How to Stay Productive While Spinning Many Plates
Staying productive can be surprisingly difficult, especially when customers are expecting orders quickly during a rush. And while it might seem like the kitchen is a place of streamlined order from the outside, from the inside, it’s often chaotic and disorganized. Here are our tips on how to stay focused no matter the bustle.
Have a structured morning routine
One of the biggest parts of staying productive is also staying organized. For example, when you get to the restaurant first thing in the morning, it helps to have a checklist to run down. Rather than haphazardly getting the kitchen prepped for the day, you can run through your list and make sure all t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted.
According to the Business Collective, it’s helpful to use the morning to, “respond to emails for the first 30 minutes of your day; make a checklist of tasks you know you’ll be able to complete; spend an hour learning more about your industry and current/upcoming trends... I personally enjoy writing everything down and crossing things out. It gives me peace of mind and a sense of satisfaction to know what I accomplished.”
Eliminate all distractions
That’s right -- one of the most important parts to staying productive is to eliminate all distractions, including your phone.
According to the Huffington Post, “Smartphones are a near-constant source of distraction in our daily lives. We check them an average of 110 times a day, according to a 2013 study, set them beside our plates at the dinner table...”
Of course, getting rid of your phone is not an option. But consider responding to all texts, emails and social media notifications prior your shift.
Stay positive
Many researchers say that positivity breeds productivity. Meditate before your shift, love your work. If you need a break, switch to another task for a few minutes before stepping back into your main project.
In an article from the Huffington Post, “A 2011 research study by Thomas Straube of the University of Muenster and another by Go Okada of Hiroshima University concluded that exposure to negative words impairs the formation of memory associations critical to productive work; research conducted by Stanford University’s Robert Sapolsky shows how stress from negative influences can shrink the hippocampus, the very part of the brain required to solve problems and drive initiatives.”
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