Productivity is a valued virtue in every industry. No one would want to pay an employee who is not competent in their job. And while it is reasonable to have an occasional bad day. The trick is to learn when to snap out of it.
Bad habits are usually associated with bad manners and hygiene. However, some patterns can impact your lifestyle and work ethic. Something as simple as checking your social media every few minutes can reduce your performance considerably. Here are eight such bad habits that you need to break away from, to avoid a complete burnout.
Irregular Sleep Schedule
Pulling an all-nighter to finish an important assignment is not how you become a good employee. An irregular sleep schedule can harm your health. Not getting a good’s night sleep will make you cranky, frustrated and distracted the next day. Stop hitting that snooze button. Instead, get to bed early, and wake up refreshed and active the next day. Getting some solid shut-eye at night gives your body enough rest. Having a regular sleep schedule also automatically adjusts your body clock. Your days would be better organized and diligent.
Improper Diet
When was the last time you had a proper home-cooked meal? Takeaways, wraps, and microwavable meals have become part of our healthy diet. However, these packaged food items are not fresh or healthy alternatives. Depending on junk food would only add to your weight and cause health issues in the future. Also, never skip your meals. Always have three proper meals every day, snack every two hours, and drink plenty of water.
There are apps to track your liquid intake, set a reminder for meals and checking your overall body stats. You can monitor your weight, heart rate, blood pressure, sugar levels, and other information as well. Also, a balanced diet is only useful when you club it with a proper exercise regime.
Checking your Phone in Bed
Checking your Instagram for a few minutes before bed seems like a harmless activity, right? Research proves otherwise. As per recent studies, social media addiction is a serious issue that many people grapple with. We’re all guilty of spending hours mindlessly scrolling through our Twitter feed or Facebook timeline. The glare from your phone screen can cause headaches, insomnia, eyesight issues, and other problems. What feels like a few minutes of scrolling can extend to a few hours of precious bedtime. What you need is a digital detox. Switch off your phone or keep it in silent mode when you are working or getting some sleep.
Immediately Responding to Emails
Being proactive in your responses might seem like a good idea, but it can take a toll on your overall productivity. Your emails and messages shouldn’t always distract you from the task at hand. There are some smart tools and features that allow users to generate automated responses. You can even set reminders to reply to relevant emails at a later date. Learn to prioritize your tasks and say an occasional no when needed.
Delaying the Tough Tasks
Most people prefer completing easy tasks first and avoid the tough ones for later. This might seem like a smart solution initially but can lead to some hassles. Tackling the simple chores and then picking the complicated stuff sounds very rational and tempting. In reality, this is a subconscious ploy that your mind uses to delay or postpone challenging tasks. Research has proved that productivity diminishes as the day progresses.
Don’t delegate tasks according to their difficulty level. Instead, prioritize your work as per the deadline. Dealing with the toughest tasks first reduces your stress level.
Obsession with Perfection
People working in the creative field are often obsessed with perfecting every minute detail of the project. Everything has to be precisely how they’ve envisioned it. This can delay the overall operation considerably. When you are involved in writing a report or developing a campaign, club all your ideas in one place. Create a rough draft and then work your way from there. Leave the proofreading and editing as a last-minute measure. Trying to revise the task as you complete it is very cumbersome and time-taking. Also, sometimes, it is okay if you deviate from the set plan and improvise. Be flexible in your approach, your vision doesn’t always materialize as the final result, and that’s okay.
The Trouble with Multitasking
People think that multitasking is a way to improve productivity. You get more work done in less time. Not really. Taking up multiple tasks at once actually reduces your concentration power. Taking one job at a time ensures efficiency and reduces the scope for errors. Also, the process is less draining and gives you ample space to take breaks and breathers.
Having a Rigid Attitude
Not everyone is comfortable with the changing work culture and tech-developments that have usurped the workspace. If you are someone who resists innovation, then it is a habit you need to rectify. Be open to new ideas and perceptions. You must learn to be more tolerant of other opinions that are different from yours. Flexibility is an essential skill especially for marketers and content creators. Keep up with the technological changes and upgrades. Incorporate digital marketing strategies into your brand to give it the much-needed boost.
The Bottom Line
Are you sick of the same repetitive actions? Does the piling work pressure and burden of personal commitments seem unbearable at the time? The monotony of routine can get to the best of us. We’ve all been there. The trick is to enjoy your work so that it doesn’t feel like a chore. Also, note that being productive shouldn’t come at the cost of your mental health.
About the author:
Mary Jones is the co-founder & editor-in-chief at TopMyGrades, which focuses on Content Marketing Strategy for clients from the Education industry in the US, Canada & UK. Mary has conducted a series of webinars for AssignmentEssayHelp on Essay Writing. She has extensive content editing experience and has worked with MSNBC, NewsCred & Scripted. She has also authored blogs on Lifehack.org, Wn.com, Medium.com, Minds.com and many more digital publications.
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