No one wants to be the boss or manager who isn’t fun or doesn’t know how to have a good time, but you do need to know how to motivate your employees to get work done. There are distractions all around us, even in an office and warehouse environment. When we allow these distractions to keep us from our work, productivity decreases. Eliminating productivity killers in the workplace can lead to increased productivity and overall company success.

In order to make your work environment a more productive one, you must eliminate productivity killers.

Socialization

People talk. People have phone calls and they have meetings. You cannot ask those in your office or place of work to stop talking. Doing that would be unproductive. However, you can encourage employees to keep socialization to the break room or places where they are less likely to distract other employees. For example, if two employees are talking next to the desk of someone who isn’t involved in the conversation, then they are probably being a distraction. Encourage employees to be mindful of where they are socializing.

Technology

From social media to text to emails, technology constantly interrupts our lives. As a boss or manager, you should establish some rules when it comes to using mobile devices. Your company may already have policies in place for mobile devices and Internet usage. If this is the case, remind employees about the policies and after providing some time for adjusting to the policies, start enforcing them.

Scheduling

If you’re managing or running an office, encourage your employees to take advantage of calendar applications. Whether in your email application or another format, these apps don’t only keep track of your day, but they can help keep you productive. Encourage your employees to not take non-scheduled appointments. By keeping to your schedule, you can avoid becoming distracted and stay on target.

Organization

Office clutter and desk clutter can actually greatly hinder our abilities to be productive. In order to help your workers eliminate their own productivity killers make sure the office or work environment is always organized and be sure you are encouraging employees to keep an organized workspace. Doing this will not only allow them to be more productive, but it gives them ownership over their space.