{"id":441,"date":"2023-04-24T20:10:36","date_gmt":"2023-04-24T20:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/?p=441"},"modified":"2024-04-01T01:07:06","modified_gmt":"2024-04-01T01:07:06","slug":"how-to-beat-common-productivity-killers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/24\/how-to-beat-common-productivity-killers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Beat Common Productivity Killers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone wants to be more productive. Whether you\u2019re a C-Suite manager or are serving up burgers at a local fast-food chain, being productive at work<\/a> can improve your self-efficacy and lead to promotions and recognition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, in today\u2019s digital world, you\u2019ll encounter dozens of productivity killers every day. Notifications on your phone can pull you out of the \u201cflow state\u201d and uncomfortable work environments can undermine your physical health and productivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fortunately, you can overcome most productivity killers. A little planning and preparation can help you improve your physical and mental health, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sleep<\/h3>\n

Sleep is integral to your physical health and mental well-being.<\/a> Sleep supports your physical growth and aids cognition during the daytime. Your body essentially \u201ctakes out the trash\u201d while you get some shut-eye, meaning you can work to your potential during the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, in the digital age, phones, TVs, and tablets threaten to undermine your sleep quality. Blue-light emitting devices can impact your health<\/a>, including disturbing your circadian rhythm and contributing to sleep deprivation. That\u2019s because blue-light devices promote the production of cortisol \u2014 the hormone responsible for stress and alertness \u2014 while blocking the production of melatonin.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Improve your sleep quality by excising screens from your bedroom. Turning off devices thirty minutes before bed allows your brain to slip into \u201csleep mode\u201d and you\u2019ll fall asleep much quicker. Further, improve your sleep quality by bringing your room temperature down to 60 \u2013 67 F and redecorating your bedroom<\/a> with neutral tones and black-out blinds to improve sleep quality.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stress<\/h3>\n

Stress is a natural part of life. Without some short-term, acute stress, you\u2019d never work at your full potential. However, long-term, chronic stress is a productivity killer that you need to steer clear of. Stress can decrease your productivity<\/a> at work as it often leads to fatigue and decreased concentration.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overcoming stress can be tricky. Start by addressing the root cause of your stress. Are you overworking? Do your colleagues cause you undue stress? Do you feel stretched thin due to multiple responsibilities?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve identified the cause of your stress, open lines of communication to alleviate your stress. Let your boss know that you\u2019re feeling overworked or ask your family for help with child-raising responsibilities. There\u2019s no shame in admitting that stress is getting the better of you and addressing the issue can alleviate your worries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still finding that life stress is killing your productivity, you may want to see a therapist. Therapists are trained mental health professionals who understand the struggles you face and can give you strategies to get through stressful periods. They\u2019ll help you become more resilient and will help you advocate for yourself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"burnout<\/figure>\n

Multitasking<\/h3>\n

Many people mistakenly equate productivity to multitasking. This is a major misstep, as needlessly multitasking will split your attention and kill your productivity<\/a>. Computers can multitask successfully; humans usually cannot. Multitasking also diminishes your ability to learn and causes untold human errors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You wouldn\u2019t drive and text at the same time, so don\u2019t try to respond to emails while taking a call from a client. Instead of multitasking your way through the day, set a clear schedule and work on one task at a time. This will help you manage your time more effectively and help you keep track of your productivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Focusing on one task at a time can help you avoid distractions, too \u2014 you\u2019re far less likely to end up on Instagram or TikTok when you\u2019re fully focused on a task that needs to be completed in the next hour. So, switch your phone to silent, block Internet sites that tend to be a distraction, and fully engage with one task at a time.<\/p>\n

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Procrastination<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve all procrastinated on important projects at one point in our lives. Whether it\u2019s turning in a college essay or finalizing a quarterly report, procrastination happens to the best of us. However, you cannot make procrastination into a habit. Procrastination leads to sub-par work and can undermine your daily productivity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Research psychologist and DePaul University professor, Dr. Joe Ferrari<\/a>, explains that people mistakenly believe that procrastination helps them be more <\/em>productive and produce their best work. However, in reality, procrastinating tricks you into believing that you\u2019ve done a stellar job even when you\u2019ve produced poor work. Your brain is relieved that you\u2019ve finished the task that you\u2019ve been putting off and rewards you for completing the task \u2014 even if you\u2019ve made mistakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Overcome your procrastination habit by ditching productivity guilt<\/a> and rewarding yourself for getting work completed early. Focus on giving yourself a behavioral or physical reward \u2014 like going to the gym or a fresh cup of coffee \u2014\u00a0 whenever you complete a task early. Don\u2019t punish yourself when you procrastinate, but be honest about your performance and acknowledge the fact that you could have done a better job had you avoided procrastination.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h3>\n

Productivity is key to your overall happiness and self-efficacy. You can improve your day-to-day productivity by scheduling your day in advance and making time to rest and relax. Even small changes, like dropping the temperature of your room to 60F can make a big impact on your ability to focus on your daily tasks.<\/p>\n

This guest post was authored by Ainsley Lawrence<\/em><\/h4>\n
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Ainsley Lawrence is a writer who loves to talk about how business and professionalism intersect<\/em>\u00a0with the personal, social, and technological needs of today. She is frequently lost in a good book.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Ms. Career Girl<\/a>\u00a0strives to provide valuable insights you can use. To see more from our columnists and guest authors,\u00a0check these ou<\/a><\/em>t<\/a>!\u00a0Or\u00a0subscribe<\/a>\u00a0to our weekly email featuring our latest articles.<\/em>\u00a0We\u2019re also present on\u00a0Medium<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n

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The post How to Beat Common Productivity Killers<\/a> appeared first on Ms. Career Girl<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everyone wants to be more productive. Whether you\u2019re a C-Suite manager or are serving up burgers at a local fast-food chain, being productive at work can improve your self-efficacy and lead to promotions and recognition.\u00a0 However, in today\u2019s digital world, you\u2019ll encounter dozens of productivity killers every day. Notifications on your phone can pull you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":443,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/441"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=441"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":446,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/441\/revisions\/446"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/sittingapps.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}