Five of the biggest productivity myths debunked
It’s no secret that many of us are actively searching for ways to get up and be more productive with our days, especially when it comes to work.
But our endless crawling of the internet for tips and tricks on how to increase productivity could be inundating us with misconceptions. In order to help clear some of these up, we’ve got the help of experts to debunk some of the most common productivity myths.
1) The early bird gets the worm
This saying has been around for a long time, and for many of us it might be true. One thing to remember is that our body clocks are personal, so if you find it hard to leap out of bed at the crack of dawn, that’s okay.
The reality is, productivity is relative to you, no matter what time of the day it is. Some of us are most productive in the mornings, and some of us are most productive in the afternoons. If you want to maximise your morning productivity, here are 14 habits we recommend trying.
2) Higher productivity means more time spent at work
It’s a common belief that the more time you spend working in the day, the more productive you’ll be. The more time you have, the more work done, right? Wrong. Experts suggest that adding hours to your workday might only be dragging out the time you spend on the work you have to do, which isn’t productive.
In fact, by working efficiently you can get as much work you’d normally complete in a day done in as little as 90 minutes. To find out how, check out this explanation of focus blocks.
3) Setting a daily work routine is a waste of time
We all know how routines can help us through our days, from eating breakfast and making our bed to commutes and school runs. So why shouldn’t it be the same for work? A work routine is a great way of adding structure to your day and can be helpful for hitting your targets. Flexible routines are healthy and often motivating, so setting one is definitely not a waste of time.
4) Working under pressure increases productivity
Our experts warn that working under pressure is often an ideal pushed by individuals who thrive under it. But it’s not as motivating for everyone. Experts believe everybody is unique, and sometimes whilst a stressful environment might work for one person, it can hinder another causing decreased productivity rates.
So avoid applying the pressure if its demotivating for members of your team and instead set steady goals to get where you need to be – individuals can always apply their own personal pressure if it works best for them.
5) Being productive means getting everything done
It’s important to understand that being productive isn’t all about getting everything done. Instead, it’s about moving forward, no matter how slow. Experts say, if you finish the day further forward than you started, it’s a good start in upping your productivity – progress is as good an indicator of productiveness as completion rate is.
Writing a Success List is a great way to channel your energy and ensure you work only on the tasks that will move you further towards your goals.
Photo by Maxim Ilyahov
