Fighting the habits that make us less effective.
Most of the time, we focus so much on tips for finding jobs and being more successful, I thought that it was appropriate to mention 5 things that you should try not to do. Like most of you, I struggle with time management and find that when it comes to productivity, I am often my own worst enemy.
There are many ways to be more effective, but here are 5 habits that can stop productivity in its tracks:
- Not doing what you need to do - It's all about simply showing up. If you want to be healthier, the first step is to go to the gym. If you want to find a great job, you have to actually look every day. It's so easy to let little things get in the way. Maybe you aren't feeling good or have errands to run. Maybe it's raining and you just don't have the energy. Don't let these things keep you from showing up and doing what you need to do. Even if you don't exercise very much, simply showing up and trying will help you reach your goal faster than not going at all
- Putting it off until the last minute - Procrastination will waste most of the day and make you much less effective. If you struggle with this, it can be helpful to just force yourself to do the hardest job first. Tell yourself that all you have to do is this one thing. Once you get that done, finishing the rest should be easy. If that doesn't work for you and you are often overwhelmed, try breaking big tasks down into smaller, more manageable steps and take frequent breaks. When I am really struggling with the urge to procrastinate, I mediate for 20 minutes, just letting my body relax and my mind wander. After the break, I am typically much more productive.
- Staying busy with unimportant tasks - When I am trying to avoid a large project, I have this talent for finding lots of other things to do. The problem is, those things aren't nearly as important as the thing I am avoiding. Prioritize your day and don't let yourself get caught up dealing with email and busywork.
- Seeing the negatives first - If you dwell on the negatives, you will talk yourself out of doing the things that you need to do. No matter what it is, you'll be able to find tons of reasons why it isn't a good idea. Don't let this cycle of negativity defeat you. Instead, focus on the positive. You'll have a better mood and it can change the way you look at your job and your life.
- Closing yourself off to new ideas - If you aren't open to new ideas and learning new things, you can't grow. When you are stuck, clinging to your beliefs, you can't look for new ways to get things done. Every piece of advice gets discarded and there is practically no chance for change. Instead, try to open up more. Learn from those around you and realize that you don't know everything and that even people who you don't think are very smart or productive may be able to offer you a key to making things better.
Staying productive and effective is a real challenge for most of us. What do you do to keep yourself from falling into these traps? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobsiteBlog and Nexxt. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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