Given our digital transformation , it's virtually impossible to find a business, regardless of its industry, that doesn't rely on the internet to continue its activities. However, even though it offers countless benefits, the internet also harbors numerous distractions that can negatively impact worker productivity, making it necessary to seek out time management methods and tools online.
Misuse and indiscriminate internet use is a major problem for companies of all sizes. The lack of internet access control makes it easier for employees to become distracted by entertainment sites, online shopping, and social media.
In addition to lost productivity, this type of access can cause even greater problems for the organization. Content and websites create points of vulnerability through malicious links and social engineering. These "entry points" are exactly what cybercriminals need to corrupt systems, steal data, and hijack information.
Want to learn more about this topic? Learn more about time management with this video:
What are the advantages of time management on the internet?
While the internet is part of technological advancement and has transformed the way activities are performed, when used incorrectly, it can seriously harm a business. Therefore, time management while using the internet is a fundamental aspect for those seeking to increase their productivity.
Managing your time efficiently can bring numerous benefits, such as:
Increased productivity
By eliminating most of the distractions present on the internet, it's possible to produce even more during work hours . In general, workers who avoid accessing inappropriate websites at work end up producing more, with greater concentration, and delivering superior results. Time management allows for a significant reduction in wasted work time.
Focus on the scope of work
Social media, personal emails, entertainment sites, and online stores: all this content causes employees to become distracted from their tasks and lose focus on what's truly important.
By using an efficient time management methodology, it is possible to ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely manner, with quality and efficiency.
By using an internet access restriction protocol , it is possible to ensure that employees remain focused on company activities.
Increased internet security
Managing online time is about much more than just increasing business productivity. Besides wasting employees' time, unauthorized access to unapproved pages can create vulnerability points in the network .
Using malicious links, botnets, and social engineering, cybercriminals hack into networks, steal and hijack information, render entire systems inoperable, and engage in other types of attacks. Internet time management helps control these unauthorized accesses and keep the network protected from these attacks . This also reduces the risk of viruses and other types of malicious software, which can corrupt the system and render services unavailable.
Improved company internet performance
Since company resources are not allocated to unproductive tasks, it's possible to enjoy higher connection speeds and quality. With the growing need for faster and more efficient data exchange, internet consistency and latency become a priority within companies.
Transferring data unrelated to work diverts company resources and reduces the internet's availability for what's truly important: business activities. Managing your internet time helps control this type of access and provides a higher-quality internet experience.
Constant monitoring
Although we know, for the most part, which types of pages divert employees' attention (personal email, social networks, e-commerce, entertainment pages, etc.), it is more efficient, at first, to determine how the internet is being used.
Employees often have different internet habits, and creating specific access rules tends to yield better results. Internet time management, with the right tool, can provide more realistic data on each user's online behavior.
In addition to helping implement a more efficient internet access policy , this information can also serve as a parameter for evaluating employee productivity and commitment.
Cost reduction
In addition to all these benefits, controlling internet access through efficient management can help a company significantly reduce repair and maintenance costs. With fewer points of vulnerability (created by corrupted links and malicious software), the chances of failures and technical problems on company computers are reduced.
Why rely on time management on the internet?
As we've seen, whether using the internet, in our personal lives, or during our professional activities, time management offers numerous benefits. Beyond the process of organization and protocols to fit all activities into a routine, time management refers to a way of using time intelligently and assertively.
When it comes to time management online, it's even more challenging. Because it's an environment teeming with distractions, it's even harder to establish a strategy that helps maintain focus.
For a company, managing time online plays an extremely important role and directly contributes to employee productivity. As a business strategy, having a tool that allows for more efficient control of internet access helps employees stay focused and perform their tasks with greater objectivity and quality.
It is the responsibility of company management to establish an internet usage control policy in order to optimize productivity and information security indicators within the business.
How do you know if the internet is being used correctly?
To determine whether the internet is being used appropriately, you can use some productivity indicators . With the help of online time management, companies can more efficiently control the time spent on business activities. Here are some indicators that can help measure results:
Quality time
Without proper time management , employees' available time can end up diverted to irrelevant online tasks, harming a business's productivity and profitability. With an internet access control strategy in place, it becomes easier to determine when, within the workday, time is actually productive.
Interaction
With the rise of remote work, it's common for workers to become isolated, becoming increasingly isolated in their work. This isolation creates distractions and, consequently, negatively impacts business results. It's crucial to provide resources and tools that help with this and contribute to increased productivity.
Meeting deadlines
This is one of the most important aspects for anyone looking to evaluate an online time management strategy. The more effective the control over website access, the better the results delivered by employees.
How big is this challenge?
While it may seem complex, controlling internet access isn't rocket science. Currently, there are several solutions available on the market for this type of control, allowing companies to filter, control, and monitor their employees' internet access efficiently and conveniently.
Having this type of tool can bring several advantages to a business, especially in terms of increasing worker productivity.
