It’s official: Britain is in a productivity rut.
Overloaded and burned out, workers are struggling to find motivation, with 82 per cent of workers refusing to adopt any sort of time management system.
And with worker output falling below the recommended 2 per cent growth year on year, the overall wealth of the nation is being directly impacted.
Making a list…
Recent research may bring the death knell for the humble to-do list, with studies showing that of the 38 per cent of UK workers who use a to-do list to manage their time, 41 per cent of items on their lists are never completed.
Researchers have found several problems with working from a to-do list, the most significant of which is that it doesn’t distinguish between menial tasks that could be considered housekeeping and those that require a little more deep thinking and bring about higher results.
This means workers could easily spend time clearing their to do list without ever achieving bigger goals, resulting in a productivity rut.
Some experts recommend using a calendar to manage your time, for example setting time aside for focused work, responding to emails and, of course, scheduling meetings.
However, surveys into time management best practice show that a common thread among successful leaders is that they adopt an entirely different approach: a not-to-do-list.
Juggling act
The not-to-do list is a way to eliminate tedious tasks and instead focus on tasks that drive projects forward.
It’s estimated that on average, workers juggle 15 projects at any given time, yet the majority fail to adopt the 20/80 rule – recognising the 20 per cent of tasks that result in 80 per cent of results.
The benefit of a not-to-do list is that it helps identify the 20 per cent.
Start by auditing your work over the last few months. What goals did you hit and what projects have been pushed along due to time constraints?
Next, look at your career goals for the next one, three and five years. Where do you want to go and what does success look like for you?
Identify those within your industry who are where you want to be and audit their careers. What projects did they work on? What innovations were they part of? By identifying what areas you need to focus on you can then start to identify which tasks and areas need your attention more than others.
No matter your goals, there are several tasks that belong on every not-to-do list – those that can be delegated, those that are not your direct responsibility and those with an outcome that is outside your control.
That said, if you try to introduce a not-to-list and are constantly bullied into abandoning it, you will forever face an uphill battle and it might be time to find a new role at a more progressive company.
The London Economic job board is full of roles with leading, and innovative companies, three are highlighted below but be sure to visit the job board to find your next move.
Market Manager, Northern Europe (CRM and Engagement), Airbnb, London
As a Northern Europe Market Manager – CRM and Engagement for Airbnb you will be responsible for the supply health and growth in Northern Europe by managing and acquiring high quality inventory at scale. Focusing on these responsibilities, you will build Airbnb’s strong market presence in your assigned region by collaborating with other teams as the local in-market expert. You will have a proven ability to handle operational complexity and ability to maximise the impact of limited resources and at least six-plus years’ of CRM experience in a consumer-facing, fast-paced ecommerce company. Apply for this role here.
Head of Sales Enablement EU, SumUp, London
Fintech giant SumSup is looking for an EU Head of Sales Enablement with responsibility for implementing a cohesive and consistent training and ongoing coaching guide for pre sales and sales teams within the EU SME teams.You will also be tasked with developing strong relationships with sales team leads and managers and get a feedback loop going for improvements on plans. You will have five-plus years’ of SDR/BDR and AE/Sales experience (direct sales & leadership). Discover more information about this role here.
Senior Tax Manager, Liberty Global, London
As Senior Tax Manager with Liberty Global focusing on technology, you will manage the roadmap for use of technology within the central tax team as well as managing the estate of technology solutions used. Alongside this, you will deliver best practice improvements to tax compliance and reporting processes in a rapidly changing business and regulatory environment, embracing technology developments such as AI, blockchain, machine learning etc. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in a large group environment with finance and technology experience and experience with different technology systems & controls, ERP systems, consolidation software like Hyperion. Find more information here.