Tag: increasing productivity

How to develop attention to detail

Posted on by satish

Attention to detail is a skill mandatory to prevent mistakes and improve success in the workplace. In software development, attention to detail means different things to stakeholders depending on the role. For developers, it may mean code quality and performance, while for product managers, attention to detail may be something related to user experience.

Unfortunately, technology, specifically the internet and smartphones, has shortened our attention span from 12 minutes to 5 minutes. It can be a problem, especially in software development, where attention to detail is crucial. Despite the workplace or family distractions when working from home, developers still need to write quality code. For this purpose, they need to be attentive to the project’s requirements and feedback from other stakeholders.

So, how to improve attention to detail?

Let’s check this out below. We have curated various methods and techniques that can make you better at paying attention to detail.

Adopt organized work culture

If things around you are chaotic, details will slip. Getting organized is the first step to creating scope for improvement in your attention to detail skills.

In the context of attention to detail, getting organized implies using a calendar and daily planner to keep your thoughts, ideas, and commitments organized. Markdown meetings and appointments, so you do not forget them. Keep a notepad or any app to take note of any details or thoughts you have about a meeting. You must plan your day around deadlines.

Minimize distractions in the workplace

To boost attention to detail, distractions at the workplace need to be minimized. But, how do you limit distraction in workspaces when distractions are inevitable?

Mental isolation.

To improve your attention to detail, you must learn to detach yourself from all the commotion by mentally isolating yourself. Classical music has shown promising results in several studies to help people improve their productivity and focus more. You can give it a try. However, it must be classical music, not songs with lyrics, as they will add to the distraction. Also, turn off your phone and email notifications on your desktop or laptop.

Practice mindful interactions

One of the main reasons why developers struggle to pay more attention to detail is that they are not being mindful. If you are not present mentally while performing a task, your work quality will be significantly affected. Stress, distractions, pressure, and health issues can be several reasons a developer ‘zones out’ while writing the code. The remedy to the situation depends on the underlying cause.

Not being mindful while working can be disastrous for a developer as it can significantly affect code quality and introduce bugs. If stress or anxiety affects your attention span, maybe it’s time to take a break. If you are overworked and continuously under pressure, it is time to talk to your manager about delegating tasks more realistically.

Avoid multitasking 

Multitasking might seem like one of the essential skills, but it is not. It is one of the most counterproductive habits for employees. The research on the impact of multiple tasks simultaneously shows that multitasking can reduce productivity by 40%.

For developers, multitasking implies they are juggling several tasks while writing the code. It will create too much backtracking, breaking the flow, and they will have to look up where they left. It is much more productive for developers to focus on one task at a time.

Read more to strengthen your focus

Given how much time we spend on our phones, reading is a hobby that few people still embrace. When you can skip between content with a tap of the finger, how boring it will be to read. A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found that the number of readers in the US declined by one-third from the previous year, and the trend is continuing.

However, not reading enough is detrimental to your attention span. Reading is one of the best exercises to build your attention to detail aptitude. You start with spending a few minutes reading books daily and invest more time as you gradually progress. It will work out your focus muscle, and your concentration will improve. We have already listed some crucial books for developers; see if they interest you.

Conclusion

Attention to detail is an essential skill for developers. Whether you are just starting your career or struggling to maintain focus after spending years writing codes, nurturing attention to detail will serve you well and improve your performance at work. We hope these tips will help improve your attention span faster and more effectively.

Talent500 is a platform for developers to find the best opportunities with global companies. Join us today and be part of the elite talent pool that companies actively search for.

4 Productivity hacks for software developers

Posted on by seoteam

Not just developers but every professional struggles with daily productivity at work as humans have limited willpower, and it is scientifically impossible to remain productive all day.

But because work must be done, code written, and projects delivered. So, how do you stimulate your developer productivity?

That’s what we are going to explore in this article. If you are a junior developer, you are at a stage where you need to discover what works best for you and discover productivity hacks that will serve you well for the rest of your career. Even if you are an experienced programmer, it is not too late to nurture new habits.

Here are the top four productivity hacks for software developers to stay focused and optimize their daily productivity.

1. Create a well-aware development environment

The more aware of the weapons in your arsenal, the easier it will be to kill the enemy. To be clear, the enemy is the distractions that break your workflow. To remain productive, you must take minimal detours to research a library or a tool to use in the project. 

Familiarize yourself with the development environment you work in and the tools you use. You must know the editor you write code on like the back of your hand. Know all shortcuts – the quickest way to search a function, the fastest method to refactor, the best way to autocomplete code, etc.

Furthermore, learn all the libraries available in your chosen language(s). The best way to learn about libraries is to write an example for each, so you know how and when to use one. The more you experiment with a library, the more equipped you will be to use it when the opportunity strikes.

2. Divide, prioritize, then conquer

You have limited hours to put at work. You cannot accommodate each feature, fix every bug, or design the whole interface in a single day. It is where you need to use your time management skills to prioritize tasks. 

Break chunks into smaller attainable tasks. It will psychologically affect your mood as your morale will be uplifted with each accomplishment, and your productivity will be high. On the contrary, if you try to do everything at once, you will achieve nothing, and as the hours pass, pressure will increase, and productivity will decline.

To accomplish tasks, make a list and prioritize. Be realistic about how much work you can get done within a day. Plan and work accordingly, but don’t miss to reflect upon what you accomplish each day. Even after a few failed attempts at the beginning, you will see productivity   building up consistently over time.

3. The secret lies in regular short breaks

There are enough studies to support that taking breaks between work leads to higher productivity. Scheduling breaks within your coding sessions can help you focus, improve creativity, reduce stress, and optimize your overall well-being.

One technique that developers can use is the Pomodoro Technique. It is a straightforward technique for time management that programmers use. In the Pomodoro technique, you break down your work intervals into 25-minute sessions followed by 5-minute breaks. 

After every four 25-minute work sessions, you take an extended break of 20 to 30 minutes. It is a technique that has been working for the developer community for decades and will also work for you. Use your breaks to relax your eyes, stretch your body, walk around, or chat with friends and colleagues. Then when you return to work, you will be mentally and physically refreshed, ready to focus more on the task.

4. Keep learning

It might not appear to be one of the best productivity hacks; however, constantly updating your skills will make you more productive. As you expand your knowledge and gain more experience, you become a programmer who solves problems faster and more efficiently. You inevitably learn how to be more productive and what methods and practices serve you best.

Investing in yourself and exploring new tools to speed up the workflow is essential. An excellent way for professional growth is to take up hobby projects or participate in open source projects. You can tackle challenges faster and be more productive as you learn new tricks.

Conclusion

Developer productivity hacks that we have listed above will take time to implement. Developing a healthy productivity plan is a task in itself that requires commitment, resilience, patience, and most importantly, consistency. As you keep on the path and practice these hacks daily, you will experience a significant difference in your productivity. 

Don’t forget that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to productivity management. Some tricks might work for you, some might not. It is on you to keep exploring, upskilling, and learning what works best for you.

Talent500 is a platform for discovering, hiring, and managing remote teams for Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and fast-growing small businesses. Signup today and join the elite pool of talent to be discovered by the best companies.

5 Time management tips for software developers

Posted on by seoteam

The software development industry has a vast pool of talent. But the developers who stand out are the ones who have mastered time management. Companies understand that technical skills alone will not get the job done; a programmer must be skilled in managing time.

As you progress in your career, you will face more daunting tasks and optimal time management will ensure you deliver results by the deadline every time. Software developers juggle dozens of jobs at a given time. Keeping your head above water will be impossible without ongoing time management.

This article summarizes top time management tips for software developers to help them succeed in their careers.

1. Up your time management game through training

A successful software developer can get multiple things done consecutively. According to the Academy of Management Study, some people are naturally better at time management; nevertheless, it is a skill that can be nurtured with practice. The study concluded that people who trained in time management felt less stress under pressure and were in more control of their time than those who did not get the training.

However, you must be clear about what training can help you learn time management. Maura Thomas, a productivity thought leader argued in her Harvard Business Review publication that “traditional” time management courses are no longer relevant for today’s workers. For software developers, she recommends a time management training that incorporates these components:

  • Focus on role priorities rather than specific task priorities
  • Training for attention management skills rather than “time management” skills
  • A comprehensive workflow management system

Therefore, investing in a high-quality time management course is crucial. Here is a list of top time management courses on Udemy.

2. Have a plan

For software developer productivity, planning is everything. It is a known fact in the software development industry that 80% of a developer’s time is spent on research, while only 20% on writing code. But when you add planning to the mix, you can better manage your time to complete tasks without delays.

Plan your day every morning to sort through all crucial tasks according to priority. You can create an Excel list to keep tabs on all necessary tasks you must achieve within the day. Interruptions are inevitable. An emergency client meeting can distract you from the keyword, or something personal might come up, but you must return to the task at hand as soon as possible.

3. Use time tracking tools

Another practical time management tip is to use time tracking tools on the job. Time tracking software like Focus Keeper and Smarter Time can help you automate the tracking requirements. With these tools, you can easily track how much time you spend on various tasks associated with the project across devices. 

They can also track your time on social media sites to help you understand your time-spending behavior. You can combine this time tracking app with a high-quality task manager to get real-time analytics of how focused you are and how you can manage more efficiently. It is essential to be mindful of where your time is going and how you can optimize it for productivity.

4. Keep distractions away

Distractions are one of the biggest time killers for software developers. A study from the University of California, Irvine, found that when a person is distracted, they need 23 minutes and 15 seconds on average to get back in the zone.

Considering the findings of this study, you can easily anticipate how much time you would be wasting if you were distracted a few times a day. To make things worse, software developers work on devices with an Internet connection. If you are a social media user, you are bound to receive daily notifications that distract you from the assignment.

Fortunately, keeping distractions at bay is relatively straightforward. All you have to do is turn off notifications of all your social media accounts except the ones you need for your work. If you’re working from home, create personal office space so that you are on the daily distractions. Keeping distractions away will improve your productivity and work quality.

5. Take regular breaks

Humans only have limited willpower to stay disciplined throughout the day. Breaks are essential to staying productive. Software developers should take frequent breaks to rejuvenate their creative juices and focus more on work. The Pomodoro technique is one of the most popular techniques to boost software developer productivity through regular intervals.

It is a five-step process known to keep you relaxed and mentally fresh. Here’s how you can use it:

Step 1: Pick a task

Step 2: Set the timer for a 25-minute reminder

Step 3: Be focused on your task until the reminder sets off

Step 4: Take a break for 5 minutes and then return to work

(This is a Pomodoro set)

Step 5: After every 4 Pomodoro sets, take a 20-30 minutes break.

Although a simple technique, it can keep you fresh for an extended period and help prevent mental exhaustion.

Conclusion

Time management is not a sprint but a marathon. It is a skill that takes time to master but serves you lifelong. The time management tips above can help software developers become more consistent, resilient, and committed to their work.

Talent500 is the fast-growing platform for start-ups, and Fortune500 companies use it to hire, build, and manage their global remote teams. Signup to join the elite pool of talent and get discovered by some of the best companies globally!

 

Tips to boost creativity as a front end developer

Posted on by venkatesh

Front end development is a unique space in programming. To be a genuinely creative front end developer, one has to strike the right balance between the creative and analytic sides of the brain. Once you break free from conventional and rigid frontend practices, you can create websites that people will remember.

Visual art capabilities bring much-needed creativity to front end developers. Also, developing an understanding of digital psychology, color theory, graphic patterns, and design is essential. All these disciplines help front-end developers create impactful designs.

Here’s how you can nurture creativity.

Practice more

There is no alternative to practice. To be more creative at what you do, you need to keep practicing to recreate some of the best front end works. Awwwards is an excellent source to look out for inspiring designs to clone for practice. With the availability of online resources like Freecodecamp and Frontendmentors, you can practice problems that boost your creativity.

A practical way to be more creative is to create a clone of designs you like. For instance, if you want a particular website, take note of the essential elements like color, typography, layout, content, and media. The more creative websites you choose, the better you will get at understanding design concepts.

Pay attention to typography and color theory

Fonts and colors are arguably the essential building blocks of a website design. You can create attention-grabbing designs if you apply color theory and follow guidelines to use fonts. For instance, if you design a website with humor and fun at its core, use playful fonts like Mouse Memoirs and Fruktur. But if you are working on a website that requires a professional-like appearance, use simple fonts like Roboto, Arial, or Open Sans. Modern websites often use two or more fonts on a single page. It would be best if you learn how to pair fonts properly. You can learn more about typography here.

To be a creative front end developer, you need a basic understanding of color theory. For example, when designing corporate websites, light or toned-down colors are appropriate. If you are working on a brand website, keep colors consistent with the logo. To create a vibrant and dramatic experience, you can use contrasting dark colors.

If you haven’t tried guiding your design based on color theory, you can learn about it here.

Utilize negative space in the layout

Negative space is the empty area between page elements. Creativity is more about balance. It’s not about including too many features to clutter the canvas or leaving too much white space. Appealing designs make use of negative spaces to make elements stand out. Furthermore, negative spaces make pages look organized and clean with evenly spaced segments.

Maintain the beginner’s mindset

As you become a more proficient front-end developer, you may spend less time brainstorming ideas. Over the years, as your coding skills have progressed, you might have created a repository of code snippets that you can plug into different projects.

It’s a great way to save time when working on new projects. But it is hindering your curiosity as you are no longer trying new ways to achieve the same functions. It would help if you never lost the beginner’s mindset. It is essential to ensure that you don’t curtail creativity.

When you get a new project, take some time to work on alternative designs. Look around and draw inspiration from non-conventional art pieces, objects, or nature. A simple trick is to come up with three design ideas. Never settle for the first idea you brainstorm. If you find yourself stuck with the first one, flex your creative muscles.

When faced with a challenge, try to find the best solution. Maybe you need to learn a new tool or work with a language you are not pro at but don’t walk away. The harder you force your brain to develop an idea, the more creative juices will start flowing.

Get feedback

You might be aware of Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours rule. It states that to master any skill, we need to spend a minimum of 10,000 hours practicing or developing that skill.

Unfortunately, that’s half the truth, as discovered by Anders Ericsson, an expert scientist who tested Gladwell’s hypothesis and found it incomplete. He argued that for Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours rule to work, good instructions and feedback are needed to make adjustments. This is why you need mentors who can guide your work and help you innovate.

To be a creative front end developer, you can’t just practice in isolation; you need honest feedback and adjustments.

Join communities like Dev Community and Stack Overflow to connect with other front end developers, share your work, and seek their feedback.

And, if you are looking for a challenging job opportunity to stimulate your creativity, we can help. Talent500 is the platform that connects the best of talent with fast-growing startups and Fortune500 companies. Signup today and discover global opportunities.

What companies can do to empower employees to be productive anywhere

Posted on by naveen

As the popularity of remote work is growing, the challenge to keep employees productive while empowering them is real. A distributed workforce is the future for companies and learning to adapt to this work culture shift is important. When your employees are working remotely, it can be difficult to keep them engaged and feel inclusive. As a manager, the onus is on you to develop trust among the employees and inspire them to take responsibility to be more productive.

How do you achieve that?

Through employee autonomy and empowerment.

In simple words, this refers to the philosophy of encouraging employees to make decisions independently on their own and to take accountability of their tasks. As a manager, your role is to support this decision-making and make employees feel more confident about themselves. As employees work remotely, you cannot micromanage them. You have to let them have autonomy and flexibility.

Here are some important tips for empowering your staff for business success.

Start by demonstrating trust

Unless you make your employees feel important and valued, they will not be able to make independent decisions. To achieve this, you will have to gain their loyalty by showing your trust. Instead of explaining the means, introduce your employees to the end goals and let them take their path. This approach might not achieve everything that you want, but the employees will feel empowered due to increased autonomy and flexibility.

Establish clear communication

As a leader, it is your responsibility to bring transparency to the communication between the distributed workforce. You must bring everyone on the same page, as a communication gap will create confusion and the employees will remain in the dark about what they are supposed to do. Another important factor in empowering your employees is to clearly define the company vision to the staff. Finally, clearly define the tasks and duties that they can work on independently.

Avoid small talk – build a connection

As the distributed workplace environment further reduces the chances of one-on-one conversations, small talk doesn’t cut it anymore. It is important to remain engaged and connected with your employees and have deeper, quality conversations. To instill a sense of empowerment in your employees you must know them on a personal level. Have more personalized conversations such as accomplishments and complaints they might have, ask about their work progress and what’s going on with their families. This not only encourages your employees to feel more engaged but also helps you to grow as a leader.

Make way for self-improvement

When employees learn new skills, they feel more empowered and it helps improve the company as a whole. This is why continued upskilling and reskilling programs are important;  it empowers employees to take on new challenges at work. It also enhances their personal growth which is important for their empowerment. Companies that have resources make tools and ways available for employees to take courses to learn new skills. If you do not have such resources, you can allow flexibility in your work schedule such that they can pursue upskilling programs. You will be surprised how constructive such support can be for your employees’ well-being and work ethic.

Delegate responsibility not just work

As a leader, you can easily impart empowerment to the employees almost immediately by delegating not just the work but asking them to take more responsibility such as handling an important meeting or pitching a product you all have been working on. The best way to let them feel important and motivated about their work is to let them work on projects that people and customers notice. This will make them realize that they have a real effect not just on business but on other people as well.

Employee empowerment can help companies not only grow but take on challenges with a distinct zeal. When you make them feel empowered you have better chances of retaining them, sparking job satisfaction, improving customer service, and driving individual growth.

At Talent500, we are empowering companies by helping them build and manage global teams. To know more, request a consultation.

6 steps managers can take to enhance the productivity of their distributed teams

Posted on by naveen

Worldwide, the percentage of people working remotely has risen from 17% in 2019 to 32% in 2021. More importantly, 99% of people surveyed in this period chose to work remotely for some part of their week. 

However, the shift to location-independent work demands a clear switch in the way managers lead their teams. As the manager of a remote team, how do you ensure productivity when you can no longer check in on your team physically? We’re here to help.

What we have learned

Flexibility is non-negotiable

A whopping 82% of workers surveyed said that that lack of flexibility is their mean reason for not accepting a job offer. 69% of millennials would give up on certain work benefits for a more flexible working space. Want to retain your star performers? You know what to do.

“Flexibility” refers to the ability of an employee to break free from the 9 to 5 window of traditional working hours. There remains little doubt today that the work-life narrative has taken a 180-degree turn post-pandemic. 

With this intermingling of personal and professional responsibilities, it is important that every team member has the flexibility to decide how, when, and where they work. 

Communication is essential, but so are boundaries

We understand that driving key results and outcomes requires you to stay on top of everything. However, it is equally important to not let the need for quantitative productivity eclipse your team’s quality of life. 

Disconnecting from work is one of the biggest challenges faced by remote workers, with employees feeling that they must always be “present”. While it’s a good thing to be available for your team at all times, watch the thin line between “available” and “intruding”. 

Our take: We highly recommend following the 9 to 9 rule – restrict all work-related communication between 9 AM to 9 PM. 

Here are some steps that managers can take in order to enhance the quality of remote work: 

1. Share your vision and goals

After all, there is no better motivation than a shared goal. Sharing your vision about the team’s short and long-term goals is a great way to get buy-in from your team members. It helps your team members find deeper meaning in what they do, and understand how they are contributing to the bigger picture. 

We recommend dividing this into two stages: 

Sharing the broader vision

By this, we don’t just mean the company’s vision and mission, although that’s a great place to start. Talk to your team members about the problem that you are solving as a company, service, or product. One of the best ways to motivate your team members is by helping them understand how their individual goals are aligned with the company’s goals. 

Sharing short-term goals

Having shared the common goal with your team members, the next step is to get them on board with the short-term milestones. Instead of simply assigning tasks, include your team members in the ideation and goal-setting stages. Set realistic timelines after consulting with your team to ensure timely deliverance. 

2. Find the right project management tool

From Trello and Asana to Jira and ClickUp, there are over a hundred project management tools today. The trick is to find a project management tool that addresses the specific needs of your team. Jira is considered one of the best tools for agile project management, whereas Trello helps teams break complex deliverables into individual tasks. 

Is your team struggling to find an overlap between too many time zones, or facing trouble with collaboration? Understanding the barriers faced by your team will help you identify the tool that is the most effective for you.

3. Encourage asynchronous communication

Managing multiple time zones is a problem faced by most remote teams. Asynchronous communication solves this by giving team members the agency to work according to their own schedules. According to Darren Murph, Head of Remote, Gitlab, “the first steps to maximizing productive remote workflows include understanding and embracing asynchronous work”.

However, leveraging the complete potential of asynchronous communication will require some homework on your part. Documentation is a good place to begin with.

Digital whiteboards like Miro or knowledge management tools like Confluence and Notion enable each team member to participate according to their schedule. Ensure that all relevant details are stored at a central place, available to every stakeholder in the project. Divide all communication into synchronous and asynchronous according to urgency and importance.

4. Cut down on video calls

Remember the good old days, when video calls were a luxury, to be used only for connecting with overseas clients or team members in different branches of the office?

Not every conversation needs to be a meeting, and not every meeting needs to be compulsory. As a rule, try and make attendance optional for all meetings. This enables all key stakeholders to prioritize their day according to their individual requirements instead of forcing them to attend each call.

We also recommend cutting down on recurring meetings. Perhaps a project required bi-weekly updates in the beginning but will run perfectly well with a weekly meeting now. Dividing meetings into blocks of 25 and 50 minutes instead of 30 and 60 is another simple, yet effective way to reduce zoom fatigue. Many companies like Citigroup reserve a no-meeting day in the week, where the entire organization does not schedule any video calls.

5. Encourage autonomy and ownership

It is now scientifically proven that an increase in employee autonomy increases productivity. Want a productive team? Resist the urge to micromanage. 

Instead of regularly checking in on your employees, define clear goals, milestones, and timelines. Remember that you hired your team due to their experience and skill set, and trust them to drive the results. If a team member has a specific skill or experience that is valuable to a project, encourage them to take the lead. When giving feedback, remember to give constructive, actionable points instead of mere criticism. 

Not only does this build trust, it also increases job satisfaction. As a result, companies see a higher employee engagement and retention. 

6. Invest in the right tech

Arming your team with the right tech and tools is one of the best ways to boost your team’s productivity. Here are a few ways in which you could empower your team by enabling them: 

Home-office setup

The lack of a proper workspace is a big hindrance to productivity. Help your team members overcome this hurdle by giving them access to a home office allowance. Whether it is in the form of an ergonomic chair, uninterrupted power supply, or a better computer, these small steps go a long way in helping your remote team maximize its productivity.

Tech-tools and software

Imagine asking an athlete to run in the wrong shoes. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it? And yet, innumerable managers make the same mistake when they deny their team members access to certain essential paid software or applications. Most tools offer a limited period free trial – use this time to assess the value it can add to your deliverables. 

Automation

Today, thanks to the integration of AI & ML into every industry, we have tools to automate the most repetitive and standardized tasks. From invoicing and data entry to inventory management and capturing customer feedback, there are tools to automate most processes. Freeing your workforce from these mundane tasks will enable them to concentrate on more analytical tasks.

In the words of Peter Drucker, the founder of modern management, “Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.” 

The way we work might have changed, but what remains constant is the role that good leadership plays in driving productivity in a team. Whether it is in terms of effective communication, taking ownership of tasks, or empowering and investing in your workforce, managers must lead by example.

Talent500 helps the world’s fastest growing businesses build their global workforce.

We help companies hire, build and manage global teams. We are trusted by industry leaders across the globe – from Fortune 500s and larger enterprises, to some of the world’s fastest-growing startups. We are backed by Accel Partners & ANSR, a global leader and enterprise transformation platform.

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