Agile is a way of working that helps you to deliver results quickly and efficiently. It focuses on the customer and their needs, allowing you to adapt to change.
It will help your team work more effectively as it encourages communication between people within your organization as well as with customers. Agile methods work best when everyone involved understands the goals of a project or task, which in turn means that they can prioritize tasks so that they can meet deadlines.
To succeed with agile methods requires flexibility, collaboration, and teamwork. Managed IT Services New Jersey company recommends that these qualities should be encouraged throughout an enterprise by those who lead teams across different departments or divisions.
Wield technology as a tool
Technology is a tool, not a crutch.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the idea of using technology to help us work smarter and faster, don’t forget that it’s just that: a tool. Technology can’t do your work for you—it can only help you make better use of your time.
For instance, technical tools can help keep you organized and productive. Spreadsheets can enable you to stay on top of all your projects by staying organized and tracking progress on each item. When time management gets tough, productivity apps like Trello make it possible for you to stay focused on the most important tasks without distraction.
Don’t track time; measure results
A Stanford University paper that attempted to quantify the relationship between hours worked and productivity found that employee output falls sharply after a 50-hour work-week, and falls off a cliff after 55 hours. It’s easy to get caught up in what we call “time-management” techniques, or trying to manage our time better so that we can do a better job at work. But focusing on results deliver better outcomes.
When trying to figure out how you can improve your productivity and take control over your schedule, stop looking at the clock and start focusing on what really matters: the results. When prioritizing tasks and projects, ask yourself: Which item will bring me closer toward my goals? What will help me grow my skillset?
It’s also helpful to keep track of where exactly those priorities lie using tools like Trello boards or Google Calendar spreadsheets.
Communicate Better
- Communicate with your team: One of the most important things to do for your productivity is to communicate with your team members. This can be done through email, text message, or even face-to-face. If you need something done, let them know about it so they can help out when needed.
- Communicate with your boss/manager/supervisor: Your boss or manager may have some insight into what’s going on in projects that affect yours. However, it’s better not to assume anything and just ask him or her directly so that issues are resolved quickly and effectively before they can mothball. Communicate with clients and customers when you need something from them, such as feedback on an idea or documents related to business deals being negotiated between parties involved. Communicate with vendors when requesting products or services from them. Communicate often with partners who work alongside one another on projects because having open lines of communication helps everyone feel more comfortable working together.
Empower Team Members and Employees
Empowerment is not a one-way street. It doesn’t happen just because you tell someone to do something. It can come from having the right tools and training to do the job well, but it also involves confidence in their ability to succeed at what they were hired for in the first place.
It’s not just about empowerment—it’s also about accountability. One way to ensure that is by giving people room for growth without micromanaging every aspect of their day-to-day work lives. This will help them feel more empowered because they’ll have clear goals set out by management based on company needs.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for ways to get more done in less time, these ideas will help you do just that. By adopting an agile approach to work and focusing on what you can control, the rest of your day will go more smoothly. For more information on smarter workflow management, IT Consulting offers extensive resources.
Post courtesy: Chris Forte, President and CEO at Olmec Systems.