Remember that brilliant friend you had in college who never studied, aced all the tests, but flunked out sophomore year because he could never bring himself to actually attend class or finish any papers? That guy … he didn’t have what psychologists and educators refer to as “task persistence”.
Task persistence: you want to have it, and you want your employees to have it. It’s a critical aspect of what brain scientists (and despairing middle school teachers everywhere) call “executive functioning,” the aspects of your brain that act like a cross between a drill sergeant and a terrific executive assistant, keeping you focused, on task, and productive for long enough to achieve the task at hand.
Your friend who struggled with task persistence—probably people said he was lazy; admit it, maybe YOU thought he was lazy. And yet, he might have been super-capable—often exceptionally intelligent and creative people struggle the most with task persistence.
“Lazy” isn’t really the right way to think about the struggle with productivity that many bright, capable people experience. When otherwise bright, capable people struggle with completing tasks punctually, efficiently, and accurately, the problem is not a lack of will or caring, it’s a specific problem with unconscious processes within the brain.
The world provides an unending stream of perceptual stimuli, and some brains find it more difficult than others to screen out unwanted stimuli. Technology can help or hurt this issue. For example, educational software programs designed specifically for students with attention deficit support task persistence by breaking down complex tasks into simpler steps, while video games or Reddit forums erode task persistence by encouraging lengthy and unproductive hyperfocus on recreational diversions.
So what can help you and your employees harness your native brilliance, keep your unconscious brain processes on track, and not be that bright but lazy guy you knew in college, who never met his potential?
Yes, there’s an app for that: a relatively new category of software called business process management software or workflow management software that supports task persistence and efficient productivity, by helping employees focus attention on just the right thing. These apps are designed specifically to guide fast and accurate completion of recurring workplace procedures by bolstering executive functioning and therefore allowing your brain, and your employees’ brains, to work at full capacity, persisting at critical tasks until they are completed at a high level of excellence, the first time, and every time.
As one-stop-shops for all work functions, these streamlined and straightforward apps facilitate efficient, focused completion of work tasks by marshalling all the information needed to complete a work process in one place and by facilitating in-app internal communication focused specifically on the task at hand. No more interruptions and no more distractions—these apps boost motivation and concentration and help you, and your employees, get the most out of your brain power.
Check out these top-performing business process management apps:
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- Tallyfy
- TaskTrain (We think this one’s really great! 😉 Try it for free!)
- SweetProcess
- ProcessStreet
- KissFlow
These apps are web-based subscription services, most of which have free or low-cost monthly subscription options. With these apps, you can not only quickly document your processes at low cost, you can also embed short, easily understandable bits of training information within your workflow documentation along with communication threads that are laser-focused on the task at hand. As a result, employees can find the information they need independently, digest it quickly, and use it, right when and where they need it—whether they’re at the office, traveling, or at home.
Get Professional Help with Moving Your People and Processes Online
In some cases, we recommend working with a professional to document your work processes and train your team to work virtually. It’s a great timesaver to let professionals assist you with the transition to efficient real-time documentation of online workflows with embedded help content – so your employees can start working as an efficient virtual team, with confidence, day one!
If you’re looking for a reputable company to help you revolutionize the speed, ease, and effectiveness of virtual teamwork, we recommend TaskTrain. Set up a consultation with them by sending a message to hello@TaskTrain.app. TaskTrain’s staff members are experienced virtual team members who enjoy nothing more than sharing their expertise with you and providing outstanding customer service.
TaskTrain is a business process management app that allows businesses to easily facilitate virtual teamwork by defining and communicating standard operating procedures through simple, multi-level checklist templates. With TaskTrain, virtual teams work effectively and efficiently via detailed, multi-media work instructions/training materials and communication options at each step of every one of their company’s business processes.
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