Do you often find yourself being unproductive? Interruptions, inaccurate plans, and procrastination tend to be notorious productivity killers. However, you can fight them using the best project management tools.
Productivity is really important if you want to finish some designated work on time. However, these 3 notorious productivity killers can stop you from meeting your target.
Some days you may work for 8 good hours and finish your tasks on time. While on some days you may feel like the day is a bit shorter than the previous one. Why so? – Because of the productivity of that specific day.
To be on the safe side, you can use project management tools to help boost your productivity.
Here are three of the notorious productivity killers and how to fight them:
1. Interruptions
How many times have you started doing a specific task when someone just disrupts you for a minute? How did you feel? Were you able to go back to your task immediately? Well for a minute or so, you would need to first compose yourself so that you can continue with your tasks.
Distractions are one of the major killers of productivity. Those phone calls, email disruptions, messages, colleague taps, and unnecessary discussions can make you lose focus. Do you know what will result? Low production.
Also, if you want to prioritize your work, you need to know how to say “No” and focus on your current tasks and goals. However, urgent your co-worker makes the work seem, just learn to say No or ask them to respect your schedule.
How to Deal With Interruptions
i. Have a work plan
Consider having a work plan of tasks that you want to do in a day or week. Therefore, when someone approaches you with a new task, you can prioritize your work plan and say No to their request. Instead, they should respect your schedule and accept the time you will assign to their task.
ii. Have schedules for when to use social media sites and the phone
Consider having a schedule of when to use your phone so that it can’t distract you from the specific tasks that you were doing. Focus shift can lead to time wastage and ultimately low productivity. Don’t be a victim!
iii. Say No to distractions
Even though the story that your co-worker wants to give you seems interesting, learn how to say No to it and wait till the lunch or tea break to hear about it. Also, when at work, consider not engaging too much with some friends as they can take some of your time that you would have used to be productive.
2. Inaccurate Plans
Another notorious productivity killer is inaccurate plans. If you want to be successful in your work, you need to plan well. Your workstation needs to be organized so that you can feel at ease when working.
Additionally, when you try too hard to multitask, it can reduce your productivity. This is because you hadn't planned for something and because it has been deemed urgent, you try to multitask.
Let's say you were working on an Excel sheet then you are requested to write a report, and send some emails. Trying to juggle through all of that can be confusing, and you might end up with some errors.
This also applies to task switching; it is better to finish one work at a time and proceed to the next. Additionally, when you don’t plan your time well and leave time for sleep it can reduce productivity. Sleeping is as important as doing your work.
Additionally, if you are too busy it can cause you to be overwhelmed and lead to burnout. Therefore, try to tame your time – have enough time to relax. When you work endlessly without a rest, you can get worn out and this will reduce your productivity.
How To Deal With Inaccurate Plans
i. Be organized
One of the key things is being organized. If you are at work, always plan what you will do the next day. Also, ensure that your workplace is clean so that you don’t utilize too much time when trying to find something.
You can even use the best project management tool to make sure that you are more organized.
ii. Do a task at a time
Multitasking isn't a good thing. Therefore, strive to do one task at a time. Also, try not to task switch that can lead to some confusion when doing some tasks.
Moreover, try not to overwork as it reduces productivity. Do the kind of work that you feel you can finish at a designated time.
iii. Have a routine
It is also important to have a routine of how to do some tasks. This will ensure that it becomes a habit. Even if working from home, you can be disciplined in that you do work at this time, take a break, and so on.
Your routine will become a habit that you can follow even without being told. This will lead to more productivity.
3. Procrastination
If you don’t prioritize some work, you are most likely to procrastinate. Productivity requires “doing stuff and not necessarily having everything done”. The little you do is better than procrastination with the assumption that you can do more when you have more time.
Therefore, always be strict with your plans. You can even use Wrike the best project management tool to ensure you don’t procrastinate.
Also, breaks are important and should be prioritized. You shouldn’t procrastinate when you will have a break because the more you do that, the more you won't find time to get some rest. Taking breaks helps reduce fatigue, and increases focus & creativity.
Also, when you have too many choices it becomes hard to make decisions. This can lead to procrastination. Therefore, you better make good points.
How to Deal With Procrastination
i. Prioritize work
One key thing is getting enough rest. When you have rest, you will always have enough energy to partake in some tasks. Thereby, know how to prioritize your work so that you can be strict with your work ethic to prevent procrastination.
If you procrastinate too much, you might end up doing work during the weekend. However, when you consider that some work is important, there won't be room for procrastination.
ii. Set a time to rest
As much as doing work is important. It is important to set time to rest and not procrastinate on when you will take a break. You can even install apps and reminders that remind you to take a break at a specific time.
When taking breaks, don’t check social media, email, play games, watch videos, or anything else. Consider going for walks, stretching, eating a snack 20-min nap, or some other good exercise.
iii. Be Firm in Your Decision
Always be sure of the tasks that you need to do at a particular time. Therefore, if you decide that you are writing a report at a specific time. That’s what you should focus on first.
Too many choices can lead to procrastination when you have too much to do. You can even use the best project management tool to ensure you do the work you intended to.
Boost Your Productivity Fast
Your productivity matters if you want to get more tasks done. However, if you are disorganized it can lead to some disappointments.
Therefore, strive to always have tasks that you want to do at a specific time. These 3 Notorious Productivity Killers and How to Fight Them – by Wrike project management tools can help to boost your productivity fast.
Never fall for other people’s urgency as being yours – focus on your work first. The others can wait. Project management tools can also play a big role in helping you arrange your work. Boost your productivity today!
