The earlier you get up in the morning, the better?
The earlier, the more productive – many German employees adhere to this principle and therefore set their alarm clock very early in the morning. But this is in fact a mistake. Because, as Business Insider explains, the relevant data shows that when it comes to the question of how early or late you should get up, it depends on the type of person you are. Some people are energetic early in the morning and immediately ready to get things done and perform. Others are the famous “morning grouches”: They find it difficult to concentrate on work in the morning, which is why their most productive phase is later in the day.
Now, neither one nor the other is the absolute best way. As I said, it depends on how your own internal clock is set. The often spread mantra that you have to do activities like sports, yoga or meditation right in the morning before work does not apply to everyone. Such leisure activities, which are of course very important for reducing stress, can just as well be undertaken during breaks or after work – there is no universal “right” time for this here.
Does “tidy” always mean “more productive”?
Everything must always be kept clean and tidy, especially the workplace, otherwise productive work is not possible – is that really true? As FactUm-Info explains, this principle, which is also widespread, is the principle of “academic purity”. This is taught to children at school and stipulates that the workplace must be orderly and tidy at all times in order to enable effective learning and working.
However, as researchers at the University of Chicago have found, “academic purity” plays no part in productivity levels. The scientists found that the cleanliness of the workplace has no influence on the efficiency of the work itself. Instead, the determining factor is to be found in the personal preferences of the worker. Although it is of course not advisable to completely clutter up your workplace, you should not have a guilty conscience because of one or two coffee cups lying around or documents that have not been punched.
Do longer working hours really make sense?
One of the most common myths is that working longer automatically means working more productively. Those who come into the office early in the morning and leave late in the afternoon are seen as a productive and valuable workforce. However, this often does not correspond to reality, because the key to productive work does not lie in the length of the working time, but in the efficiency with which the working time is used. Anyone who can do the same amount of work in less time is simply more productive.
So instead of struggling to get out of bed in the morning and coming home way too late, it makes a lot more sense to use the time you spend at work effectively. Above all, good planning is required for this. How much do I want to achieve today, what are my individual milestones for today, what do I have to do to achieve these goals? Anyone who proceeds in this way gives their work structure and simply achieves more than someone who works for a long time but without a plan. Sitting in the office all day is useless if you come into the office every morning overworked, overworked and in a bad mood. For this reason, it is recommended that working people set realistic goals for each working day, achieve them quickly and take enough time every day to relax – because this is the only way to be really productive.
Thomas Weschle / Editor finanzen.net
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