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Author Topic: Productivity and work patterns
arborman
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posted 11 April 2005 12:45 PM      Profile for arborman     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Out of curiosity - I'd like to know how people find ways to stay productive in an office environment.

I have a pretty good idea how all of you procrastinate...

My experience, in school and in the office, is that I am productive in fits and starts. I dawdle, fidget and babble forever, then have bursts of intensive productivity in which I get enormous amounts of work done. As far as I can tell, my productivity is comparable to my colleagues - certainly in revenue figures (controlling for experience in the job).

I see other people who seem to spend all of their time actually working, yet we produce the same amount in the end. There seem to be others that have amazing levels of productivity, to which I have no real interest in aspiring.

What do the rest of you office worker types do? Am I alone in my fits and starts, or is this common? At times I feel guilty, like I should spend every working moment earning my pay (I work in a non-profit agency). On the other hand, I produce good stuff (I think). I'm pretty sure I'd burn out quickly without the non-productive time.


From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Fidel
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posted 11 April 2005 01:23 PM      Profile for Fidel     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I've found using a white board to scribble tasks, deadlines and other stuff on to be useful. A rough outline of what needs doing can be useful in keeping me focused. Being from a small town, I had trouble focusing once when I was given a corner office with windows. Hey, look at what's happening over there, I'd think to myself. Not good for performance.
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
arborman
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posted 11 April 2005 03:08 PM      Profile for arborman     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Ooh, corner office with windows...

I keep a list of things that need doing (some migrate from list to list for months as they get bumped by higher priorities).

Like I said - in the end, I'm productive. I'm more curious about how other people function on a given day at the office. Bursts of productivity mixed with goofing off (for lack of a better term)? Steady, moderately productive work? Panicked last minute stuff?


From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
Crippled_Newsie
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posted 11 April 2005 04:36 PM      Profile for Crippled_Newsie     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by arborman:
Like I said - in the end, I'm productive. I'm more curious about how other people function on a given day at the office. Bursts of productivity mixed with goofing off (for lack of a better term)? Steady, moderately productive work? Panicked last minute stuff?

I worked rather the way you describe yourself doing when I was in a job that I disliked. I dawdled; I went outside for a smoke; I went to get a cuppa Joe; I worked a little; I went to talk to a friend on the other side of the room; I went for a smoke, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

The only thing that could get me to settle down was an impending deadline. Everyone in the room as doing the same kind and quantity of work that I was charged with, but they somehow found it easier to stomach, I guess.

In the end, I had to make 'fake deadlines' for myself to keep forward momentum: I'd tell my boss that I'd have X piece of work by the end of the day for her to look over, even though there was no particular need for it to be done that day, as opposed to the next.

I'm someone terribly concerned-- perhaps overly concerned-- with making sure I do every little thing that I say I'm going to do, so that practice finally lit a fire under my kiester.

The above said, procrastinating was never a problem at all of those jobs that I've liked. If you're at all like me... maybe you're telling yourself it's time to look for a new gig?


From: It's all about the thumpa thumpa. | Registered: Oct 2004  |  IP: Logged
Tommy_Paine
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posted 11 April 2005 04:50 PM      Profile for Tommy_Paine     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I'm not office, but I'm not a line worker either. Some of what I do is "office work".

I like to get what I have to get done as soon as possible, to get it out of the way. Fortunately, I'm not overworked, nor over supervised.

There are times when a special project comes up and there's the rare time that it takes longer than eight hours. If it does, I work on it stead y until it's done.


From: The Alley, Behind Montgomery's Tavern | Registered: Apr 2001  |  IP: Logged
Fidel
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posted 11 April 2005 10:49 PM      Profile for Fidel     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by arborman:

Like I said - in the end, I'm productive. I'm more curious about how other people function on a given day at the office. Bursts of productivity mixed with goofing off (for lack of a better term)? Steady, moderately productive work? Panicked last minute stuff?


Panicked last minute stuff for me, always. We're finding that company related stuff tends to interfere with our networked Quake etcetera time over the office LAN. I've sent memos to head office complaining about the workload because I sense they think I'm special.


From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
verbatim
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posted 11 April 2005 11:14 PM      Profile for verbatim   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I find I'm more productive when I'm employed.
From: The People's Republic of Cook Street | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
arborman
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posted 12 April 2005 02:04 PM      Profile for arborman     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Tape_342:

The above said, procrastinating was never a problem at all of those jobs that I've liked. If you're at all like me... maybe you're telling yourself it's time to look for a new gig?



Possibly, but I do like my job about 70% of the time - I'm not sure I could realistically expect more. OTOH, it is not outside...


From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged
arborman
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posted 12 April 2005 04:33 PM      Profile for arborman     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Leaving aside my personal experience (this isn't a blog after all), I'm really curious how other people reach their goals in the office (personal or externally imposed).
From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003  |  IP: Logged

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