Habits that Kill Productivity at Work

You could well have adopted some bad habits that are actively hindering your productivity.

Hitting the snooze button
Although it might seem harmless at the time, ignoring that first wakeup call can damage your overall productivity for the day. As your Rapid Eye Moment or REM cycle ends once you awake, if you hit that snooze button and go back to sleep, this can cause disorientation that can last the whole day. Try to maintain a proper sleep schedule so that you can get enough sleep to allow you to focus on your work duties.

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Bad prioritising methods
When the working day starts, some will tend to tackle the easier tasks first – which is not the best way to handle your workload, as energy and drive tend to decline as the day goes on; thus, giving the biggest and most important tasks less focus and vigour.

Mornings are the perfect time of the day to take on the bigger tasks. One technique you can employ is the Triage approach, where you determine the tasks that should be done first and those that can be set aside for later.

Over planning, under planning and multitasking
You won’t maximise your work potential by trying to do too much in one day. Learn to set just enough tasks for the day and keep in mind that productivity is quality – not quantity.

While accomplishing tasks quickly might seem impressive, it can actually be counterproductive, as when you try to do too many things at once, this requires a rapid shift of focus. The quality of your work will suffer, as you will only be giving half your effort and intellect to the task.

Unhealthy lunch breaks
Rest during lunch breaks! While some employees are happy to have their lunch at their desks, a change of location can help refresh the mind and get creative juices flowing. Take a walk or hang out in a new place for a nice change of pace. Remember to skip junk food for lunch; instead, eat food that’s packed with protein to give you the energy you need to see you through the afternoon.

Social media accounts
The short minutes you spend checking your Facebook newsfeed or sending tweets on Twitter can actually take longer than you realise – and affect your productivity. Learn to turn off notifications from your apps to avoid being lured into checking your social media accounts. Unless relevant to the task at hand, it’s best to avoid the social networking sites altogether.

Too many meetings
Meetings are vital as they boost morale and set clear goals for everyone. However, attending too many meetings can eat up valuable time and take away any chances for organic growth and eureka moments. If you’re an executive, only hold them if and when necessary – and never on a whim!

If you think productivity is suffering because of your old habits, then it’s time to change. For remarkable meeting rooms in London that’ll bolster everyone’s concentration, call &Meetings now on 0800 073 0499!

Posted by Yasmin Saul