In the New Year, businesses are eager to dive into new tasks and goals. Project managers are the first in line to have a full understanding of the intentions of the company going forward. It’s their job to take the companies’ new challenges and get them accomplished in the best way to achieve the desired goals in a timely manner.

All around the world, work productivity is generally getting lower. When employees are engaged, they allow the organization to be 17% more productive and 21% more profitable. It’s the PMs duty to ensure that everyone on their team is seeking the highest level of productivity for themselves, and co-workers around them, to ensure that the company is thriving from their employees working towards goals.

Here are some project manager tips that are going to enhance your work productivity for the new years, as well as surrounding employees, in 2022:

1.    Be Clutter-Free at Work

When your workspace is filled with piles of papers, folders, and items that don’t relate to work, it can distract you from the task at hand and even look unprofessional. While at work, you might stop to look for something and find that, ten minutes later, you’re still looking. However, having everything in the desired home will allow you to limit stress and flourish as a PM. With the juggling of multiple tasks, most PMs use tools that are completely digital. However, there are still some things that are meant to be in hard copy. You never want those few important documents to be lost in piles on your desk.

Keeping your space clean and clutter-free will allow for optimal productivity. Start by taking your personal items, such as your coat, purse and/or briefcase and store them out of sight. Put your coat in the closet, and add a hook to the side of your desk to hold bags. Keep in mind the amount of build-up on the desk regarding files or notes. Recycle papers that are no longer needed and use convenient desktop storage to keep important documents within reach. This will help to avoid clutter build-up. Also, take time to tidy up before you leave every night, so when you come back in the morning you have a fresh and clutter-free workspace to begin the day.

2.    Prioritize Goals

When starting the new year with delegated goals and intentions, it’s crucial to step back and look at the big picture at a smaller scale. To strategically complete the long-term goals, it’s a strength of the PM to be able to split up the tasks of each goal into smaller short-term goals to be more manageable. Why might this be a good idea for project managers? Taking control of the overall goal and dividing it into parts will uncover the priorities. By planning priorities, you are creating a purpose for everyone on the team to be more productive in their day-to-day.

Without prioritizing, you’re putting yourself at greater risk of not fulfilling your goals. It’s easy to overlook the details of each task and run straight towards them in full force. However, the outcome is bound to hit roadblocks when failing to plan and prioritize. It’s not always easy to separate goals into more manageable steps, but it’s a crucial strategy that will benefit the company in the long run. As a PM, knowing the smaller goals that are expected from you and the team and having the best understanding of top priorities will allow days to be more productive. Find more on how to prioritize when everything seems like a priority in one of our other blogs.

3.    Dress Up Your Desk

Other than having a decluttered space and knowing the tasks you are expected to complete, there are visual aesthetics that might aid in enhancing productivity, too. There are some items that can be added to your workspace that will make it easier for you to focus and get the job done, such as having a plant on your desk. Engineer Mike Robinson asked all of his employees to pick a plant for their desk. After each employee started working with a plant on their desk, sales actually went up.

It can be easy to feel uninspired from a typical or plain office space, but adding a piece of nature to your desk will freshen it up. Plants also improve indoor air quality. Over time, breathing in higher quality air from the greenery will have a positive impact on your physical wellbeing. This will help you limit stress, which will help you to be more productive each and every day at work.

Going into the new year, focus a little extra on your productivity. As a project manager, you’re there to make sure everyone is stable in the overall processes to complete goals. If you fail to establish the priorities of each goal, there may be some wrong turns along the way. Challenge yourself to implement these tips to be your most useful self at work and to stand tall knowing you are bettering the company overall.