If you feel discouraged by how little you accomplish in your workday, you are not the only one. In our constant quest to be more productive, we all have the tendency to get in our own way.
A study found that only 26% of employees leave work having accomplished the tasks they set out. Well, this is because of the few mistakes that kill your productivity!
These mistakes range from being a yes man to not automating the process and not having the right set of tools for instance efficient setup or as simple as a professional document scanner!
It is natural to feel busy and not accomplished. It’s not about being a productivity machine that maximizes every moment of your life.
Most people want to feel organized and efficient in achieving important goals and solving critical problems.
It is important to understand the mental and situational pitfalls that prevent us from focusing on meaningful work and accomplishing it.
Thus, here are 7 mistakes that kill your productivity.
1. You Don’t Automate Processes.
Do you waste time and energy compiling email subscribers’ information manually on your website or using your memory to pay rent each month? Automating processes is easier than ever, so why not make the most of it? Therefore this is one of the mistakes that kill your productivity.
Take into account all the processes that you use every day. How can you automate or convert items to help you get more done in less time? It is possible to gather queries from your website using Google Docs, or another similar program.
This information can then be compiled into a spreadsheet. To remind yourself when it’s time for you to pay your bills, you might set up an automatic reminder to run errands each month in your favorite productivity app or calendar. There are no limits to your creativity!
2. You Always Say “Yes”
Your productivity can be affected if you say “yes” to people, projects, tasks, accounts, and other things. This is one of the biggest mistakes that kill your productivity.
You’ll soon find that you take on more work than you can do in a given time if you say “yes” to everything. Sometimes, it’s necessary to say “no” in order to be able to stand up for yourself.
Consider whether the item you are considering volunteering your time and energy to is related to your personal projects or ongoing work. Is this going to help you get closer to your goals or push you away from them?
3. Ineffective Tools Are Used
You can cut food with a dull knife, and it’s dangerous. The same logic applies to productivity. This is not a debate about whether you should use digital or paper tools. It’s about whether they actually help you accomplish your goals.
You may be using inefficient tools if you find yourself working harder, repeating the same steps, or starting over every time. You should ensure that your productivity apps are properly installed and maintained.
Not only this but your productivity can also be impacted by not having the best device, for instance not having the best book scanner can impact both your efficiency and productivity!
Also, make sure to regularly examine your work processes and systems to ensure they provide the information and help you require.
4. There Is No System
A lack of a system for managing recurring tasks is one of the biggest productivity killers. No matter what your job, a system will make it much easier to track and process incoming items.
You probably have something in your life that you could make a system of. This is one of the mistakes that kill your productivity.
Do you have a system for receiving incoming messages and answering them? Are they easy to find? Setting up a system is easy.
Take a look at what information you will need at a later time and then find a way for it to be “caught” for future reference.
You might create a phone log to track who calls you and when. Make sure that your system is simple to use and meets your needs.
5. Perfection Is What You Always Want
While you should always aim to produce high-quality work, there are times when it is okay to produce less than perfect results.
Is it putting too much effort into something you don’t need to be perfect? Is your first draft of a creative writing essay perfect? What about the sketches for a new outfit? You can be selective about how you want to use your energy and where it will go.
You should think about the best places and times to bring out your discerning eye in your work. This is one of the biggest mistakes that kill your productivity, so avoid being perfect!
6. There Are Too Many Meetings
Meetings are not meant to be a waste of time. It is not about sitting around and wasting time. Meetings are meant to bring people together in order to achieve a common goal.
This could be discussing new ideas, reviewing past events, or making plans for the future.
It’s possible that you are spending too much time in meetings and not getting the work done.
Is it possible that you are simply repeating old information in your meetings, or are you actually accomplishing something new?
Is it necessary for the meeting to take place in the first instance? Do you need to be there or can you spend more time working?
7. You Don’t Delegate Work
You might believe you can do it all by yourself, but a group setting is better. Holding on to work can slow down your ability and productivity. This is one of the biggest mistakes that kill your productivity and still most people do this!
Two sides of productivity problems are caused by not delegating work: you work, and someone else is doing the same.
Instead of looking at work from your own perspective, look at it from a larger picture. Is it getting done?
Is it possible for someone more skilled than you to complete the task in a shorter time?
The Key Takeaways
Although you may have seen videos and blogs about how to increase productivity, the most important thing is to be aware of what not to do.
Thus, these were the 7 mistakes that kill productivity.
