4 Habits to Break by Megan Murphy
Getting the most out of your day in the office is crucial during this time of year. With less time, more distractions, and holiday plans all in view, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed while you’re unfocused.
Do these 4 habits sound familiar? You probably do them to feel more productive, but it’s been proven that these habits are actually counterproductive!
- Multitasking!
We know what you’re thinking. “If I’m doing several things at once, I’ll get more done. That’s just common sense!”
Your brain can only attend to one thing at a time, so while you feel like you can handle several tasks at once, you’re not actually focusing on anything at all. And while you’re going through the motions of getting the work done, you’re not doing your best. You know your business deserves better than that!
- Constantly checking messages (e.g. email, text, Asana…)
You might feel like you’re doing your team a favor by being there to answer questions and messages as soon as they come in, but in reality, you’re just distracting yourself from the work that could be getting done. Try using a “3-point system” like EVA owner Laura Licursi:
“If there’s something pressing you’re waiting for, use a 3-point system: before work, at lunch, and at 4 o’clock. Unless there’s something time sensitive you’re waiting on, the emails will still be there regardless of how often you check them,” she explains here.
- Not prioritizing your to-do list
Start by figuring out your three most important tasks for the day (having more than three is unrealistic), then get to work!
It’s been said that “the early bird gets the worm,” which also applies to business. Each person has a specific window of time to be at their most productive and motivated. This concept is called Biological Prime Time (BPT), and once you figure out your BPT, you should use it to your advantage! Plan your most important work for your specific BPT window. And until you figure yours out, try to structure your to-do list with priority tasks first. Getting them out of the way early will set the pace for the rest of your day!
- Overplanning
We’re all guilty of trying to have a flawless day, planning every hour or minute to be as productive as possible, but in the end, it won’t matter when an unexpected meeting or task slips into your day. Instead of being stressed about “keeping on schedule,” try planning 80% of your work day (e.g., 6 hours of your 8-hour day) and if you get through your to-do list without any unexpected pop-ups, you’ll have more time to work on tasks you’ve been putting off! On the other hand, if things go upside down, you won’t be worried about work spilling into your evening.
If you’re interested in habits that can help build a more effective company, we spoke about five of them here.
Of course, working with the right support is the best way to stay productive. If your team is stretched too thin or if you’re finding yourself with more responsibility than you can handle – it’s time to find help! Adding a virtual assistant to your team can help you work less while still accomplishing everything that needs to be done!
I know it sounds too good to be true, it’s not! Schedule a call and find out how we can help.
