Becoming more productive: setting clear goals and objectives

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Productivity is the basic measure of effectiveness, and one of the basic building blocks to successful job performance. Productivity in the workplace can be defined as efficiently completing the tasks set forth.

Dedicated employees strive to develop their skills and improve their performance. This begins with setting realistic goals and clearly defined objectives.

Tips and Tools for Setting Goals

Take steps. Briefly outline realistic and productive goals that you hope to achieve. Also, try to set mini-goals, complete with their own timelines, as stepping stones within each major objective.

Be sure you can anticipate the daily time commitment required for each of your goals and mini-goals.

Make it measurable. Discuss the task and your plan for achieving it with someone knowledgeable about the work. Get feedback about whether the goals are realistic, measurable and achievable.

Set a specific time daily, weekly and monthly to review your progress toward achieving your goals. Be flexible: If your deadline is unrealistic, restructure it. Be sure to learn from previous goals that didn't work for you.

Develop a strategy. List what can actually be accomplished in a specific time frame and communicate with your supervisor regarding the time necessary to complete tasks.

Learn about methods and techniques to work more efficiently and effectively.

Plan ahead. Determine your most effective time of day, the time at which you concentrate most clearly and work most efficiently. Use that peak time to complete tasks that require a strong focus and mental alertness.

Prioritize your goals. Create a list of the tasks necessary to complete the goal with the most important tasks first. Don't neglect the less important tasks, though. They may be less appealing, but their successful completion is key to achieving your goal. Reward yourself for each task successfully completed.

Setting and detailing clear goals for your work can vastly improve your productivity. Don’t forget that not all goals and plans will be perfect right off the bat. Learning about your abilities is part of this process, and new aspects of the project will come to light as you proceed. There is nothing wrong with reassessing your goals and timelines should it become necessary. Developing a process that is realistic and accurately measures the time required means that efficiency and effectiveness will follow.