Five Habits of Highly Efficient IT Workers

Why do some people seem to get twice as much done in half the amount of time? It’s because they’ve developed habits to help them work faster, smarter, and more productively. They’ve made efficiency central to the way they approach their job, and management is taking notice. Make these five habits a part of every workday, and watch the positive impact they have on your performance.

Stick to a Routine

Creating a routine and sticking to it might seem monotonous, but it actually helps you make the most efficient use of your time. As you settle into the routine, you will find ways to cut out extraneous efforts, distractions, and repetitions. Plus, you will commit to doing something productive with every part of your day.

Work Automatically

Decision making tends to waste a lot of time unnecessarily. You typically know what you want to do, or should do, but simply mull it over as a way to avoid starting. The more you learn to do things automatically, without having to think or pause before you start, the more you will be able to make productive use of every minute of your time.

Utilize Checklists

Checklists are as useful as ever, and thanks to new tools, they are also easier to make and track progress. Checklists have always worked well, because they give you perspective. With one glance you can see all you have to do in a day or week; identifying the projects that are more or less important, and planning your schedule to get the most done. There is also a palpable satisfaction every time you check off a box.

Eliminate Procrastination

Easier said than done, right? It helps to understand that the root of procrastination is the dread that comes from taking on a major new project. It’s a lot easier to eliminate that dread if you break something huge down into digestible parts, even if it’s an activity that takes just a minute or two. If you commit to always working on one of these “mini projects,” you slowly work towards completing the whole, and you reduce the amount of waste time used in putting things off.

Relieve Your Stress

Stress is self-perpetuating. If you are stressed about work, you will work less effectively and create more stress down the road. Luckily, one of the best ways to relieve stress is to feel like you are in control of the situation, not the other way around. The four tips mentioned above are all designed to keep you in control of your workday. Get more done at the office, and you can spend more time away from work actually relaxing.

None of these five habits are hard to internalize on their own, but adopting all five requires a major change in the way you work. The start of the new year is a great time to make big changes, so commit to doing things different, and work through setbacks as they inevitably arise. Learn about more ways to improve your performance and professional standing by working with Culture Fit.