Submitted by LKVM

Do you often find yourself staying up till late in office to get through piles of work while your colleagues conveniently pack off by 5 O’clock on the dot? If it is getting very hard to keep up with your smart, not-so-hard-working colleagues, the below tips should be of some help.

Cut-down gossip time
While you may feel you are adding to your general awareness by tuning in to the latest gossip doing rounds, the truth is your talkative desk-neighbour will not be around to share the day’s load of work. So tell people in that oh-so-polite tone that you are busy and get back to making those official calls.

Stop logging on to Youtube at the drop of a hat
Agreed, it is highly important to know what Mario would do if the princess refused to kiss him. The entertainment quotient of such videos notwithstanding, watching them takes away from your precious work time. Resist the urge to click on arbitrary links or e-mails sent by friends.

Get to work on time
It could well be hard to get to work when your sweetheart is out of town and you have just woken up with a hangover from all the celebratory drinking. Starting your work late affects your entire day’s productivity. What’s more, if you are punctual it is bound to be noticed, if not appreciated.

Prioritise work
Got an important proposal to draft? Don’t leave it till after the lunch-hour when your energy levels are at an all time low. The most challenging and attention-seeking tasks should be reserved for the upbeat morning hours.

Put down the phone
Picture this. You are in the middle of important file work where there is no scope of error and you receive a call from your rather verbose friend. Her only agenda in calling is to ask whether the guy she met at the club is a potential boyfriend material. Do you take time off to attend the call? If your answer is in the affirmative, some thinking is in order. It may be fine to call somebody for a little chat on a slow day, but encouraging friends to call you at work just to fill you in with trifle tales is not advisable.

Minimise snacking
Don’t believe your colleague when he tells you that you deserve a small break. Before you are ready to slip out, do take into account that extended lunch break, those frequent trips to the water-cooler, not to mention the sandwich-munching session you had earlier in the day.

Well, if snacking is taking a toll on your work, you need to monitor all breaks carefully. Lingering over lunch is fine, but turning every snack break into an opportunity for social interaction is a tad silly.

Bottomline: Don’t drag your work-buddy along for every coffee break