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10.

Tips for staying productive

As with all of those traits above, a successful support person (and anyone working a job at a tech company, really) is productive. Between the tickets, documentation, conversations on social media or over the phone, and all of the internal support they provide, support people maybe be some of the most productive people there are.

Tips for staying productive

But, it’s important to maintain that momentum when you are constantly getting pushed back and back and back by the onslaught of your daily work. So, what are some ways that you can maintain productivity? We’ve got your back.

  • Use the right work tools. Tools are incredibly important, no matter what role you are doing, but finding the right tools that work for you is necessary. For example, there are many snippet tools around, but TextExpander is the one I prefer. Ask your teammates which ones they like the most, and then go from there.
  • Get enough rest. The Sleep Foundation says that most adults need at least 6 hours of sleep. If you are not getting enough rest, you are not doing your best work. Pay attention to your sleep cycles if you start to notice yourself slipping in the productivity department.
  • Learn keyboard shortcuts. Most software and operating systems offer keyboard shortcuts that make your life easier and your work quicker. Search for the keyboard shortcuts for your daily applications, and take a look at how much time it shaves off of your day-to-day work time.
  • Turn off mobile notifications. There is nothing more distracting than getting ping after ping while you are trying to focus and work on something. Turn your phone on do-not-disturb mode or on silent so that you do not see any notifications that might be popping up while you are trying to work.
  • Stay positive. Having a positive outlook on where you’re going with life and your work is a great way to maintain productivity. As soon as you start to get down on your luck, your performance or expected behavior, you will for sure start to notice your productivity drop. Try to stay positive in order to continue kicking butt.
  • Focus on one thing at a time. Just like with the phone notification mentioned above, focusing on just one project at a time will help to increase productivity. Instead of bouncing around from project to project like a ping pong ball, allow yourself to dig in a little deeper into one, and see where you can get to.
  • Create accountability. In partner groups like Weight Watchers, they offer accountability buddies. It’s meant to be someone to hold you accountable to make sure that you do what you say you’re going to do. Find an accountability buddy within your team, and make sure that both of you understands the project or service that you each are being “graded” on.
  • Take a break. This is my favorite. If you feel yourself starting to waver, or like you’re not moving as quickly as you should: take a break! It is scientifically proven that breaks help you reset and refresh your mind. So, use that to your advantage, take one, and then come back refreshed and renewed.