We all know that person who says “I was here until 7pm last night” and you think to yourself; doing what? Just because someone stays late doesn’t mean they productive. We all have things in our lives that we would love to change to be more creatively driven, or to achieve more. With that said, how do you go about being more productive? Well sometimes it isn’t about doing more; it’s actually about doing less. Here are 6 common roadblocks stopping you from reaching peak productivity.
- Work smarter not harder or longer
There are several arguments that suggest someone who works less, is actually more productive than those that work 14 hour days. However, to achieve this you need to make sure you have the resources necessary to succeed. Constantly reading emails, searching through folders or flicking between windows wastes time!
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- Say ‘yes’ less often
We are all busy people, so when we are presented with an opportunity to take some things off our plate, of course we will take it! This usually takes the form of asking someone else to help. Being more productive is about better understanding your workload. Learn to know when you aren’t able to offer something your best attention. Say no when you reach that point. You’ll be amazed at how this simple word can make you so much more productive.
- Doing nothing isn’t always unproductive
It is important to clarify this point; I don’t mean sit down, watch TV all day and eat junk food. That would be unproductive and hazardous to your health. No, what I mean here is that time to turn off can be as productive as the time spent achieving goals. Walk away from your work, meditate, go for a walk or do some yoga. Allowing your mind to switch off a task you’ve been trying to do will allow you to approach the problem from a different perspective. Turning off will help boost your energy levels and make you happier as well.
- Fail to plan, plan to fail
This is a saying I am sure you have heard so many times it’s beginning to lose all meaning. Allow me to reinvigorate it for you. So much time is lost every single day because of not knowing what to do next. Instead of accepting this unproductive time, take 5 minutes at the end of every day to plan out what you want to achieve tomorrow.
Plan both professional and personal goals.
Then, in the morning, review the plan and start working toward it. Following a clearly defined plan will help focus your mind on outcomes vs workload.
- Notifications are a distraction
Everyone knows that friendly blue box in the bottom right hand corner of their computer screen a little too well. It’s a mini billboard that says, “stop what you’re doing and read me”. Emails are an important function in any workplace, but they are also a distraction that can act as a roadblock to reaching your peak productivity.
Instead, turn off the instant notifications or close your inbox all together during certain periods of the day. Allow yourself window periods of uninterrupted productivity without distraction. Alternatively, if you can’t close your inbox, make a rule that you don’t respond to emails until finishing a task at hand.
- Learn to release control
As anyone who has worked for one will tell you, micromanagers are the worst.
As a human being there is no way to reach peak performance when you are tyring manage every little item in your life. Relinquish control of some things and watch the roadblocks disappear.
Have faith or trust that the people around you can handle things.
You don’t need to be across every little change, decision or moment in your day. By releasing control of the little things to others, you leave yourself more time to focus on the things that matter.
Reaching your peak productivity can be a difficult thing to do because there are so many distractions in life. But following these 6 simple tips can help you through the process of removing common roadblocks in your life. Do so and you are sure to reach peak productivity.
IMAGERY:
Adigaskell – http://adigaskell.org/2015/09/17/what-role-does-technology-play-in-productivity/
