How to master the art of productivity from the virtual or real-life office

Hybrid working is here to stay. And staying on top of our to-do lists has never been harder to do in a world of demanding distractions. But all is not lost, remaining productive at home or in the office is still possible with a few simple steps...

We took a deep dive into the nation’s attitudes and unearthed a ‘productivity crisis’, with many struggling against their newfound autonomies and ability to get the job done. Our research of 2,000 working adults found that nearly nine in 10 (86%) said that they struggled to get through their daily to-do lists, spending just half of their day doing their actual job.

So what are the biggest blockers to powering through our to do list’s and being able to turn off our screens at the end of the working day? According to our research, ‘unnecessary’ meetings, ‘tedious’ admin and other ‘pointless’ processes are taking chunks of time out of our day and hindering our ability to be productive.

Despite working adults voting home as the most productive place to work, the issues they once associated with office life are still hindering their productivity. Half of those surveyed (49%) said a significant amount of their day is spent updating colleagues on the status of tasks and projects, unexpected phone calls (35%) and last-minute meetings (34%) and these are all contributing to the productivity gap.

“Many of us have more flexibility and freedom to set our own working routine than ever before, yet our utopian ideal of working on our own terms still remains under threat because of an inability to overcome productivity challenges regardless of where we choose to work.”

Brian Green at Adobe

To many, it feels surprising that 39% of working adults voted home as more productive than the office (22%), particularly considering the likely distractions faced when working at the home ‘office’, whether that’s the extra breaks to make a cup of tea, or perhaps the childcare balancing act. But saving money, avoiding the commute and a quieter working environment came out top as the reasons why we’re continuing to stay at home.

We know that many are looking to embrace the “work smarter, not harder” saying. With the additional trust given by employers to support employees working from home, it’s unsurprising we’re looking at ways to boost productivity ourselves, with having a good desk set up and regular breaks top of the list in ways to do this.

To support future of work trends, one way we’re supporting individuals and business is by helping them understand how digital tools can help flexible structures and cultures to produce greater collaboration, efficiency and productivity regardless of where you work. Thanks to features like real-time collaboration, e-signatures, mobile functionally and trusted security, an all-in-one app with Adobe Acrobat, employees can be empowered to work more flexibly wherever that may be.

For further information on finding the right Acrobat package for you and securing a free trial, visit Adobe Acrobat page: https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/free-trial-download.html