3 mental mistakes that will kill your productivity

Research shows that only 26% of us leave the office with a sense of having achieved what we wanted.

That is simply too few but fortunately, you can do something about it.

These are 3 typical mental mistakes that prevent you from focusing and completing tasks.

1. You overestimate how much time you have available

Projects, new ideas and innovation require many hours of focused work, and many of us start the day prioritizing as if we have all day for those tasks. But in reality, emails, questions and other little things take up most of your day. Data from RescueTime shows that you have as little as 1 hour and 12 minutes daily where you are not disturbed.

As a consequence, you will benefit from scheduling the small tasks in blocks around the focused tasks, and you might consider shutting down your email and putting yourself in a meeting room.

2. You don´t count the easy wins

Many of us only focus on the big accomplishments and we think that all the other tasks are just in our way. That means that you won´t be giving yourself credit for having achieved the smaller goals. But just because it's an easy or simple task doesn't mean it's worthless.

Don´t overlook all the small tasks that you complete. It does not make you a less competent person if you also enjoy the small victories.

3. You underestimate how much time you are wasting

As human beings, we are very easily distracted, and our brains like change. That means that we easily lose focus. For example, we may get into the habit of responding to emails immediately, even if they aren’t urgent, or we may take on small tasks that really belong with someone else just because it feels efficient.

But that's a trap, it will drain your energy and interfere with your flow.

Try to notice when you are wasting time and energy and make a plan to change your habits and processes.

A step in the right direction

Needless to say, these 3 tips won't solve all your productivity and time-wasting issues, but they can be a step in the right direction.

To find out more about how Readynez contributes to productivity, take a look at one of our more than 400 educational and certification programmes.

You will be amazed at how much you can learn with Readynez's unique training method and how inspiring it is to have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself. 

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