, catching up with news in the canteen
of the workplace or perhaps a meditative break.
The Second Caffeine Dose
The
most sluggish part of the day is post afternoon. Productivity dips after 2.30pm
and this is the perfect time to move to the coffee vending machine or the
workplace kitchen for a second dose of caffeine. Yet another leading digital
marketing company Mailchimp says that this is yet another peak time for reading
emails. Most people even on field jobs are found at their desks at and after
2.30pm and thus it makes sense to hold short online meetings with them over
Skype and send emails that solicit adequate response from respondents.
Hit the Gym in the Evening Hours
The
American Heart Association points out that lung capacity and muscle strength
are at their peaks after 6 pm. One should truly consider hitting the gym at
this time or at any point after returning from office. Many Indians tend to
substitute this with a stint before the television which is not advised at all.
Apart from keeping the physique lean and mean there is a necessity to delete
the memories of the day at the workplace-good or bad. While there is no reset
button for the human hard disk, even a 10 minute focus on the treadmill or the jogger
can be of great benefit in reducing the clutter accumulating in the brain.
At
Ishan Institute of Management & Technology, PGDM and MBA students are put
into a system that consists of a regular academic curriculum that resembles the
rush hour at the work place followed by dedicated session of yoga, meditation
and power training at the gym. The on campus housing is designed for a
corporate lifestyle.