What are the most effective techniques, strategies, software, or materials to enhance productivity for a project manager?

 What are the most effective techniques, strategies, software, or materials to enhance productivity for a project manager?

At Asana, we have dedicated years to developing the most exceptional work management platform for team management and collaboration. We firmly believe that this platform forms the foundation of productivity. When your team is organized and connected, you have the power to enhance productivity, minimize time wasted on ineffective meetings and excessive emails, and produce superior work.

If you aspire to overcome the obstacles that impede productivity, even for the most proficient teams, search no further. Here are eight valuable tips to enhance team organization and connection, ultimately accelerating both the speed and quality of your team's work:

1. Eliminate unnecessary meetings

Meetings can be productive if there is a clear agenda, the appropriate participants attend, and everyone is prepared to contribute to finding solutions. However, if these conditions are not met, even short meetings can accumulate and encroach upon the time your team needs to work towards concrete goals. To avoid this, share a well-defined meeting agenda using Asana in advance so that all team members are on the same page. Create sections where collaborators can ask questions asynchronously and identify the most crucial topics to discuss. After the meeting, identify action items within the same Asana project to ensure that no tasks slip through the cracks.

2. Prioritize work based on key results

Employees often have multiple important tasks across various projects, making it challenging for team members to discern where they should focus their time and mental energy. By utilizing Asana's custom fields, you can assign a priority or status level to each task. This allows team members to prioritize work that aligns with company-wide objectives. Establishing well-defined goals and a clear understanding of how tasks contribute to those goals empower team members to make decisions that impact the bigger picture. If a project lacks a connection to a larger company goal, it is essential to reevaluate its necessity.

3. Delete, defer, delegate, or diminish

After surveying over 10,000 global workers, Asana discovered that only a small portion of the workday is allocated to skilled work and big-picture planning. To combat the excessive busywork that obstructs substantive tasks, remember the four D's:

- Delete any aspects of a project that do not support overarching company goals.

- When faced with a more pressing project that has a greater impact on team goals, complete that task and defer a less critical task for when you have more time.

- If one individual is assigned two tasks of equal importance, delegate one of those tasks to another team member who has greater bandwidth.

- If there is a task that cannot be deferred, deleted, or delegated, find methods to diminish the time required to complete it. For example, eliminate unnecessary meetings or focus solely on the highest priority aspects of the task.

4. Leverage your team's strengths

Each employee is unique, possessing diverse experiences, strengths, and weaknesses that contribute to their value within the team. When assigning tasks, ensure that each individual is suited for and will enjoy completing their designated task. Providing your team with tasks they find personally rewarding or challenging can foster an environment where everyone can perform their best work. Additionally, it is crucial to proactively identify and prevent burnout to ensure that your team consistently delivers their best work. Using workload management tools, team members can allocate time and capacity to tasks, enabling you to address overwork before it becomes an issue. Reassign tasks and balance responsibilities to ensure that your team accomplishes the right work at the right time.

5. Map out a plan before beginning

Once you have a clear understanding of what needs to be done and who will be responsible for each task, it is crucial to establish a comprehensive plan that eliminates "work about work," such as status updates and excessive email communication. Start by creating a well-defined timeline for each project, and ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities and deadlines. Utilizing a work management tool can streamline the process by allowing you to break down the larger goal into smaller tasks. Existing or custom templates in Asana can help replicate successful processes and minimize the risk of overlooking any crucial steps.

6. Encourage cross-functional collaboration

Just because individuals work in different departments does not mean they cannot collaborate. After all, everyone is working towards the same goal within a larger company. Encouraging collaboration between teams fosters a sense of cohesion and allows for synergy when work and goals overlap. Work management tools can enhance cross-team visibility by mapping each project phase to a unified set of goals. These tools serve as centralized hubs to share ongoing work and identify areas where individuals with different responsibilities can collaborate effectively.

7. Promote no-meeting days

Meetings can disrupt workflow and impede progress on projects. Having at least one full day dedicated to deep work, with uninterrupted hours, can significantly enhance efficiency and allow individuals to focus on finishing their tasks without distractions. By designating specific days for focused work, you create an environment conducive to productivity and the completion of critical projects.

By implementing these eight tips, you can create a team environment that maximizes productivity, minimizes time wasted on nonessential tasks, and enables the delivery of high-quality work.

Map out a plan before beginning Once you know what needs to be done and who will do it, you then need to define a well-thought plan that can eliminate "work about work," like status updates and email bloat. Start by establishing a clear timeline for each project and ensure that everyone knows who's doing what by when. Using a work management tool can assist you in setting up all the smaller tasks that lead to accomplishing a larger goal. Leveraging the existing or custom templates in Asana can help you replicate a proven process and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks. Encourage cross-functional collaboration Just because you work in a different department doesn't mean you can't work together. After all, you're working toward the same goal as part of a larger company. Being aware of what other teams are working on can foster collaboration when work and goals overlap. Work management tools can enhance cross-team visibility by mapping each phase of a project back to a unified set of goals. These tools can function as a centralized hub, facilitating the sharing of work progress with the rest of the team and identifying areas where individuals with different responsibilities can collaborate. Promote no-meeting days Meetings can disrupt your flow, making it harder to "get in the zone" and complete a project. Devoting at least one full day to deep work, consisting of several uninterrupted hours, can significantly improve efficiency and productivity. At Asana, we have No Meeting Wednesday, a day dedicated to uninterrupted work where everyone can be focused on tasks rather than discussing them. Consequently, the team gains more time to execute critical project processes. No Meeting Wednesday is often regarded as the favorite day of the week by many employees, as it frequently sees projects reaching completion. Alternatively, provide your team with the flexibility to set their own deep work blocks using Asana features like Do Not Disturb. Notify your team that you will be working without receiving notifications and maintain clear lines of communication. Define the purpose of different communication channels Communication tools are only valuable if your team knows how and when to utilize them. Inconsistent use or having multiple channels for the same purpose can actually create confusion and inefficiency, contrary to the intended goal of these tools. It's crucial to explicitly define the purpose of each communication channel. For instance, at Asana, we utilize communication tools as follows: - For external communication with vendors and clients, stick to email. - For immediate answers to questions, utilize an app like Slack. - To plan, manage, and communicate about actionable work, rely on a work management tool such as Asana. Improving team collaboration and connection increases productivity Enhancing productivity is an ongoing process. Though it may seem daunting, simple organizational tools and collaboration strategies can foster stronger connections and increase efficiency among all members of your team. Discover how Asana can help enhance your team's efficiency and productivity, and try Asana for free today.