Work can be overwhelming. Sometimes we think we are being productive, when in reality, we are not. Habits that we think make us more efficient can actually be ruining our productivity. One of my favourite sayings is “Work smarter, not harder.” In some instances, this is true, and in others it might not be. By cutting out some of these common bad habits, you will be able to work smarter and get more done, stress-free.
1. Don’t Stay in The Office for Lunch
If you’ve had a stressful morning, staying in for lunch can compound that stress and set you up for an even worse afternoon. Leave the office and eat your lunch at the park. The health benefits of leaving the office for lunch speak for themselves: less aches and pains, greater productivity, relieve stress , and improve concentration.
2. Don’t Check your Email First Thing in The Morning
If the first thing you do when you wake up is check your email, you’re devoting your first waking minutes of the day to something other than yourself. As giving as that may sound, it’s not healthy. Focus on yourself in the morning and devote some time to do something you want to do. That can be enjoying a bowl of cereal, going to the gym, or reading a book. Whatever it is, you will go through the rest of the day knowing that at one point you were doing something totally at your own discretion.
3. Don’t Wing it
Having a daily routine is important because it adds a rhythm to your day which keeps you on task. Relating to the last point, rather than checking your email first thing in the morning, schedule in an hour at one part of the day where you check and respond to all emails. This will help automate the task and keep you focused on what matters.
4. Don’t Multitask
Not only can multitasking ruin your productivity, it can also lower your IQ. When focusing on several tasks at once, you are not going to achieve quality work, for any of the tasks. Your critical thinking is lost, as our brains are not capable of simultaneously focusing on multiple tasks effectively.
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