When you work in the care industry – particularly when it involves seniors – it is critical that you are always on your A-game. Healthcare workers need to be more productive than ever in order to meet the growing demand for services. Not only are they needing to see more patients, but they are also having to take over additional tasks as jobs are consolidated.
Being in a high paced work environment can quickly start to feel overwhelming, and distractions seem to be waiting around every corner. However, there are some simple ways that you can increase your productivity while keeping your motivation and spirits high and reducing the risk of burnout.
Create a Routine
One of the best things that you can do – both at home and at work – is to create a routine. It sounds overly simple, and taking ten minutes in the morning to enjoy a cup of coffee and journal might seem like a waste of time when you have a full to-do list. However, by starting your day off with some regularity, you essentially get into the swing of things a lot easier. Having a routine also helps protect your time, since you will make a point to address certain things as opposed to pushing them off to the following day.
Take Care of Yourself
This is probably advice that is also given to your patients. However, it bears repeating because it is so fundamentally important. When you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy, you are able to focus better, come up with more creative solutions, and overall accomplish your work more efficiently. Having a good diet and exercising regularly can make a big difference. And while finding an extra thirty minutes to work out or cook dinner can seem impossible, doing so will actually give you much more energy.
Limit Your Technology
The biggest distraction for most of us is probably in our pockets – or more likely, in our hands. Spending time on our phones can feel like a way to stay productive (checking emails) or destress (going on social media), but it can also make us feel like we are never able to truly relax or disconnect. Not to mention, it can be a huge time suck, destroying productivity. By limiting the use of your technology, you are likely to feel more engaged and motivated at work.
Do Not Expect Change Overnight
Productivity is like a muscle – it is something that you need to continually work on to strengthen. Working on any of the strategies above will probably be difficult at first, but stick with it and you are likely to see incremental changes over time.