Remember how satisfying it feels to finally cross everything in your to-do list?
But for that feeling, you’ve to work hard and be productive. Only then, you get to feel the reward of accomplishment.
But then there is distraction lurking behind almost everything. There are social media channels, there is Netflix, there are games, and the urge to check the emails just one last time.
Fortunately, there are ways and tips through which you can be productive again. The only condition is to let go of the bad habits and try to control them.
With that, here’s a list of habits you must give up if you want to be productive.
1. Cut down your Social media time
What happens when you start to scroll Instagram reels? There is no end. You scroll and scroll until hours have been passed. And it’s not just about Instagram but social media in general.
Social media is made to be addictive, to be scrolled through mindlessly. As a result, if you went on to use social media without proper thought analysis, you are doomed to waste your precious time again and again.
So next time when you want to use social media, ask yourself this. “What is my intention here?” And if your answer is to engage with your followers because it’s absolutely necessary for your business or personal branding, then you should allow minimal time for yourself.
And when you’ve finished with all of your crucial notifications, exit the app right away. Or ask yourself, “Have I accomplished my goals of using this platform?”
Start with these simple mindfulness habits and you’ll be able to make more informed decisions. You will not only save a lot of time, but you will also feel better and more satisfied.
2. Going with the flow
Here’s something silly but thought-provoking. Do you know who goes with the flow? Dead fish!
Going with the flow is fine sometimes. Not everything should be structured and organized. Life would become dull and predictable. However, you can’t be spontaneous when it comes to managing time for better productivity.
There is too much risk and you’d never catch up with the workload. Your professional life will hinder your personal life and in no time—both worlds will clash—this means chaos everywhere.
Therefore, it should be the priority. Get your life together by making a rough structure for the timetable and follow this structure strictly.
Decide your time for work, breaks, family, friends, going out, and so on. Prepare a to-do list and note-taking app or notebook. And jot down every detail and sketch a blueprint for making a schedule.
If you’re a student, we have compiled a detailed article on how to be productive in different ways and stay organized. Make sure to check it out.
3. Give up multitasking
Multitasking is a myth. Whoever says that they can perform multitasking, they are either lying or they don’t understand how multitasking works. Therefore, if you think you are someone who believes in multitasking, then you need to consider it again. Because you may be wasting a significant amount of time
When we think we’re multitasking, we’re actually switching from one task to the next. Not to mention not doing two things at once. We are just taking care of two tasks in rapid succession.
This has a totally different outcome. When we think multitasking is saving our time, it’s actually consuming more time. Because when we are performing two tasks at the same time, we are not able to focus on either one. As a result, doing the same task takes longer.
Therefore, simply give up multitasking. Instead of juggling between two tasks, try working on just one. You’d have fewer distractions and more focused work. So if you’re a multitasker, try this and you’d be surprised with the results.
Read our article to understand why multitasking doesn’t work.
4. Perfectionism kills your productivity
A little truth bomb here: it’s never going to be perfect. What does that mean? Let’s say you’re a freelance content writer and naturally you’ve to meet multiple deadlines. But what if you try to proofread or edit your articles multiple times because you’ve to make sure that everything is perfect?
You will lose a lot of time and money. This example is especially relatable if you want to become a freelancer. No matter in what industry or domain you’re in, if you’re someone who has to constantly cover the deadlines, then perfectionism will kill your productivity in no time.
It’s one thing to be detail orianted. But it’s different if you can’t move ahead with the pending tasks. Because you’re never going to be satisfied with your work. You’re never going to submit the final work. Because you’d stop ‘just one more time’ to check if things are pretty and shiny.
Not only you’re losing your resources, but you’re also losing your creative energy and you become exhausted in the end.
One simple way to avoid this bad habit is to look at the bigger picture. Meaning, calculate the outcome of giving extra 15-30 minutes each time for checking it again and making sure that it’s perfect. This will help you realize the time you’ve been wasting and hopefully you’d be ‘productive rather than being a perfectionist.
5. Not taking rest
According to a 2011 study conducted by the University of Illinois, after a long period of concentrating on a single task, the human brain’s attentional resources deplete, reducing our ability to concentrate and hindering results.
What does that mean? Well, it’s simple enough. When we work non-stop without taking rest or regular breaks—we actually lose productivity and not the other way around.
We understand that there are times when taking breaks is nearly impossible. Because you’ve deadlines and workload. But think twice. Do you really believe that your brain can focus a couple of hours without losing its glucose and capacity?
According to most studies, the human brain can focus up to two hours max. And then it needs a break or otherwise, it won’t simply function—you can’t expect any productivity after 2 hours.
So make sure that you’re planning to take regular breaks. Now the best schedule is something that works according to your personal needs and the nature of your work. But make sure that you’re taking enough breaks to recharge your brain cells.
If you’re still not convinced. We’ve written a full article on the benefits of taking regular breaks. Go read the article and enjoy taking breaks.
Conclusion
It is true that we live in a very distracting world. There are a plethora of things that can divert your attention and undermine your productivity. However, this should not be used as justification for a counterargument.
Because everybody has distractions but not everybody wastes a lot of time. And while there are many ways to divert your attention, there are equal ways to stay focused also.
That’s why we have mentioned the list of bad habits to avoid with solutions and different ways. Hopefully, it will make you productive and thoughtful about your time and habits.
