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The Future of Personalisation: Adaptive Content Personalisation and Its Expansion into Virtual Reality

10/5/2024

 
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The digital landscape is rapidly evolving, and with the ramp up of artificial intelligence, the scope for personalisation has expanded beyond traditional boundaries. One of the most ground-breaking advancements in this field is Adaptive Content Personalisation (ACP). As we journey through this new era, the integration of ACP into virtual reality (VR) signifies a transformative leap towards ultra-customised user experiences. This article explores the concept of ACP, its implementation across digital mediums, and its exciting potential in the realm of VR.
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Understanding Adaptive Content Personalisation

What is Adaptive Content Personalisation? Adaptive Content Personalisation refers to the dynamic tailoring of content based on individual user data such as behaviour, preferences, and history. Unlike static content, adaptive content is fluid and evolves in real-time, ensuring that each user interaction is distinct and personally relevant.

The Role of AI in Adaptive Content Personalisation Artificial intelligence is the backbone of effective ACP. By employing algorithms and machine learning, AI analyses vast amounts of data to predict and respond to user needs with unprecedented precision. This capability not only enhances user engagement but also significantly improves user satisfaction.

Adaptive Content Personalisation Across Digital Experiences
  • Personalised Learning Experiences In educational platforms, ACP adjusts the learning paths based on the learner’s pace and understanding, providing a custom-tailored educational experience that maximises efficiency and outcomes.
  • E-commerce and Retail Online shopping experiences have been transformed by ACP through personalised product recommendations. AI analyses past purchases, browsing history, and user ratings to suggest products that are uniquely appealing to each shopper.
  • Content Streaming Services Platforms like Netflix and Spotify use ACP to recommend movies, shows, and music based on individual tastes, enhancing user engagement and content satisfaction

Adaptive Content Personalisation in Virtual Reality
  • Immersive Personalised Environments In VR, ACP can create environments that adapt to the user’s preferences in real-time. For instance, a VR travel app can modify the destination’s scenery, weather, and activities based on the user’s mood and past preferences.
  • Interactive Learning and Training Modules VR combined with ACP can revolutionise training and education by adapting scenarios and simulations according to the learner's progress and responses, offering a highly effective, personalised learning journey.
  • Customised VR Shopping Experiences Imagine a VR shopping platform that adapts in real-time, altering store layouts, product placements, and promotions specifically catered to your shopping habits and preferences.
  • VR Personalised Therapy Sessions Consider a VR application designed for mental health, where therapy sessions are adapted based on the patient’s emotional responses and interaction patterns. This could significantly enhance the therapeutic outcomes by providing highly personalized mental health support.
  • Personalised VR Gaming In gaming, ACP can adjust game dynamics based on the player's skill level and preferred gaming style, creating a deeply engaging and satisfying experience that is responsive to the player's immediate reactions and long-term preferences.

The Impact of Adaptive Content Personalization on User Experience
  • Enhanced Engagement Personalised content is more engaging because it resonates more deeply with individual preferences and needs, thereby retaining users for longer periods.
  • Increased Satisfaction Users feel valued and understood when their digital interactions are tailored to their personal tastes and behaviours, leading to higher satisfaction rates.
  • Boost in Efficiency Adaptive systems streamline user interactions by reducing unnecessary content and focusing on what is most relevant, significantly speeding up the user journey.

Challenges and Considerations
While ACP in VR offers immense potential, there are challenges such as privacy concerns, the need for massive data integration, and the risk of creating overly narrow user experiences that can potentially isolate individuals from diverse content.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Adaptive Content Personalisation
The future of ACP is promising and expansive. As technology advances, the integration of ACP with VR will become more sophisticated, offering even more personalised and immersive digital experiences. The potential for growth in this area is vast, with implications across various sectors including education, healthcare, entertainment, and retail.

As we continue to navigate the digital age, the fusion of Adaptive Content Personalisation with virtual reality is not just an innovation; it's a revolution in how we consume content. By harnessing the power of AI to deliver uniquely tailored experiences, the boundaries of what digital platforms can achieve are being redrawn, promising a future where each user interaction is as unique as the individual themselves.


Collagis is on a mission to drive organisational and workforce effectiveness and help teams and individuals to thrive! To further discuss innovation and transformation opportunities in your organisation,
 email [email protected] 
We'd love to hear from you!

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) vs. Personalised Marketing: Unpacking the Distinctions

30/4/2024

 
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For marketing teams with a mature personalised marketing approach, I'm hearing this question a lot: how is ABM different from Personalised Marketing? So here's a quick comparison on the key differences in approach and why you need both.

What is Account-Based Marketing (ABM) & how is it different from Personalised Marketing?

ABM is a strategic approach that focuses on high-value accounts in a market or business. Rather than casting a wide net, ABM tailors marketing efforts to specific accounts, creating personalised buying experiences. The goal is to build stronger relationships, improve customer acquisition, and drive business growth. Conversely, Personalised marketing uses data to target and retarget leads with messages tailored to specific customers’ interests, demographics, and buying behavior. It aims to make customers feel like the brand message was created just for them. Think of it as one-to-one marketing, where each customer receives a unique experience.

They sound similar - so what are the key differences?

Scope:
  • ABM: Focuses on high-value accounts (usually a smaller number) and treats them as individual markets.
  • Personalised Marketing: Targets a broader audience but tailors messages to individual preferences.

Approach:
  • ABM: Highly targeted and account-specific.
  • Personalised Marketing: More generalized but still personalised.

Resource Allocation:
  • ABM: Allocates resources efficiently to high-value accounts.
  • Personalised Marketing: Spreads resources across a wider audience.

Customer Experience:
  • ABM: Creates a consistent and cohesive experience for specific accounts.
  • Personalised Marketing: Aims for consistency across channels but may not be as tightly focussed

Benefits of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) for Enterprises
  1. Efficiency: ABM allows you to focus on best-fit, highest-value accounts, avoiding wasted efforts on unqualified leads.
  2. Alignment: ABM ensures Marketing and Sales work together seamlessly.
  3. Stronger Relationships: Personalised approaches lead to better customer loyalty and increased revenue.
  4. Clear Metrics: ABM enables better measurement of ROI.
  5. Streamlined Sales Cycle: Targeted efforts speed up engagement with key accounts.

Why ABM Matters for Your Enterprise Accounts
  • Complex Sales Cycles: Enterprises deal with intricate sales journeys so need a more account-centric approach to manage opportunities through to close. 
  • Prospecting: Identifying promising accounts using data analytics and market research is vital to ensuring you optimise your capacity and time against the prospects most aligned to your business goals.
  • Lead Generation: Capturing potential customers based on ideal profiles and needs can help you define where to best place your marketing investment.
  • Higher ROI: ABM’s personalised approach yields better results for Enterprise accounts, making it a smart investment.
  • Customer Loyalty: ABM builds stronger relationships, leading to loyal customers and repeat business.

By focusing on high-value accounts and tailoring your approach with ABM, you’ll see improved ROI, better customer relationships, and streamlined sales processes. 

 To further discuss how to accelerate Account Based Marketing in your organisation, email [email protected]
We'd love to hear from you!

​Extended Reality (XR): How It’s Changing the Future of Work

19/4/2024

 
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In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, extended reality (XR) is emerging as a powerful force that promises to reshape the way we work. XR, an umbrella term encompassing augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), is no longer confined to gaming or entertainment. It’s infiltrating workplaces across various industries, driving innovation, collaboration, and efficiency.
 
Understanding XR: The Spectrum of Realities

  1. Virtual Reality (VR): VR immerses users in entirely virtual environments. Think of putting on a headset and being transported to a different world, whether for training simulations, design visualization, or remote collaboration.
  2. Augmented Reality (AR): AR overlays digital information onto the real world. Remember Pokémon Go? That’s AR in action. In the workplace, AR can enhance maintenance tasks, provide real-time data overlays, and assist field technicians.
  3. Mixed Reality (MR): MR combines elements of both VR and AR. It blends digital objects seamlessly into the physical environment. Imagine collaborating with holographic colleagues during a virtual meeting—MR makes it possible.

Industries Benefiting from XR

From healthcare to manufacturing, XR is making waves across sectors:
  1. Architecture, Construction, and Engineering: XR aids in visualising complex designs, streamlining construction processes, and providing immersive walkthroughs for clients.
  2. Defence: XR enhances training simulations, allowing soldiers to practice scenarios without real-world risks.
  3. Events and Conferences: Virtual events powered by XR enable global participation and engagement.
  4. Retail: AR lets customers try products virtually, enhancing the shopping experience.
  5. Education: XR transforms learning by creating interactive, engaging content.
  6. Automotive: Design reviews, prototyping, and maintenance benefit from XR.
  7. Entertainment: Beyond gaming, XR opens new avenues for storytelling and experiences.
  8. Marketing and Advertising: Brands leverage XR for interactive campaigns and product demos.
  9. Sports: XR enhances fan engagement and training techniques.
 
XR in the Workplace: A Game Changer

As hybrid working has become the new norm, XR is stepping up to the plate to bring the next-level of human interaction to hybrid working:
  1. Collaboration and Communication: XR bridges geographical gaps, enabling remote teams to meet virtually, share ideas, and collaborate seamlessly.
  2. Training Opportunities: XR provides realistic simulations for employee training, from safety drills to complex procedures.
  3. Consumer Experiences: Brands use XR to create memorable interactions, whether through virtual showrooms or personalized AR ads.
  4. Decentralisation and Mobility: As workplaces become more mobile, XR adapts to changing employee expectations.

The Future of XR

In this dynamic landscape, businesses must embrace XR strategically. It’s not just a buzzword; it’s a transformative force shaping the future of work. So, put on your XR headset and step into a world where imagination meets productivity.

Whether you're seeking cutting-edge XR Device-as-a-Service (DaaS), pre-configured solution bundles, or expert guidance on scaling your XR initiatives, we're your one-stop shop for immersive success. To further discuss how to leverage innovative XR solutions in your organisation, email at [email protected]

​AI Interactions beyond chat

12/4/2024

 
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 As AI becomes integral to business, it's essential to understand how we can interact with these systems.
Chat interfaces like ChatGPT are the most user-friendly and best suited for non technical users, providing intuitive interactions. However, for more advanced use cases businesses have began to turn to the following interfaces as a means of interacting:

AI studios 

Like LLM Studio and Google offer environments where non-experts can experiment with and deploy models. These platforms feature customizable workflows, extensive tools for data manipulation, user-friendly, no-code interfaces that democratise development.  

VR/XR for Virtual Conversational Interactions

Virtual and Extended Reality (VR/XR) are setting the stage for the next generation of AI interactions, creating immersive and engaging experiences. We are using these technologies in training, customer service, and virtual meetings to provide realistic and impactful conversational encounters, revolutionising how we connect with AI and customers.

Non traditional web interfaces

Platforms such as Amazon Party Rock and Google TextFX are examples of the power of web-based AI interfaces. These tools are designed to be straightforward, allowing users to interact with AI technologies through simple web interfaces. The ease of access and minimal setup requirements make these platforms a go- to for businesses needing scalable and effective AI applications.

Connect with us and discover how these AI interfaces can transform how your team interact with AI.
Email us [email protected]


About Logicus.AI

Logicus is an AI consultancy, part of the Collagis group. As the world embraces this technology, we are helping our clients realise the opportunity whilst keeping their people and customers front of mind. With a focus on delivering value, we help enterprises get comfortable with the technology, focus on value outcomes, and uplift their capabilities to capture this value at scale. Get in touch no matter where you are on your journey.

Press Release: Logicus.AI Officially Launches!

5/4/2024

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​Sydney, Australia — April 5, 2024

Collagis, a leading strategy consulting company based in Australia, is thrilled to announce the official launch of Logicus.AI, our cutting-edge AI strategy and design consultancy. Logicus.AI is named after Homotechnologicus, symbolizing the next phase in human evolution where people and technology converge for exponential outcomes.

About Logicus.AI:
Logicus.AI, as the AI practice of Collagis, is committed to helping our clients understand new paradigms and build strategies that unlock value. We recognise that we are entering a world where AI is no longer a distant concept but an integral part of business transformation. Logicus.AI empowers enterprises to embrace this technology while keeping their people and customers at the forefront.

Our Approach:
At Logicus.AI, we focus on delivering value. Our approach involves:
  • Technology Comfort: Assisting enterprises in getting comfortable with AI by demystifying its complexities.
  • Value Outcomes: Ensuring that AI initiatives drive tangible value for our clients.
  • Capability Uplift: Equipping organisations with the skills and capabilities needed to capture value at scale.

Why Logicus.AI?
  1. Expertise: Our team of seasoned professionals brings deep expertise in AI, data science, and technology.
  2. Collaboration: We partner with our clients, understanding their unique challenges and co-creating solutions.
  3. Human-Centric: While we embrace technology, we never lose sight of the human element, which is at the heart of what we do at Collagis.

Get in Touch:
Whether you’re just beginning your AI journey or looking to enhance existing initiatives, Logicus.AI is here to guide you. Visit our website at www.logicus.ai to explore our services and connect with our experts.
Join us as we embark on this exciting journey into the future of AI. Logicus.AI — Where Intelligence Meets Imagination! 🚀

Email: [email protected]
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Tackling Quiet Quitting

29/2/2024

 
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In the face of current challenges in the labour market, organisations are confronting a subtle yet potent issue known as “quiet quitting.”
 
A term recently accentuated by a number of articles, quiet quitting refers to a growing tendency among discontented employees to disengage, restricting their efforts solely to what’s contractually obligated.

This phenomenon, though less overt than resignations, holds significant repercussions for organisational culture, productivity, and talent management. A proactive approach to address this issue is not merely advisable, but imperative.
 

Understanding Quiet  Quitting 

Definition and Manifestation: 
Quiet quitting, as delineated by various scholarly resources, embodies a form of silent protest by employees feeling undercompensated for their efforts. Manifestations range from reduced productivity to a noticeable decline in morale and engagement. 

Implications: 
The ramifications extend beyond individual dissatisfaction, permeating team dynamics, project delivery, and overall organisational performance. Financial repercussions, too, are notable, encompassing attrition, rehiring, and retraining costs. 

Your Role in Addressing Quiet Quitting 

A. Identifying the Signs: 
Employers need to be at the forefront of identifying and addressing quiet quitting. Essential to this is recognising metrics and indicators of disengagement, an endeavour that necessitates a nuanced understanding of both employee behaviour and performance metrics. 

B. Creating an Open Communication Channel: 
Fostering an environment conducive to feedback and open communication is pivotal. Instruments such as employee surveys, one-on-one discussions, and regular feedback loops can significantly aid in understanding employee grievances and preventing quiet quitting. 

Collagis’ Proactive Approach 

Proactive Recognition: 
At Collagis, we emphasise recognising the metrics and indicators of disengagement early on, which forms the cornerstone of our proactive approach. Using tried and tested tools such as Gallup employee engagement, and our own proprietary KPIs, we ensure that no one is left behind. 

Talent Management: 
Identifying, nurturing, and retaining high-potential talent is a cornerstone of our approach. Tailored career development plans are formulated to keep employees engaged, motivated, and far removed from the precipice of disengagement. 

Culture building: 
Establishing a thriving organisational culture is paramount. At Collagis, we believe that a culture steeped in openness, appreciation, and inclusivity forms the bedrock of a conducive work environment that not only retains but nurtures talent. 

Conclusion 

Addressing quiet quitting is not merely a reactive measure, but a proactive stance towards fostering a positive organisational culture and optimised talent management. Partnering with Collagis offers organisations a structured and effective approach to navigate this challenge, ensuring not just the retention, but the flourishing of valuable human capital in a conducive work environment. Our invitation extends to all forward-thinking organisations to join hands with us in mitigating the silent yet profound challenge of quiet quitting, thus steering towards a collaborative and engaging work culture. 

Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you boost resilience in your team.
Contact us

Mastering Sustainable Change: 4 Key Stages

16/2/2024

 
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Fundamentally, change is inevitable, so how do leaders become proactive and overcome change resistance to achieve sustainable change in organisations?

Here's 4 key focus areas that Collagis is focussed on to drive sustainable change:


  1. Foundation - Building the vision and case for change
  • Enable leadership buy-in for vision 
  • Resolve tension at the management level 
  • Enhance staff ability to adapt to change
  • Prepare leaders for change (mindset and behaviours)
 
       2.  Culture - Enabling change readiness
  • Pulse check: measure current levels of change readiness to establish baseline 
  • Recruit change champions to create a transformation ready culture.
  • Stakeholder identification and impact assessments

       3.  Communicating the Change
  • ​Craft a compelling change narrative
  • Develop communications plan (including interactive channels, storytelling, feedback mechanisms)
  • Activate and deliver against comms plan and schedule​  

       4.  Understanding Success - embedding the change and measuring impact
  • Build and sustain momentum through Change network
  • Maintain high visibility of the change
  • Reinforce drivers of changes and remove/reduce resisting forces
  • Monitor and report on progress through Readiness Status Report
  ​
Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to help your business implement these four levels that will put you on the right pathway to driving sustainable change. 

Read Next:
The 12 must-haves to include in your Change Management Strategy
How to Deal with Change Fatigue in Your Team
Making Change a Positive Experience


Contact Us

How do I optimise workforce effectiveness?

6/3/2023

 
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Workforce effectiveness is a key performance indicator that measures the utilisation, performance, and wellbeing of the workforce.

Collagis believe developing thriving individuals and teams is the best way to optimise workforce effectiveness.
​

Our approach is summarised by “The Collagis Diamond Principle” and focuses on optimising 5 key elements which underpin effective workforces.

The 5 key elements:

1. Engaged: Are our teams inspired by the vision, and motivated to act?

2. Energised: Can our people sustain the energy they need for high performance? Are they resilient? Thriving?

3. Efficient: Do our ways of working create the environment for maximum productivity?

4. Enabled: Do our processes, tools and capability support our teams to embed change and achieve goals?

5. Empowered: Is my organisation’s structure and programs well defined, adequately resourced and well-managed to deliver to the business objective?
Key elements
Common issues
Recommendations
Engagement
- Low engagement which impacts productivity and ability to implement change.
- High turnover.
- Lack of trust in management and leadership.
- Low engagement due to toxic or non existing culture.
- No or poor communication (organisational, stream, leadership, people, peers).
- Focus on KPI’s rather then people.
-  Focus on leadership and management behaviours.
- Show you care initiatives (be present with staff, give them dedicated time to them, for them).
- Listen to your staff and discover what are their issues, once known do something (i.e. don’t just perform a survey! Do something with it!
- What is the culture? Review and implement programs for staff to believe and be onboard (get excited to work for you).


Energised
- External factors impacting/distracting day job (i.e. large IT transformation programs/ Organisation review
- Too much noise! Volume  of work is constantly increasing (no down time), unable to sustain current working level
- Always ‘busy’ yet at the end of the day feel like you have achieved nothing?
- Are you constantly overwhelmed by your workload
- Feel a lack of control over business problems which negatively impact your ability to get things done
- Working late nights and on weekends having a negative impact on your personal life
- Identify your high performing teams and provide them the tools and structure needed
- Review and identify area’s where additional support is need for transitional programs/initiatives
- Proactive planning and pipeline management, review longer term vision and ensure teams and staff are pro actively prepared
Efficient
- Unworkable environment /facilities
- Safety concerns
- Time is wasted in meetings and not doing real work
- Feeling that email is controlling you rather than you controlling it
- Start on your ‘real’ work when everyone else has gone home so you aren’t interrupted
- Review workplace facilities/environment
- Process review
- Review reporting and governance structures (remove meetings for the sake of meetings)
- Optimising use of electronic tools 
Enabled
​- Don’t have skills, capability or training to do my job
- Capability uplift in areas needed (either in formal training, mentoring, ride on’s)
- Ensure initial induction is in place and ongoing training is included as part of the HR/performance plan. Ensure leaders are accountable to action these plans
- Review longer term vision and ensure teams have the capability, tools and process to support this
Empowered
- Don’t know what my role is
- Confusion of accountability and R&R
- Duplication of effort 
- Review longer term vision , is current org structure defined and able to support this vision? Remove duplication
- HR review to ensure role clarity (at all levels, horizontally & vertically)
Utilising this framework, Collagis seeks to deliver customised programs to improve workforce effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you to improve workforce effectiveness in your organisation.


Read Also: Optimising Organisational Effectiveness

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Optimising Organisational Effectiveness

27/2/2023

 
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What is Organisational Effectiveness?
Organisational effectiveness as a concept measures the degree to which an organisation achieves it's goals from Profit through to Service Quality and Productivity, all the way through to Customer Experience.

There are many factors influencing organisational effectiveness such as:
  • Organisational structure and design
  • Organisational behaviour
  • Leadership effectiveness
  • Alignment between various business areas
  • Business processes, and
  • Employee performance
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The Importance of Organisational Effectiveness: 
By increasing your organisational effectiveness, a business can drive growth through:

  • Motivating and engaging employees to greater productivity through such things as training, incentives, work environment, management and tools.
  • Improving management by training and equipping them for their job.
  • Decreasing costs by refining processes causing waste – such as outdated processes, obsolete technology and ineffective workflows.
  • Utilising new tools and technology that may streamline processes and offer a significant competitive advantage.

​To optimise organisational effectiveness an analysis of your business functions needs to be a priority to determine what efficiencies can be gained. Clear achievable objectives and goals can then be set to formulate a strategy that will address your priority areas to help improve your overall organisation effectiveness.

An approach to Organisational Effectiveness by Collagis.
 
The Collagis approach addresses organisational effectiveness holistically across five key dimensions at the individual, team and organisational level. It is through this holistic approach and five key dimensions that Collagis can enable individuals and teams to reach their peak performance and in turn deliver improved workforce and organisational effectiveness.
 
The five key dimensions include:

People Focused:
  1. Engaged: Inspire individuals and teams, by having a clear, achievable vision that will motive them to act.
  2. Energised: Endeavour to have the right environment and processes for individuals and teams that will enable them to sustain the energy they need for high performance. Develop in them resilience and help them to thrive.
  3. Enabled: Have processes, tools and capability to support our individuals and teams to embed change and achieve goals.
Performance Focused:
  1. Efficient: Develop ways of working that will create an environment to achieve the desired business outcome efficiently.
  2. Empowered: Develop structures and programs at are well defined, adequately resources and well-managed to deliver to the business objective.  

Utilising this framework, Collagis seeks to deliver customised programs to improve workforce effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you to improve workforce effectiveness in your organisation.


Read next: How to optimise workforce effectiveness


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The 5 Best tips to running effective meetings  Part 2

21/8/2022

 
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Tip 6. Begin on time.
Show that each attendee’s time is valued and respected by starting each meeting precisely on time. Time wasted, waiting for a meeting to start is very annoying, unprofessional and unproductive. Late beginnings to meetings lead to late finishes which can cause further problems later in the day.

Tip 7. Use prep work.
As a time saving strategy, distribute any appropriate documents either for people to prepare or to work on prior to the meeting. Be sure to use it during the meeting so participants will feel their preparation time was well spent.

Tip 8. Stay on schedule.
Meetings that are overtime make it difficult for participants to maintain their focus. Being side tracked and going off on tangents can cause meetings to draw out and become unproductive. When discussions deviate from the agenda, get back on track by refocusing the group on what matters. Not sticking to the time schedule of a meeting can throw out the participants calendar as well for the rest of the day and cause frustration and stress leading to a decline in productivity.

Tip 9. Keep a record.
It’s important to maintain a good record of what happens during each meeting to help keep a track of important decisions. Minutes are a tangible record of the meeting for its participants and a source of information for members who were unable to attend. Minutes can also serve to notify or remind individuals of tasks assigned to them and/or timelines.

Tip 10. Assign action items.
Effective meetings rely on well-executed action items.  Identify actions items that will need follow-up, determine  who will be responsible for the item  and set completion dates. 

Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you increase your productivity. 

REQUEST A CALL
Read Next: 
The 5 best tips to running effective meetings - Part 1 
26 habits that can improve productivity
6 tips to reduce procrastination

The 5 Best tips to running effective meetings  Part 1

16/8/2022

 
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Meetings have a bad rap for being a waste of time. Meetings can be plagued with inefficient, unproductive processes such as:
  • Meetings run over time
  • People are unprepared (thus waste time retrieving information or setting up)
  • People are distracted by other work (checking emails, replying to texts, answering calls)
  • No clear actions are decided during the meeting
  • Decisions from previous meetings are not executed
  • People grumbling about having to come to a meeting
  • No one brings input but the person calling the meeting
  • More meetings scheduled to make up for all of the above

Ineffective meetings can zap morale and can be very costly if we calculate the amount of time and personnel that participate in them.
​
Effective meetings don’t just happen. However, with the right planning, practice and time management, they can become a productivity tool for your team.

Following are tips for running effective meetings that will increase productivity and stop wasting time.


Tip 1. Have a clear purpose in mind.
Productive meetings have a clear goal and purpose that can be easily identified and summed up in a couple of sentences. Making an assessment of the worth of the meeting and what you hope to achieve from the meeting is crucial. Crammed meetings can be a real drain on time and energy and eliminating any unnecessary items can be very productive. Committing to focus only on what clearly matters can more effectively accomplish your goals. If you are requesting people to devote time for the meeting then it should be for a good reason and productive. 


Tip 2. Always have an agenda.
Your agenda should set out a clear strategic roadmap for your meeting by indicating goals, creating a structure for the meeting and incorporating action steps. The agenda will help to keep the meeting moving forward by sticking to agenda items that are pre-organised and relate to the topic and your purposes.
It is an effective strategy to distribute the agenda at least a day in advance so participants have had a chance to review it beforehand and have had time to think about the items. This can often yield more productive discussions.


Tip 3. Keep it short.
Keeping meetings to less than one hour and limiting the number of items included can increase efficiency. When planning your agenda, estimate the amount of time needed for each discussion topic so you can attempt to keep your meeting under one hour. If it appears that you don’t have enough time for all items determine if there are items that could be handled by individuals instead of the whole group. Determining the priority and need for each agenda item can be effective in keeping the meeting under one hour. 


Tip 4. Reduce travel time.
If your business is spread out across numerous locations the time spent commuting to a meeting is very unproductive.  A more time productive option would be to hold the meeting online through a platform such as Zoom.


Tip 5. Eliminate possible distractions.
Laptops, tablets and smartphones can be essential tools for conducting business but can zap meeting productivity. They can be a huge distraction that can cause users to tune out. Consequently, information may need to be repeated or addition time is spent clarifying items during discussion. This can contribute to the meeting running overtime and reduced productivity.  Unless these tech tools are needed they should be switched off or not brought to the meeting.


Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you increase your overall productivity.

Read Next: 
The 5 best tips to running effective meetings - Part 2
26 habits that can improve productivity
6 tips to reduce procrastination
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The 12 must-haves to include in your Change Management Strategy

12/7/2022

 
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There is one thing that you can bank upon in business: change is inevitable!

Not only will change happen, but change is also happening at a faster pace than ever before. Change will happen in one way or another, so businesses need to be proactive by preparing for it.  Advances in technology, changing demographics and customer trends, updated regulations and global crises, all require a change management strategy to optimise performance.

A change management strategy can be defined as the way a business will approach and apply knowledge, resources and tools to address change in and around it.

The primary purpose of change management is to effectively implement new processes, products and business strategies to adjust to change, while minimising any negative outcomes. It is essential for businesses wanting to be competitive, grow and evolve, that they implement an effective change management strategy.

 
So what’s included in an effective change management strategy?
 
Following are some basic questions every change management strategy should cover:
  1. What is the business problem the change is trying to solve?
  2. What is the change vision?
  3. What are the benefits of the change? Who benefits from the change?
  4. What external & internal factors are impacting the change?
  5. Which stakeholders are impacted by the change?
  6. Which employees are impacted by the change?
  7. How will the change be communicated?
  8. What new capabilities and training are required due to the change?
  9. How ready is the business for the change?
  10. What risks are inherent in the change?
  11. Who is the Change Sponsor?
  12. Who can act as Change Champions?
 
This list is a good place to start but is by no means exhaustive. There are many factors to consider as you implement change to ensure successful and sustainable adoption.

The development of a change management strategy is a good first step to combat change resistance. Understanding who, what, when and most importantly why, can help those impacted by change better understand the context for change, the change itself and what’s in it for them.

This leads to a higher probability your changes will be adopted in the short term, and the change will stick over time.

​
Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to hear from you to share how we can help you drive effective and sustainable transformational change
Request a call

26 habits that can improve productivity

31/5/2022

 
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Productivity can be explained as the efficiency by which we convert inputs, such as capital, raw materials and labour, into output.
 
To increase personal productivity we need to grow our output faster than our inputs. Our inputs will therefore become more efficient and productive.
 
There are two ways to increase our output. We can either work more hours or work smarter.
 
I am confident that anyone would rather work smarter than longer.
 
Making smart choices, by knowing and understanding best practice can help you to work more efficiently and improve productivity.
 
Following are several ways in which you can improve your productivity.

 
1. Use a digital calendar
 
Used effectively your calendar can empower you to plan your time to maximise productivity and enhance the efficient use of your daily program.
 
Tips that can help you to achieve greater productivity are as follows:
  • mapping out your week in advance
  • starting each day with your calendar
  • using time blocking
  • colour coding
  • buffering between meetings
  • allowing rest times.  

 2. Manage your emails efficiently
 
If you’re inundated with emails, it is possible to gain control. You might want to rethink your methods for organising your emails and emptying your inbox. Developing ways to process your emails can enable you to gain greater control, improve your response time and keep up with important actions and due dates.
 
Following are some specific strategies to help you manage your emails.
  • Do it Now using the 4D’s model - Delete, Delegate, Defer, Do 
  • Process one item at a time, starting at the top
  • Organise your email inbox with labels, folders and/or categories. 
  • Turn off sound and message notifications 
  • Make sure your email clearly reflects its content
  • Send messages or replies only to recipients who need the information
  • Reduce the number of emails being received
  • Always write your emails in a professional manner

3. Habits that can Improve Productivity
 
The habits we develop can have a significant impact on our productivity. Bad habits that interfere with our productivity can be a consequence of being reactive rather than proactive. Our goal should be to replace bad habits that are often caused by knee jerk reactive patterns with good habits that will make us proactive and enable us to take charge of our own agendas. 

Following are ways to form habits that increase work productivity.
  • Start each day with a plan.
  • Try to minimise distractions
  • Concentrate on one thing at a time
  • Start your day early
  • Time-blocking works wonders
  • Close your inbox
  • Take small steps
  • Reward yourself
  • Eat smart
  • Exercise regularly
  • Use productivity apps
  • Delegate wisely

Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you improve your productivity.
request a call

Doing a honest project health check - Are your projects really green?

14/4/2022

 
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A regular diagnostic check of the health of your business projects can offer valuable insights to determine high priority areas for remediation and focus. Being proactive rather than reactive using the information gained from a health check can help solve issues before they become problems and capitalise on strengths to successfully execute projects that  actually deliver the desired business outcome.
 
Collagis employs a comprehensive health check for business projects. The diagnostic health check addresses factors that influence successful project implementation and avoid common execution issues.
 
Following are some of the categories and the questions used to diagnose the health of business projects.
 
Stakeholder Management 
  • How are key stakeholders kept aware of status and key issues?
  • What issues needed to be escalated, and what happened?
  • How has the vision and benefits been communicated to impacted stakeholders?
 
Sponsorship
  • Have Steering Committees been effective for decision making?
  • How often is the Sponsor engaged?
 
Clear Business Case and Strategy Alignment
  • Was there any Risk or Contingency allocation included?
  • Who reviewed and approved the numbers?
  • Have the Project Financials remained the same?
 
Solution Design
  • Have functional and non functional requirements been considered?
  • Were the Requirements well defined and socialised with all critical stakeholders?
  • How does the chosen solution link back to the original requirements?
 
Project Management
  • Was a particular methodology followed?
  • What is the Scope and Deliverables Description document?
  • How well are  the projects being managed?
 
Project Team Expertise & Execution
  • Are all project team members clear about their Responsibilities in relation to the Project?
  • How were resources selected and onboarded?
  • How well are the Teams working together within the project and across key stakeholders?

Planning, Dependencies, Risk, Issue, Quality Management
  • Is there a risk plan in place?
  • How often are Risks and Issues reviewed and updated, and by whom?
  • What are the key Issues / challenges?
  • How are dependencies being managed?​

Reporting & Governance
  • How often are status reports and financials updated?
  • How is the Financial Tracking being completed?
  • Is there a clear governance structure for Decision making?
  • Are there a clear governance cadence?
 
Vendor Management
  • How were vendors selected?
  • What are the Vendor's positive and negative performance aspects?
 
An expert analysis of the responses to these and many other questions available can result in more effective management of your business and improved productivity and growth. 


Collagis has extensive experience in helping organisations with project health checks. Our program and change services, ensure that organisations are enabled for best-practice execution. We offer services across program governance, program and project delivery, change management, business analytics and process design - from strategic business advice through to coaching, delivery and embedded teams.  If you're ready to take your next step in your project,  we'd love to hear from you.
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Quick Guide to Organisational Goals

22/3/2022

 
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Defining Organisational Goals
 
Organisational goals can be defined as broad statements of what the organisation intends to achieve. Organisation theorists V.H. Vroom in 1960 defined organisation goals as, “desired future state of affairs”. Building on this, Koontz and Weihrich define it as: “Goals are the ends towards which activity is aimed –they are the result to be achieved.”  Suggesting:
  • Organisational goals provide directions on which the organisation's decisions and actions are based upon.  
  • Goals are the specific targets or standards against which actual performance can be measured. 

Organisational goals are not just where we hope to end up, but need to be relevant to decisions around what we do each and every day.

Importance of Organisational Goals
Goals help define an organisation's purpose and mission.

Goals provide guidance and a unified direction for staff so they can understand where the organisation is going and why getting there is important.  Organisational goals help staff to determine their course of action to achieve desired goals. Proficient goals can also help in prioritising work and keeping staff focussed on the right tasks.

Setting specific organisational goals can help an organisation measure their progress and determine the tasks that must be improved to meet their goals.

Specific, realistic, and challenging goals serve as a source of motivation and engagement for efficient, skilled, and hardworking employees. Setting and implementing effective goals can also help an organisation improve efficiency, productivity and consequently profitability.

Principles of Goal Setting
To be successful in todays competitive market, a business needs to set clear and articulated goals.
SMART is an acronym of a well respected tool that can be used to plan, set and achieve business goals. It  stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. SMART goals were originally developed by George Doran, Arthur Miller and James Cunningham in their 1981 article “There's a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management goals and objectives”.
SMART goals are:
  • Specific: Well defined, clear and focussed
  • Measurable: With specific criteria
  • Achievable: Attainable
  • Realistic: Reachable and relevant
  • Timely: Having a clearly defined timeline
Smart goals build a measurable goal that encompasses specifically what needs to be accomplished and when and how you will know when you are successful.

Types of Organisational Goals
Organisational goals are formulated to meet the needs of an organisation and can be categorised into three types.

  1. Strategic Goals.
Strategic goals are long-term vision, big picture goals rather than a short-term tactic that addresses a current problem or challenge. These goals are generated and set by and for top management which cover and direct overall activities of an organisation. These big picture goals develop a strategic plan to help develop how all departments should work together to achieve it.

  1. Tactical Goals.
Tactical goals are closely aligned to strategic planning and middle managers are normally responsible for their attainment. They are more concrete and often require smaller steps and a shorter time frame.

  1. Operational Goals.
Operational goals are usually made to tackle shorter-term issues aligned with tactical goals. They differ from strategic goals in that they focus more on “how” than “what.” Operational goals are usually set by and for lower level managers. They are usually evaluated using performance measures that help an organisation determine whether or not they are on the right track.
 
Goals are critical to organisational effectiveness and productivity. The goals we set need to go beyond management speak and rhetoric, to guide action and decisions and help motivate employees to achieve and thrive.

​
Remember: If you don’t plan to succeed then you plan to fail!

Collagis has extensive experience in helping organisations develop strategic plans and organisational goals. Their strategic business advisory services, unpack strategic business issues with actionable insight. They focus on defining key problems & opportunities, identifying drivers and barriers and on clear execution roadmaps to achieve the desired end state. If you're ready to take your next step in strategic planning,  we'd love to hear from you.

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6 tips to reduce procrastination

2/3/2022

 
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Procrastination is the action of unnecessarily postponing decisions or actions by delaying or putting off tasks. There may be several reasons for procrastinating including: disliking the tasks to be done, or finding the work too difficult or tedious, or perceiving that the work is not urgent and doesn’t need your immediate attention.
 
Procrastination can become a habit, one that can easily lead to difficulties in managing your workflow and time and effecting your productivity.

We can become very competent at coming up with seemingly valid reasons for putting off tasks, but to increase productivity we need to shift our perspective and apply the same ingenuity for procrastinating, towards thinking of ways to complete tasks quickly and efficiently. Be as clever about completing things as you’ve been about putting them off.

Reducing the habit of procrastination could be achieved by using some of the following ideas.

 
1.Do it NOW! 
When faced with a task that could be completed in less than fifteen minutes don’t think too much about whether there is some ideal time in the future where you can squeeze it in. Having this frame of mind can be the start for many procrastinators. Having a habit of putting things off only because they seem small, or unimportant, or can be done quickly can inevitably lead to the same task never getting done!

Seemingly small, quick tasks can accumulate quickly, and can often end up weighing you down psychologically, distracting your attention from the more important tasks.

Do the small tasks as quickly as possible. Completing them immediately, will enable you to never have to get back to them again! Your calendar will be freed up allowing you to focus on more important or time consuming work.

Don’t wait for the perfect moment, take the moment now and make it perfect.


​2.Chunking
Larger projects can be broken into smaller, bite-sized actions. This will make the task seem less overwhelming and much more doable. It’s a lot easier to get started on a project when you establish simple, reachable goals.

This method can be especially beneficial for those who are intimidated when presented with tasks that appear to be too tedious or time consuming. Accomplishing multiple tasks rather than just one can also give you the sense of achieving more,  help you stay driven throughout and give your enthusiasm a boost.

3. Focus On the Outcome
The size of a reward or the promise of high returns can sometimes determine the worth of doing a task and your motivation to begin them. In some circumstances by not doing something could result in highly negative consequences such as not paying a bill on time.

If you find yourself procrastinating on tasks that have potentially big ramifications focus on what will happen if you do or don’t do something by a certain time. Focus on the best outcome you could achieve and work towards accomplishing that ideal outcome. Chances are, you will feel motivated to start working.

4. Celebrate Milestones
Everyone loves being rewarded. It’s important to give yourself incentives, no matter how small. For large projects, celebrate each milestone completed by rewarding yourself. Celebrating the smaller milestones after the completion of key stages is a form of positive reinforcement, which helps to solidify a sense of progress and achievement that can help motivate you in starting the next phase of the project. This will also sustain you psychologically and support your drive to see your project or task to its successful end!

​5. Do the Worst First
Faced with a list of time consuming difficult tasks, you may procrastinate over where and when to start. Tackling the hardest task can actually be a good place to begin. Starting with the hardest task when you are at your best and are working at your optimum level will make it easier and more efficient to complete. Clearing and completing the hardest, most time-consuming task will also help to boost your morale and free up your time for the other things on your list.

6. Find a Buddy
If you work in a team situation or have a close relationship with your colleagues, they could be the key to overcoming procrastination. They could help you monitor your work management by sharing your goals and task list. Let them know your timeline for completing certain tasks so that can monitor and track your progress. Hold each other accountable by reporting your progress at regular intervals. The person you choose should be someone you respect enough to listen to and they should be strong enough to reprimand you if needed. Being accountable to a trusted colleague may be enough to spur you into starting and completing the tasks.

Procrastination is a challenge most people struggle with some time or other. However, tackling procrastination doesn’t need to be unsurmountable. By identifying your habits that lead to procrastination, you may choose to use some of these ideas to help you be more decisive and reduce the occurrence of procrastination and increase your productivity. 

Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you increase your productivity. 
REQUEST A CALL

6 tips for using your calendar to maximise productivity

7/9/2021

 
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Making full use of your calendar can’t generate extra hours in the day but it can certainly save you time by raising your efficiency and productivity.
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Millions of people every day use a program to manage their emails and calendar at work. Unfortunately, few of us really know how to make full use of all the features and benefits in these programs! Moreover, we can often become reactive, allowing others to schedule and plan our time, rather than taking control of our calendar to ensure we are spending our time on the things that matter most to our strategic objectives. Used effectively, your calendar can empower you to plan your time more effectively and maximise productivity.

Outlined below are 6 tips for using your calendar to maximise productivity:

Tip 1 – Map out your week in advance. Planning your week in advance on the previous Friday is a great habit to get into.
Prioritise tasks for the week and add them to your calendar first. Select 1-3 of the most important tasks per day, then block out time for those tasks. Then, fit the less important tasks around your schedule. Scheduling your most critical tasks at the most productive time of the day is also a good idea.

Tip 2 – Start each day with your calendar.
Once your calendar is set up for the week, start each day reviewing it, so you know what’s coming up. Be ruthless with your time to consider what meetings you can delegate, which you can shorten (could it be done in 15 mins), which could be shared via a more agile communication method, and which can be cancelled. Beware particularly of recurring meetings and meetings without an agenda. If there is not a clear goal for the meeting, it is likely not worth having. Pre-reading is also a useful time saver. Having a chance to review a pack ahead of the call, can help you focus the call on decisions to be made, rather than background context and slides. Finally, consider the invitees, who is a must have versus a nice to have? How can we make more time for attendees to do proactive work, through having less people in meetings. 

Tip 3 – Use time-blocking. Dividing your day into blocks and then assigning tasks to each block, is an efficient strategy towards improving productivity.
Any task that takes more than 15 minutes should be allocated its own time block. Time-blocking helps you to proactively prioritise your tasks and focus on one task at a time. Having deadlines, through time-blocking will also make it more likely that you will finish tasks.

Tip 4 – Leave a buffer between meetings. 
A productive strategy can be to set aside 15 minutes after each meeting for review. While the meeting is still fresh in your mind, you can quickly make notes or schedule work that came out of it. It also allows a buffer for unforeseen events or a miscalculation of required time for that task.

Tip 5 – Try colour coding. 
Colour coding is an effective way to manage your calendar. By grouping similar tasks by colour, you can quickly view your calendar and make sure that it aligns with your goals.  

Tip 6 – Time for rest. 
Be proactive and schedule rest time in your calendar. Including a buffer between work provides time to rest and recharge which has been proven to improve productivity.

A calendar is more than a tool to schedule your time-based commitments. It is a productivity roadmap. It helps you create a routine so every day can be a productive day.
​

Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you achieve your goals more efficiently.


​The Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) helps individuals and teams to improve personal productivity and gain back on average 2 hours per person per day for meaningful work. Ask us for more information about how this could help your organisation to thrive.
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4 Bullet Proof Strategies for Organising Information

1/9/2021

 
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Emails, reports, subscriptions, market research,  newspapers, books, and brochures are just some of the information sources that we are inundated with, in our modern workplaces.
 
Like it or not, we are caught up in an age where there is an explosion of information. With this constant bombardment of information it has become more and more difficult to manage efficiently the information we receive. It is only natural to sometimes suffer from information anxiety and a sense of being overwhelmed.
 
It has become crucial to have systems in place to be able to organise this information efficiently so we can find it easily.
 
Following are four strategies that will help you keep your information organised.

 
Strategy 1 - Have a place for everything and everything in its place
An analogy can be made with your kitchen. There is a place for your cutlery, plates, utensils, etc that enables you to find them quickly. This is also desirable in your workplace. You want all incoming work/information in a specific home so you know where to find it and are able to retrieve it efficiently when you need it.
 
Strategy 2 - Have the most frequently used items closest at hand
Items that you use frequently should be stored in an easily accessible place, close at hand. Items that you would rarely use could be stored for instance, in a cabinet across the room.
 
Strategy 3 - Keep like items together
Organise similar information by bunching them together in a way that makes sense to your brain so it can be efficiently retrieved.
 
Strategy 4 - Only keep what you need.
Make an assessment of the value of the information when you receive it. Determine if you have used this type of information before, if the answer is not often, then just get rid of it. The trick is to be lean, because the leaner you are the more efficient you are likely to be.
 
Over time we can develop certain ‘habits’ which sabotage our efficiency. Assessing systems we have in place and adjusting them if needed is a positive step towards greater productivity.


Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you to organise information more efficiently.

​The Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) helps individuals and teams to improve personal productivity and gain back on average 2 hours per person per day for meaningful work
. Ask us for more information about how this could help your organisation to thrive.
MORE ABOUT PEP
REQUEST A CALL

12 habits that can improve productivity

10/8/2021

 
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With the impact of Covid19 on our workplace, the percentage of people remote working from home has skyrocketed. Working from home has its own unique challenges but if your goal is to increase productivity, it is important for you to understand how crucial the role habits can play.

The habits we develop can have a significant impact on our productivity. Our goal should be to replace bad habits that are often caused by reactive patterns of behaviour with good habits that will make us proactive and enable us to take charge of our own agendas.

​
While we are experiencing workplace changes, it is an opportune time for us to review our work habits to change any unproductive habits and build new more productive ones.

The following are 12 ways to form habits that increase work productivity.


Habit 1 - Start each day with a plan.
Having a plan can drastically increase your work productivity. A plan can enable you to focus on what’s important instead of getting distracted by unforeseen tasks that inevitably pop up.

It is a good habit to create a plan during the afternoon for the following day. Select any essential tasks that are crucial for you to finish by the end of the day and then block out times in your calendar to complete them. For the most important work it is suggested that you use the most productive times of the day when you are most efficient.

Remember, if you fail to plan then you plan to fail.

​
Habit 2 - Try to minimise distractions
Minimising unwanted distractions will help keep you on task and increase productivity. Wearing headphones when there are noise distractions or reducing visual distractions such as pop-ups on your computer screens are just a couple of simple ways to increase productivity.

Habit 3 - Concentrate on one thing at a time
Single tasking is one key action towards improving productivity. Research has shown that multitasking can negatively influence your productivity. You may think that by multitasking you will get more done, but when you jump between tasks, your cognitive processing is hindered and you are less productive. By focussing on a single task enables you to get into a deeper state of mental concentration and achieve your most efficient results.

Working deeply can take a lot of energy and effort so it’s important that you take breaks. The Pomodoro Technique provides a useful guideline when working intensely. Work 25 minutes of focused work, followed by a 5-minute break.


Habit 4 - Start your day early
Early in the morning is a time when it has been shown that your creativity and willpower is strongest. Coupled with this is the time of day when you feel fresh and energised. By starting early you can also reduce the number of interruptions you may get as emails, phone calls and personal interruptions become more frequent during the day.

Habit 5 - Time-blocking works wonders
Time blocking is an excellent way to organise your time more efficiently by assigning tasks to time blocks that you have divided the day into.

By time blocking you can be proactive by prioritising your most important tasks and focus on one task at a time increasing proactivity.


Habit 6 - Close your inbox
Email is one of those 21st Century tools that you could not do without but it can also be one of your biggest distractions. By time blocking specific times to check and reply to messages and having your inbox closed and out of sight for the rest of the day can be a significant habit that will lead to greater productivity.

Habit 7 - Take small steps
A huge project can often feel daunting and we begin procrastinating over it. We find other tasks such as cleaning out our desk or redesigning our work space to put it off. A more effective approach is to break the project into smaller achievable steps that forms a list of tasks that are much more manageable and motivational.

Habit 8 - Reward yourself
Create a positive mental cycle by rewarding yourself for completing work and doing a job well done. When you finish a task, reward yourself and this will make you feel more inclined and motivated to begin the next task. For mental health, the habits of treating yourself when you reach milestones and celebrating success will have a positive effect on future productivity.


Habit 9 - Eat smart
The World Health Organisation has estimated that eating the right food can boost our brain power by up to 20%. An important habit to increase productivity is to eat healthily and regularly. Choosing nutritious foods and avoiding sugary snacks that make you crash will help you work at your best. Skipping meals can make you tired, irritable and mentally fatigued  negatively 
affecting your productivity.

Habit 10 - Exercise regularly
A healthy habit such as regular cardiovascular exercise can be a crucial factor in working productivity. Exercise can boost your memory, attention span, creativity and can also lower stress and improve mood - a plethora of positive outcomes to increase your productivity.

Habit 11 - Use productivity apps
If you want to be the best you can you need to take advantage of the best, most efficient tools that are available to you. There are many apps that are available to boost your productivity and you should be building your arsenal of technology to give you the edge in a very competitive market. A great example of this is Microsoft To Do. This app syncs between your mobile and desktop to help you keep on top of your to-do lists and organise tasks by stream and deadline.


Habit 12 - Delegate wisely
Taking the burden and workload of too many tasks can be anti-productive. If you are trying to carry too much weight on your shoulders you likely to crash and burn but by delegating wisely you can share this load. If there is someone else who is better suited to a job then delegate it. Smart delegation of jobs when needed helps you achieve your goals without sacrificing productivity.
​
By developing good habits you can build a productive workplace to help you work to your potential.

​
Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you to improve productivity.
​

The Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) helps individuals and teams to improve personal productivity and gain back on average 2 hours per person per day for meaningful work. Ask us for more information about how this could help your organisation to thrive.
​
MORE ABOUT PEP
Request a call

Breaking Out of Your Inbox: Tips for Managing Your Emails

4/8/2021

 
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Is your email inbox out of control?

The endless barrage of emails can be one of the consistently stressful tasks of the workplace. When you get hundreds of emails each day there is bound to be productivity loss.

The ramifications of an overflowing inbox go beyond increased stress, it can affect your efficiency and inevitably your productivity.

If you’re inundated with emails, it is possible to gain control. You might want to rethink your methods for organising your emails and emptying your inbox. Developing ways to process your emails can enable you to gain greater control, improve your response time and keep up with important actions and due dates.


Following are some specific strategies to help you manage your emails that follow the Personal Efficiency Program approach.

Strategy 1 - Do It Now
It is better to handle each email only once before you take action. You should decide what to do with it and where to put.

Using the 4Ds model can be an effective strategy:
1. Delete it
2. Do it
3. Delegate it
4. Defer it


Strategy 2 - Process one item at a time, starting at the top
Set a plan of attack. Sort your emails by order in which you will process them. For example, you could filter by date, subject, sender or receiver. Resist the temptation to jump around in your Inbox in no particular order. Start processing your first email and only move to the second one after you’ve dealt with the first. Don’t procrastinate on emails and your efficiency in dealing with them will improve.


Strategy 3 - Organise your email inbox with labels, folders and/or categories.
Your email folders should mirror your paper working files. An effective filing system will make it easier to locate emails efficiently when you need them.

Strategy 4 - Turn off sound and message notifications
Set aside blocks of time in your calendar, a few times a day to respond to your emails. This minimises the distraction of incoming emails as well as giving you a systematic approach to reading emails.


Strategy 5 - Make sure your email clearly reflects its content
Clearly identify the content of the email by using a succinct subject line that clearly explains the content that will follow. This will allow greater efficiency in locating emails in the future.

Strategy 6 - Send messages or replies only to recipients who need the information
Understanding the correct distinction between the “To:” field and the “Cc:” field can significantly reduce time when dealing with emails. The “Cc:” field is only for those who are being copied so they are kept in the loop. If you are “Cc’d”, remember that the email is for your information only and you are not required to respond.


Strategy 7 - Reduce the number of emails being received
Unsubscribe from any mailing lists that aren’t appropriate. Unnecessary email groups should also be avoided and use a filter to prevent unsolicited emails. Encourage team members to use Cc sparingly to avoid noise and distraction unless you are necessary to be across it. If a conversation is required, leveraging a phone call, face to face or chat message may be a more efficient mechanism to efficiently deal with the issue, so opt for those channels rather than email where required.

By developing efficient ways to process your emails you will be able to gain greater control of them, improve your response time and keep up with important actions and due dates.

​
Collagis is committed to helping businesses like yours to optimise workforce and organisational effectiveness. We'd love to share with you how we can help you to boost productivity.
​

The Personal Efficiency Program (PEP) helps individuals and teams to improve personal productivity and gain back on average 2 hours per person per day for meaningful work. Ask us for more information about how this could help your organisation to thrive.

MORE ABOUT PEP
CONTACT US
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