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<\/p>\nAre you having trouble getting things done? <\/p>\n
You might be blocking your progress without even realizing it!<\/p>\n
In this post, I offer six ways you may be harming your ability to complete your work.<\/p>\n
Shuffling files from one side of your desk to another and checking your email for the ninth time in fifteen minutes may seem like you\u2019re getting things done.<\/p>\n
In reality? Well, not so much.<\/p>\n
Being busy and being productive are two completely different things.<\/p>\n
You can be busy checking your email, but that won\u2019t help you finish up those campaign concepts for your marketing meeting.<\/p>\n
Ask yourself what you are producing as you work: ideas, widgets, summaries, calculations, and so forth.<\/p>\n
If you can\u2019t provide a specific answer, you may need to rethink what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n
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Very rarely are work projects or assignments \u201clife or death\u201d situations. Not everything in life has to be done at this very moment.<\/p>\n
You can determine whether or not something is truly urgent and important by comparing it to the rest of your work.<\/p>\n
Having trouble distinguishing emergencies from trivial matters? Use an Eisenhower Box to help categorize and prioritize tasks<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n Sometimes the solutions to our problems are staring us right in the face. Think about this for a moment: have you been the handed answers to your problems?<\/p>\n These answers may not take the most obvious of forms, but they are probably there.<\/p>\n For example, let\u2019s say you worked tirelessly on a budgeting report, but it was sent back to you for revisions.<\/p>\n You\u2019re fuming over this, wondering how you\u2019ll redo everything, all the while, the revisions and accompanying notes are made out clearly for you.<\/p>\n It will take less than thirty minutes for you to make the changes. Obviously, it\u2019s time to put your pride to the side and make the necessary revisions.<\/p>\n \n From coffee breaks, to lunch breaks, to vacation breaks, you\u2019ve got quite an array of breaks available to you.<\/p>\n But what really matters is whether you\u2019re actually taking your breaks.<\/p>\n Our society has unfortunately glorified working 24\/7 as if it is some sort of trophy, or mark of distinction. Let me gently remind you that it is not.<\/p>\n Rest is important for your basic health and wellbeing<\/a>. Don\u2019t shortchange your full potential or sabotage your ability to do your best work: take that break!<\/p>\n \n For the most part, your work doesn\u2019t need to be absolutely perfect. It just needs to be structurally sound.<\/p>\n Now, this isn\u2019t a signal for you to produce sloppy or slap-dash work, rather, it\u2019s a call for you to adjust your approach towards your work.<\/p>\n Sometimes, the bare minimum is<\/i> good enough. Ask yourself if your work is satisfactory\u2026or if you\u2019re just chasing perfection.<\/p>\n \n While our minds are a fantastic tool, they can sometimes work against us. We over-exaggerate, over-stress, over-think, and over-imagine the time it will take to complete basic (and wholly uncomplicated) errands and tasks.<\/p>\nYou ignore valuable feedback from others.<\/h2>\n
You eschew all forms of breaks.<\/h2>\n
You think your work has to be perfect.<\/h2>\n
You over think the simplest of tasks.<\/h2>\n