Are These 5 Common Habits Killing Your Productivity?

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I have experimented with almost all productivity methods in my pursuit of working efficiently, swiftly, and more intelligently.

Have I attempted daily meditation? Yes, and I continue to do so since it works as an excellent stress reliever.

I have explored various productivity techniques, such as implementing “No-Meeting Mondays,” which I found to be an excellent strategy, but it requires complete support from all team members.

In addition, I also tried structured procrastination, which has become my preferred method to tackle my to-do list.

Through my experimentation, I have incorporated some productive habits into my daily routine, but I have also discovered certain “productivity hacks” that are not effective and can hinder progress. The following five habits should be avoided if you want to optimize your time and accomplish more.

Have you ever sat down at your computer and made a commitment to yourself that you won’t get up until you have completed your to-do list? I am guilty of this myself, and it used to be my go-to strategy during chaotic workdays.

However, according to DeskTime, a time-tracking app, sticking to your desk without taking breaks actually reduces productivity. Julia Gifford, who assisted with the study, suggests that the most productive approach is to work in “sprints” of 52 minutes and take 17-minute breaks. During the sprint, the key is to be completely focused, followed by complete relaxation during the break. This technique can help you accomplish more while reducing the risk of burnout.

So, the next time you face an overwhelming to-do list, try incorporating frequent breaks in between tasks. In the long run, this strategy may help you finish faster and more efficiently.

I must admit, I struggle with ignoring my inbox outside of work hours. I sometimes even check my email in the middle of the night when I wake up to use the bathroom. I realize this habit is unhealthy and counterproductive.

Although being constantly connected to my email makes me feel like I am staying on top of everything, research from the University of British Columbia indicates that it does not benefit me. The study conducted over two weeks revealed a direct correlation between the frequency of email checking and stress levels.

According to the research, email is like a never-ending task list, and even if you manage to catch up on your emails, it is a short-lived accomplishment since the average person receives 90 emails per day and sends 33. This email-related stress can lead to unhappiness, resulting in reduced productivity. When productivity decreases, stress levels increase, causing a vicious cycle.

To break this cycle, I have removed my work email from my phone to avoid checking it outside of office hours. If this is not possible for you, try these alternative methods to prevent obsessive email checking.

When we try to increase our productivity, we often resort to downloading new apps. We think that these apps will help us achieve our goals and become more efficient. For instance, we might use a tool to track our progress or project management software to stay organized.

However, we may end up with a plethora of apps on our devices, but our productivity remains the same, or worse, decreases. This is because many of these apps come with a learning curve, which takes up our valuable time.

To maximize the effectiveness of an app, we need to establish a solid system first. The app should supplement and improve our system rather than replacing it. For instance, when I struggled with time management, I learned that reordering my to-do list by importance and deadline helped me tremendously. After this, I chose a to-do list app that allowed me to add priority levels to each item. This way, I could quickly determine which task needed my attention first.

Although the app made a significant difference, it was the system that came first.

It’s a common belief that adding an extra hour to your day is as easy as setting your alarm clock an hour earlier. However, this popular advice to “wake up early” can backfire if it results in sleep deprivation, which is known to negatively impact your cognitive abilities such as memory, focus, decision-making, and math processing.

Although you could compensate for lost sleep by going to bed earlier, adjusting to a new sleep routine can be challenging, and ultimately, it won’t give you any additional time during the day.

While pulling an all-nighter or waking up earlier than usual to finish a task may be necessary on occasion, it’s not a sustainable approach to enhancing productivity in the long run. Instead, prioritizing sufficient sleep can actually help you achieve more and perform better over time.

My manager used to kick off her day by completing small, relatively low-effort tasks like answering emails, sending team updates, and checking in with her reports. This allowed her to build up momentum for bigger tasks later in the day. However, she eventually tried Brian Tracy’s popular “eating the frog” method, which involved tackling the toughest task first to reduce procrastination and increase productivity.

Unfortunately, this approach didn’t work for her. By noon, she was exhausted, which made it difficult for her to complete the smaller tasks on her to-do list, run meetings, or be an effective team leader. When she switched back to her previous method, everyone was happier.

However, this doesn’t mean that eating the frog is always a bad idea. Personally, I find it very effective because my energy levels are highest in the morning. The key is to find the method that works best for your individual work style. Trying to force yourself into a process that doesn’t fit you will only lead to frustration and decreased productivity.

After conducting numerous productivity experiments, I’ve learned that tracking your results is crucial. Even if a particular tip or trick sounds promising, such as waking up early, it may not be compatible with your work preferences and could actually hinder your efficiency. The only way to know for certain is to try it out and determine what truly works for you.

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