Improve Your Productivity By Stopping These Bad Behaviors
We spend a lot of time telling you about things you can do to increase your productivity. Sometimes, though, it's valuable to look at things a bit differently. What behaviors can you stop doing which will make you more productive and efficient? Funny you should ask. We've got some suggestions.
Recently, Lifehack compiled a list of things you should stop doing to improve your productivity. I've rounded up the highlights. Namely, stop:
Trying to do everything. Not all tasks are equal, so it's time to triage your workday and apply yourself to the 20 percent of your to-dos that constitute 80 percent of the business value. To do this, you'll need to be willing to walk away from some tasks you currently do.
Responding to all your e-mail. Prioritize your mail and reply to the ones you must; lower value mail -- and messages that are really intended for other people -- can be safely ignored.
Procrastinating. Use to-do lists, prioritize your work, and stop putting off challenging tasks simply because they are difficult.
Aiming for perfection out of the gate. The Beatles didn't write Abbey Road in a single pass, and you're unlikely to achieve perfection that way either. It's okay to create something that's far short of the mark and call it a first draft. You can tweak it later or even share it with co-workers for feedback. But insisting on perfection is a recipe for failure and disappointment -- and will probably lead to procrastination.
Working without breaks. You should take frequent breaks to recharge yourself mentally, but also to prevent physical problems like RSI.
Lifehack has more productivity no-nos. Be sure to read the entire article. And while we're on the subject, here are some more ways to enhance your productivity: