What is your best workplace productivity hack?

I got the bright (read crazy) idea that it would be a lot of fun to organize a workshop where people can share tips and tricks for improving your workplace productivity. So when the call came out for workshops for the COMP ASM in Kelowna, I thought why not have a workshop dedicating to improving productivity?

I am a big fan of the "GTD" workflow. If you haven't read it and want to learn some tips on improving workplace productivity, you really should pick up the book. But once you have, you then really ought to check out Luc Beaulieus' blog, particularly his digital GTD series. So after connecting with Luc and Thor Bjarnason (and the antithesis of Luc's love for Macs!) we cobbled up a proposal for a workshop.

Productivity implies the ability to yield a high degree of 'output' without expending too much energy. This assumes you have quality inputs and an efficient process which yields, ideally, high quality outputs. The metrics of outputs are important (e.g., number of publications, number of quality assurance checks performed, % increase in salary, etc.,) but also important are the inputs. The old saying "Garbage In = Garbage Out" applies... but generally, when it comes to Medical Physics tasks, we are good at conditioning the inputs (i.e., taking good measurements, or filtering important queries from colleagues, etc.). And often we have good strategies in processing those inputs and yielding good outputs. But can we do that processing more efficiently (i.e., improve your 'workflow')? One of the goals of this workshop is to shed some light on some optimal workflow strategies for different types of inputs.

But digging deeper into the topic got me on to something: One of the things we may not appreciate when we think "productivity" is the influence inputs have on things outside of the process itself. What I mean by this is that even the basic human needs, such as shelter, sustenance, the need for belonging, and friendships can have a huge impact on your professional productivity. Furthermore, while you may have great strategies for dealing with a barrage of e-mails and QA tasks, those 'inputs' could affect your well-being. Strategies like closing your door for an hour a day, or (one of my favorite techniques) having a 'personal time-out', can not only help you process things efficiently, they can improve overall well being.

I'm really looking forward to sharing some of our strategies for improving workplace productivity with our Medical Physics community, and, more importantly, learning from participants of their challenges and strategies in managing life as a Clinical, Research, and/or Administrative Medical Physicist.

Here is the link to the workshop details.

After the workshop, maybe Luc, Thor and I will cobble together an article for the COMP Newsletter or something.

See you in Kelowna!