Productivity killers are bad news for anyone looking to get something done. We all have our own ideas of what it means to be productive. For some people, this means working in an office for 8 hours a day and doing your best to stay focused on the task at hand.
Others consider themselves productive if they can work out 3 times a week or manage their time well. The truth is that many factors contribute to productivity, but many things get in the way of doing so.
Various aspects of life can take away from how productive we feel during the day, such as negative self-talk or having too much on our plate, so it's important to avoid these obstacles when possible.
Do you feel like your productivity levels are dipping? Maybe it's time to stop the bad habits that are dragging you down. Try these helpful tips for increasing your productivity and avoid being a victim of all-too-common time wasters.
1. Working On Tasks With No Clear End Point
Most people have a "to do" list. They write down what they need to get done and then check off the items that are completed. That is not how tasks are managed in my company. We don't know when our work will end, so we keep doing it until there's nothing left to do, and then we move on to something else.
The problem with this is that it doesn't give you any sense of accomplishment or closure while working on the task, making it harder for you to focus on other things afterward because your brain is still stuck in the same mode as before. It also creates an environment where people feel like they never finish anything, leading them to either getting caught up in their own anxieties about finishing or not making real progress toward the goal.
When we are working on tasks with no clear endpoint, the work can feel never-ending. When you finally finish one task, there is another one waiting for your attention, and it seems like they will never stop coming! This type of work can be very draining and hurt productivity. Break larger projects into smaller tasks that have a clear endpoint.
2. Procrastinating By Doing Things That Are Not Important
One of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to productivity is procrastinating by doing things that are not important. These habits can hurt a person's chances of getting things done, and they also reduce the quality of work. Some examples include checking social media, surfing the web, reading magazines or newspapers, going on YouTube, or watching TV. All these tasks take away from time that could be spent working on more important tasks.
The best way to stop this cycle is to schedule your day. Hence, you have enough time for both productive and non-productive activities to stay focused on what needs to get done rather than always putting off deciding what should be done next. We all know that procrastination is a terrible thing. It hurts productivity and creates stress. But most of us have experienced the tough temptation to do something else instead of what we should be doing.
The first step is understanding why we do these things and when it's okay to stop working on one task for another. For example, if you're at work and need to email someone back about a project, that's totally fine! You can't spend more than five minutes or so on it before going back to your original task because too many distractions will hurt your productivity in the end.
3. Engaging In "All-or-Nothing" Thinking
Do you ever feel like all-or-nothing thinking and perfectionism are hurting your productivity? If so, you're not alone. Perfectionists often find that they are constantly comparing themselves to others, setting their standards too high, and feeling disappointed when they don't meet their goals. But it doesn't have to be this way! In fact, there are plenty of ways for perfectionists to become more productive without having to change who they are or what they do.
Perfectionism can be a good thing, but it can become an unhealthy obsession. When you engage in perfectionism and "all-or-nothing" thinking, the result is often decreased productivity. Perfectionism and "all-or-nothing" thinking are not just self-destructive, but they can also be toxic to the people around us.
When we focus on what's wrong with a situation instead of what is right, or when we expect ourselves to do everything perfectly all the time, our level of productivity plummets. The good news is that there are plenty of ways for you to break out of perfectionism, so you're able to enjoy your life and be productive at work without feeling like a failure if something goes wrong.
4. Not Taking Breaks
Some people are of the mindset that if they take a break, their productivity will decrease. However, taking breaks is actually essential to increasing productivity and preventing burnout. In fact, research shows that not taking breaks can lead to decreased mental performance and increased stress levels. It's easy to see why many people don't take breaks.
They think they'll be more productive if they keep working, but the opposite is true. Breaks are necessary for productivity because it gives your mind time to reset and refocus on the task at hand. If you want to work efficiently and productively, make sure you're taking regular breaks. You might feel like taking a break would be a waste of time, but research shows that breaks actually help you get more work done.
This is because your brain needs to take in new information and process it before it can focus on another task. If you don't give your brain time to rest, your work's quality will suffer. Taking a break allows us to clear out these distractions and come back refreshed. To avoid falling behind while working, we should stop every hour or two and take at least five minutes off from what we're doing.