The quest for better productivity surrounds us in articles, videos and countless smartphone apps. Yet, for all that content and technological power, it can still prove an elusive goal for many people. As it turns out, there are a lot of things that reduce your overall productivity that apps, articles and videos aren’t well equipped to help you manage. Keep reading and we’ll cover three of the most common ones.
Overscheduling
There’s a famous scene in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross where Alec Baldwin’s character utters the statement: “Always be closing.” While you may not work in sales, a corollary idea that many people embrace is: Always be doing. This can lead you to overschedule yourself with calls and meetings.
Real productivity requires sustained concentration for at least some of the day. If you overschedule, you face constant interruptions that ultimately kill your productivity.
Physical Discomfort
People drastically underestimate how much productivity loss stems from basic physical discomfort. For example, say your chair at work makes your back sore. The nagging irritation from your growing soreness over the course of the day acts as a constant distraction.
A common complaint in many offices is poor environmental control. You’ll never find the right temperature for everyone because preferences vary too much. If your workspace is always too cold for everyone, however, it’s probably time to call in some commercial heating repair experts. People who are cold all the time do not achieve stellar productivity.
Doubt
Doubt is probably responsible for more stalled achievement than almost anything else in all of professional life. For example, many people doubt that their achievements correspond with any kind of skill or talent. It’s such a common problem that psychologists have a term for it: Imposter Syndrome.
Doubt can make you not offer ideas or trigger procrastination. Procrastination is another huge productivity killer. While doubt doesn’t go away overnight, it’s worth it to ignore your doubts. You’ll come off as more confident and eventually even start to feel that way. Pro tip: confident people advance faster and typically make more money.
The thing you should remember is that better productivity is in reach for almost everyone. Only a handful of people ever reach peak productivity on a regular basis. If you’re struggling with your productivity, start with basics like your schedule, physical comfort, and doubts. Resolve those and you’ll likely find that your productivity takes a sharp turn for the better.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.