8 Daily Habits That Make You Less Productive and What You Can Do to Change

There are so many apps and programs available that help to keep teams on the same page and productive. But why is it that by the day’s end, you weren’t able to get to so many of those tasks? It’s bad habits that you don’t even realize you have that are hurting your productivity. If you find it hard to meet your daily goals, take a look at these bad habits everyone is guilty of that hurt productivity, and what you can do to change them.

Checking email too frequently

Spending too much time checking email is the number one habit that hinders productivity. It’s important to remember that not every email needs a response within minutes of you receiving it. Block out a period of your day and dedicate it to checking emails. As a good business practice, be sure that you and your team know how to write emails with good call to actions. Also, be sure to turn off email notifications on your phone to decrease the temptation of checking emails.

Checking social media too frequently

Along with checking your email too often throughout the day, the same goes for social media. It is easy to get sucked into what funny cat videos your friends recently posted. The majority of the population uses their phone to check social media. Luckily, there are apps you can download that will track your social media usage. These apps could be a wakeup call for you, and you’ll soon find out what you could have spent your time doing. 

Not blocking out time

Having a to-do list is critical when setting daily goals. But that list isn’t useful if you don’t block out periods for you to complete those tasks. Chances are, you already know what time it takes to complete many of these tasks. Use that knowledge to block out periods of your day for those projects. Chris Bailey author of Hyperfocus explains that work takes around 50% longer when you switch between tasks. Make sure when you are creating time for projects, that you commit to one task and one task only.

Panning meetings incorrectly

When you schedule a meeting, make sure that the period is productive. Appoint one person to run it and have an agenda to follow so you are less likely to go off on a tangent that is better saved for another time. Within that meeting agenda, have time for people to speak their opinions and debate with one another. Discussions are suitable for meetings so as long as you factor in time for it. 

Asking little or no questions when you’re unfamiliar with a project

One of the most significant setbacks that occur in companies is starting a project without asking questions. If you have questions about a task, ask! Many times people choose not to because they are afraid it will make them look dumb. That cannot be further from the truth. Getting ahead on a project only to take two steps back to redo a part of it will make you look even worse.

Avoiding breaks

Breaks may seem like a waste of time, but they are good for productivity. Make the time you take away from conducting business count. A 15 – 30 minute lunch break or a 10 minute stretch session after a block of meetings does wonders for your body and mind. Without giving yourself time to step away from projects and meetings, you’re on your way to burnout. So as long as you factor in time for it, you can still have a productive day. 

Forgetting to exercise

Staying active and fit is crucial for your health, and also helps with productivity. Entrepreneur magazine writes how some of the top CEOs work to make time to exercise in their day. Richard Branson is one CEO know for making exercising part of his morning routine. When you exercise, you release healthy endorphins. Having a rush of endorphins flow throughout your body makes you feel better, gives you more energy, and helps you to stay on task.

Not spending enough time reading

Along with getting exercise, exercise your mind! Keep up with industry news and read for fun. You’ll stay sharp, have a focused mind, and see a reduction in your stress levels so you can be the best employee or business owner possible. 

If you think you don’t have enough time during the week for reading, we can help with that. When you work with us at Iris Reading, we can give you the skills to become a speed reader. Speed reading can keep your mind focused, sharp, and give you the ability to be a more productive individual. Find out more about our courses and see what we can do for you.