As a marketing person, I am always amazed at how some people procrastinate with getting things done. Sometimes the longer a person works doing the same tasks day in and, day out the easier it is to lose zeal for your workload.
It can happen with a workforce that:
- Performs the same job day in and day out for years
- Is not given the tools to improve upon their current procedures or processes
Both sides of the coin can contribute to this stalemate of the workforce for having lost their initiative and management for not seeking to implement processes or procedures designed to promote productivity.
So how can a person keep mentally sharp and learn new processes and procedures even when management does not immediately implement any new challenges for the workforce to tackle. Here is my list of things that help me pick up productivity and keep pace with my workload in marketing.
The Pomodoro Technique. It was created in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo. Pomodoro is the Italian word for tomato. The technique is designed to break down work in intervals of 25 minutes, after 25 minutes of work, you would then take about a 5-minute break doing something else. This method is based on the idea that frequent breaks enhance mental agility. Francesco developed this while a university student and used a kitchen timer to conduct his experiment (the timer was shaped supposedly like a tomato). The Pomodoros are short intervals (5 mins). This explanation is just a simple breakdown. The technique is based on planning, tracking, recording, and visualizing your current project or to-do list. There is plenty of information on the net. Here is the link to a simple article to help get you started. Click here for the article. There are also Pomodoro timers available at Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Scrum is an Agile (software development principles) framework for completing projects. Scrum was developed for software development but now it’s used as a way to complete complex tasks or scopes or work.
Scrum was designed to improve teamwork, foster communication, and complete the scope of work in a short period, thus eliminating obstacles that often inhibited projects from being done on time.
I am learning Scrum but you need a team to get this done. Scrum – requires a Product Owner (this person works with the stakeholders to understand needs and develop a vision), a Scrum Team (people who develop the end product), A ScrumMaster (the person that keeps the team focused, not part of the team, who is a coach or facilitator).
The time allotted to develop is named a sprint (2-4 weeks) to complete its project. The goal is to complete a shippable product or a product that can be handed to a store, customer, or Stakeholder (someone who has an interest in the product).
There is also plenty of information on the internet, here is a good one to start with scrum hub.
So there is it, I often take time out to learn new ways of accomplishing tasks quickly and on time. I am learning to eliminate the obstacles that stop me from finishing my assignments and create value by developing workflows that benefit team members. I hope something here can help you or your team become more productive and eliminate procrastination and time wasters.
