We’ll take a wild guess: There’s more on your proverbial plate than ever, but expectations continue to soar. Sound familiar? We’ve been there (honestly, many days we’re still there!) and that’s why, in our last Do More With Less series post, we’re tackling to-do lists head on and offering ways to save valuable time at work.
As we head into 2024, we’re all searching for ways to cut out repetitive tasks wherever possible, so we can spend more quality time on high-value projects. Those high-value projects often don’t get the time they deserve because our to-do list is bogged down with work admin or excessive meetings. But if you can carve out extra time throughout your workday, you’ll give yourself more capacity to knock business-critical projects out of the park.
Plus, we have it on good authority that completing deep work is more satisfying and can help you avoid burnout.
The current time crunch
This year, we published the Wrike 2023 Efficiency Report and the results inside gave us insight into why time feels more crunched than usual. In 2023, both workers and managers reported that workloads had increased by over 40%. In many instances, that’s because workers have taken on the workloads of their colleagues who have left, or because they’re tasked with completing more work with fewer resources, such as software or contractors.
Meanwhile, companies value efficiency more than ever. This year, a whopping 77% of organizations said they were prioritizing efficiency and, while almost half of business leaders say directors or managers are responsible for increasing efficiency, all workers are feeling the pinch.
Our Dark Matter of Work report, published in 2022, laid the groundwork for these findings and outlined the hidden costs of work complexities — including the financial losses companies face when workers are losing productivity to inefficiency. We found that workers waste an average of 13 hours every week, costing companies over $16k per worker every year. Those costs certainly add up across organizations.
Unfortunately, workers who waste time due to inefficient processes are also at higher risk for burnout — and often leave their roles at a higher rate, further costing their organizations and adding to diminished morale. Preventing burnout and helping workers feel fulfilled by their work can have long-term benefits.
Common causes of lost time
If you think about your workday for a few minutes, you could probably come up with a few causes for lost time, whether it’s five minutes here or 30 minutes there. Some causes are somewhat out of your control, such as being roped into meetings that could be summed up in an email, but others, such as getting sucked into social media, are habits you could adjust yourself.
Here are a few common causes of lost time:
- Working without a plan
- Unnecessary meetings
- Social media
- Excessive emails
- Multitasking
- Constant interruptions
If those sound like elements of your workday, read on for tips on how to save time at work, increase efficiency, and create more time for the work that matters most.
7 ways to save time at work
Small habits can really add up when it comes to becoming more efficient at work. From muting your phone notifications to timing your tasks, this infographic offers seven key ways to save you time at work. Plus, discover five bonus ways Wrike can help you cut out wasted time.
Try the Wrike AI shortcut
When it comes to top time-saving solutions, AI is here to stay. According to our Efficiency Report, 81% of businesses are planning to invest further in AI, generative AI, and automation in the coming year. At Wrike, we have consistently been ahead of the curve with intelligent features but we’re investing even further in new AI innovations that will help you save critical and valuable time throughout your workday.
Speaking of which, have you seen what our new generative AI can do? Here’s a quick overview:
If you need to save time at work, Wrike has you covered. Try Wrike for free and discover just how simple work can be with our powerful project management software.
From coping with the hidden cost of layoffs to boosting employee morale, we hope our Do More With Less series has helped you become more efficient in the face of adversity in 2023. Join us next year for more productivity-boosting tips!
