Slowing down can be a powerful way to increase your productivity at work. Taking your time can be excellent for problem solving, creativity, innovation, performance, and a myriad of other brain benefits.
But slowing down is easier said than done, especially in modern, hyper-connected work environments. Here are some creative ways to weave more slowness into your day, so you can actually speed up your productivity.
Many of us rush from one task or meeting to the next, but it takes time to shift our thoughts and focus on the next meeting at hand. Take five minutes to refocus before each team meeting so you can give the topic, and your colleagues, your full attention.
Focus on the immediate requirements of a project first, and then give yourself more time than you actually need to complete a project. This supports a sense of healthy pacing and better performance.
For meetings over 90 minutes, a short break can be crucial for retaining energy, focus and creative problem-solving.
Schedule a few short non-socialising breaks (2-3 minutes) throughout the day. Adding some gentle movement for a few moments, either at or away from your workstation, can improve focus when returning to your work.
The Groov companion app is full of ideas, tools, and resources to support your wellbeing at work. To start, we suggest trying the Daily Actions tool to commit to one small action a day to feel good and function better. Choose from a library of 100s of actions that can be easily completed in just a few minutes or less.