Practice managers, and the admin teams within GP practices, are caught up in a seemingly endless drive to do more with less. To-do lists are getting longer and, with little or no more money available to boost teams and no spare capacity left in the working day, it brings into sharp focus the need to boost productivity.

So how can you become more productive? Here’s a list of simple but effective solutions that we picked up from a few professionals in the field.

Take a break – you’ll get more done: It may sound counterproductive, but taking breaks can boost output. Concentration is boosted, performance levels are maintained. This research highlights some interesting findings.

Get out more: Continuing on a similar theme, leave your desk for lunch. Many PMs are culprits of working over lunch but it’s important to take a break to boost productivity in the afternoon.

Track your time – and ration it: Do you actually know how much time you’re spending on tasks? You may think you do, but research suggests only around 17% of people are able to accurately estimate the passage of time. The answer is to measure and record your time – and be strict on how much time it can take you. Make your own spreadsheet (we know how much PMs love a spreadsheet!!) or you could use a tool like Rescue Time, which can be rolled out to your whole team too, if you think it’ll be beneficial to all. 

Adopt the ‘two-minute rule’: Entrepreneur Steve Olenski coined the ‘two-minute rule’: if you have a task or action that you know can be done in two minutes or less, do it immediately. He says it works because it takes less time doing it this way compared to coming back to it later. Knowing that job is done will also make you feel better.

Do it standing up: If you must hold a meeting, do it standing up – these have been reported to be more productive so they will be over quicker!

Quit multitasking: If multitasking was an Olympic event, a practice manager would go home with the gold! But while we might be the masters of simultaneous task management, it might not be the most effective way to work. Psychologists in the US have found that attempting to do several tasks at once can result in lost time and productivity. Instead, make a habit of committing to a single task before moving on to your next project. You’ll get through them faster, apparently.

It’ll do! Perfection isn’t always necessary. Given the time pressures practices are facing it’s time to be realistic and accept that perfection isn’t always possible – or required. Complete tasks to the best of your ability within the time constraints you have and move on. It’s better to complete the task and move on; you can always come back and adjust or improve it later. Pick and choose your jobs to treat like this, of course, but it might just help you.

Work in 90-minute blocks: Researcher conducted by Florida State University found that elite athletes who work in intervals of no more than 90 minutes are more productive than those who work 90 minutes-plus. Manage your time and, wherever possible, keep rotating tasks so that you’re not bogged down by a few longer jobs.

Do not disturb: Got an important job to do? Then try to minimise interruptions. This is easier said than done, so do it to the best of your ability – try to dissuade colleagues from popping their heads into your office – even the briefest, most innocuous interruptions can disturb your flow.

Drink more: And finally, try to drink more water. It’ll do you good and you’ll have to get up and move around more – both to get refills and to take a comfort break!

The above hopefully provide a few pointers that can help you to, as the saying goes, work smarter, not harder. And if you need further guidance, have a read of this earlier Practice Index post about managing time.

How do you work smarter? What productivity boosting tips can you share with your fellow practice managers? Let us know by commenting below or head to the Practice Index forum here.

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