Some Daily Habits That Make us Less Productive

Neurotically Checking Unofficial Emails
Schedule periods of time (the shorter the better) each day to check and respond to emails, and make it a habit.

No Call to Action in Subject Lines
Make this a habit, and influence others to do the same. If you are in a leadership role, make this practice a demand so it becomes a habit across the company.

Neurotically Checking Social Media
Take your weekly social and multiply it by 52. That’s a lot of hours to be gawking at what people are saying about you, or watching what others are doing.

Being Attached to Phone & Texts
Behind email and social media, text messaging is the third largest distraction.

Embracing Other Distractions
Let people know they just can’t come up to you at any time and ask a question.

Not Creating a Prioritized Day-to-Day Tasks List
Make it a habit to prioritize daily tasks from the most to least important

Not Blocking Time
Never block more than 2 hours for any one task without taking at least a 10-15-minute break.

Not Creating Monthly/Weekly High-Level Lists
On the first weekday of every month, block two hours to prioritize what high-level weekly tactics you need to achieve for that month, such as articles due or meetings.

Planning a Meeting without an Agenda
Make sure to plan meetings with a clear agenda, and always have one person leading.

Not Embracing a 2-Minute Rule During Meetings
Whoever has the floor to talk or constructively debate, they only have two minutes to make their point before another person talks.

Planning Long Meetings
Long meetings waste time. If you have a meeting planned for an hour with a strict agenda, and finish in 40 minutes, that leaves 20 minutes of spare time in most people’s heads. That time turns to wasted time.

Getting Hung Up on Either the Big or Small Pictures
Make it a habit to equally see both the big and small pictures. This allows your brain more energy and space to systematize things easier, and ease stress for both the short and long term.

A Lack of ‘Hyperfocus’
Our minds wander on average 47 percent of the day. This is due to our brain’s vulnerability to distraction. But by recognizing and being mindful of what’s managing our attention, and what tasks we can control, we can become more productive and do more in less time.

Not Taking Multiple Daily Breaks
Make daily breaks a habit.

Not Refreshing for Extended Periods of Time/Unplugging
Totally unplugging from electronics for certain periods, such as dinner or two hours before sleep every night.

Not Asking Questions
Most people are afraid to ask questions because they think they appear dumb. One of the quickest ways to learn is to ask questions, and listening with an open mind. The more knowledge you have, the easier future tasks will become.

Not Embracing & Condoning Transparency
Make it a habit to embrace and condone transparency. The best businesses have zero secrets to hide.

Living an Unhealthy Lifestyle
Create a lifestyle of healthy habits, and your productivity will increase dramatically.

Not Sharpening the Saw Daily
All will vastly improve your productivity; the more you know, the better suited you are from a clarity perspective to make a wiser decision.

Change that by changing your habits, and let productivity lead the way forward.