These 5 Things Will Kill Your Productivity

Being productive has turned into a cult. We are using it to assess the performance of others as well as our own.

No matter how much we praise it, two truths follow it. First, it is hardly a measurement of success. Second, no matter how much we despise them, some things can be detrimental to it. Things like…

Taking on all the tasks

I have not only encountered tons of people who made these mistakes but made them myself. People who want to be successful often adopt the “If you want to do it right, do it yourself” mindset. The further in our career we progress, the more difficult it becomes. Our calendars become more busy and our task boards become near unmanageable.

Trying to do it all without any help might prove not only tricky but dangerous. It is a true enemy of productivity as the more tasks we have to complete, the more likely we are to get lost in the overload, and the more time we will spend procrastinating. This way nothing gets done, and the results leave much to be desired.

Fix: delegate and find the balance. As was said by the great Andrew Carnegie, an American industrialist and philanthropist, “No person will make a great business who wants to do it all themself or get all the credit.”

Not getting enough sleep

A piece of advice that used to be one of the most popular in business literature is, “If you want to be more productive and need more time, simply get out of bed an hour earlier than you usually do.” In my opinion, it is better to go to bed an hour earlier.

Scientists say not sleeping enough is the cause behind low levels of attention, perception, memory, speed, and other brain functions. After all, they do not tell us not to get behind the wheel when we are sleepy for nothing — we perform worse.

The more sleep we get, the better our brains work and the more productive and creative we become. As a result, we can get our sleep and accomplish everything we set for the day.

Fix: for me, a good night’s sleep makes all the difference. What I like to do is put my phone as far away from me as possible and set it in focus mode so that no notifications distract me while I read a good book and sleep. It relaxes me, helps me fall asleep faster, and also helps me get through tons of books. What’s not to like?

Scatter tasks across multiple tracking solutions

Anyone who has ever moved from one apartment to another knows how frustrating it is to have some things in one place and the rest in another. It is impossible to find anything, and it is easy to get frustrated and annoyed.

It is the same with tasks. When they are scattered across multiple locations and platforms, all our productivity, focus, and time goes into finding every task that needs to be done and not into actually doing it.

I can hardly call a day spent switching between various apps and tabs productive.

Fix: centralization is the most effective approach in this case. A team needs to decide which system, be it Kanban, Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall, fits them the best. The next step is choosing a task management solution and sticking to it and only it when managing tasks and marking the progress. This will increase the level of productivity.

Not taking breaks

This one has been proven by science. Taking breaks helps our brain recharge and switch between different types of activities. This not only keeps it flexible but boosts our problem-solving processes as well as our creativity.

If there is a possibility to squeeze in a little walk or workout into a break — even better. Physical activity facilitates the release of dopamine, serotonin, and endorphin, all of which are responsible for the feeling of euphoria, have a positive effect on the feeling of well-being, and can put one in a good mood, which is one of the keys to productivity.

Fix: it is important to build a workday structure with breaks in mind. It may be a good idea to block some time in a calendar so that nothing can interrupt those moments of free time set aside for recharging and resting. At SupportYourApp, I encourage our teams to do so to ensure they always have the energy to achieve their professional goals.

Keeping your phone close by

Today, smartphones are one of the most popular reasons behind low productivity. All those apps, never-ending Instagram stories, waiting to be reacted to, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) posts that need to be commented on. We may not even notice how much time we spend on our phones.

To remain on track and productive, we have to put our phones aside, especially during moments of high focus. That might prove difficult, especially when one’s job depends on non-ending calls or social media presence.

Fix: there are a myriad of things that can help us here. From time limits that can be set for being in a particular app, to small phone pouches that can be locked with a smartphone inside for a set amount of time (that is harsh, I know). Getting off our phones will free up a lot of time and help us be more productive in the same 8 hours we have in our workday.