4 Ways to Work Smarter to Help Improve Business Productivity

June 23, 2021


By Jason Eisenberg
Community Program Manager for Office Depot

When faced with multiple and differing tasks on a day-to-day basis, it can be difficult to not get overwhelmed with the idea of a never-ending list of to-dos. That’s why many people work long hours – to either get ahead or at the very least, not fall behind. In recent years the phrase, “work smarter, not harder,” can be found all over motivational and inspirational social posts and blogs. 

Business owners are common culprits of burning the midnight oil, staying late to finish their impossible to-do lists. We looked to some of our customers (many who run their business) to find out what tools they use to make sure they are working smarter and not harder in order to keep productivity and morale high.


1) Conserve time with shipping aids

@erinondemand

If you are a small online business, @erinondemand shares how hectic and it can get on shipping days, but also how she manages to reign a process together to get it done.

“We had a box-cutting station, a box folding station, a packing peanut station, a taping station, and a labeling station. Office Depot is perfect for busy small business owners, like me, who wears a ton of hats and needs a one-stop shop to help get it all done.”


Her first piece of advice is saving time by getting all your fulfillment needs in one place, if possible. If you want to save more time because you are too busy with marketing, developing your products or doing accounting, you can use a service that will pack and ship for you.

That way, you’ve knocked some tasks off your list and created a little pocket of time for you to work on something else – or just relax for a minute.  

“I am beyond excited to try their Pack & Ship service for our notebook restock to save myself so much time and get orders out even faster.”


2) Stick to a routine you can follow

@cassie.b.planning

There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel if it already works. You know how you operate so you should develop a system that caters to your work style. This way, the changes you make in order to increase your productivity aren’t that drastic – they’re already things you do.

@Cassie.b.planning on Instagram shares the same sentiment in her personal experience. She stated she was having some issues with the layout she was trying to adapt to in her new planner. Eventually she simplified her vertical priorities into a digestible list in her planner and her productivity soared.


Simplify and your calendar could feel much less overwhelming. “I have to say, the simplicity is working for me this week.”


3) Prepare with the right tools

@hithapalepu

For those who get easily distracted or have a hard time getting into their work when it’s time to concentrate, @hithapalepu shares how she dives into her work in stages to stay productive when she needs to be.

“How do you get into that deep workflow? I need a great playlist, a clean workspace and my hero office gear.”

After starting her day with her hype playlist and hydrating, she lists the five big things she needs to tackle on that given day and includes how to start each task. Then she gets to work, beginning by standing at her desk as she handles emails and then eventually sitting down when she gets to her first task. 


Hitha stresses how important it is to have a widescreen monitor as she keeps multiple tabs open for work. They key being, she has everything she needs to keep her in her work routine without hindering her productivity.​

“Preparation and the right tools help me get into my deep workflow easier.”


4) Take care of your most precious resource: you

@iamclaudiadulce

Research from Oxford University suggests that happy workers tend to be more productive than those who aren’t. Being productive requires you to be in a relatively good state of mind – not tired, overwhelmed or anxious. Therefore, you would be working smarter if you scheduled some time out of your day to enjoy something rather than slogging away for 10 straight hours, inevitably decreasing your productivity.

@iamclaudiadulce stresses that in order for you to be productive, “you need to take the time to do things that make your soul happy.” For her it’s a few simple things she can put in her planner for the week:


Simply putting these small joyful tasks in your calendar will help remind you to take a break and do something you like. “Keeping it simple this week and enjoying the joys even if they’re small.”

  • Colorful planner spreads
  • Calling my mom and friends
  • Spreading love and kindness makes my heart happy 💛

Just a few things that make me happy 😊

If you would like to discover more inspiration on how other business owners are improving productivity within their business, check out our Discover Depot page and if you’d like to be potentially highlighted in an upcoming feature, visit here to learn more about the #DiscoverDepot Ambassador Program.

All content provided herein is for educational purposes only. It is provided “as is” and Office Depot does not warrant the accuracy of the information provided, nor does it assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein.