At this point, you probably think your productivity and procrastination have diminished. You know what helps you produce your best work and you know when you're slacking off. What if you could actually work against yourself?
Some activities that seem to be productive waste your time, while things that seem to be time wasting can help reduce stress and increase productivity. You do not believe me? Let's take a look at some of the most commonly used strategies to combat procrastination to see how they actually help productivity.
Related: 3 productivity habits of successful people
1. Avoid Distracting Websites.
The first thing you do when trying to avoid procrastination is to block time-wasting sites such as Facebook and YouTube. There are countless apps, browser extensions, and other tools designed for this – keep yourself on task by blocking non-work related sites.
And that sounds like a great strategy. After all, a recent survey by Paychex found that 46% of millennials and 45% of Gen Xers admit to wasting time at work each day surfing the internet.
But when respondents were asked When polled which time-wasting strategies worked, website blockers were rated as the least effective strategy. Why? Because spending a few minutes on a mindless activity can actually help you refocus.
In fact, 57% of employers and 64% of employees surveyed by Staples said taking adequate breaks was a key contributor to productivity overall. Think about it:when you spend your entire day staring at the same screen over and over again and working on the same task, your brain gets tired, your eyes get tired, and you get exhausted. But if you take small breaks throughout the day, it gives your mind a chance to take a break, refresh, and get back to work ready to go.
Go ahead and scroll through Facebook, watch a dog video on YouTube, or even take a walk around the building.
So whenever you start to feel overwhelmed, tired or frustrated, take a break. Go ahead and scroll through Facebook, watch a dog video on YouTube, or even take a walk around the building. When you return to your job, you'll be happier and more productive.
2. Stay on top of emails.
Arrived at your desk in the morning, coffee ready, and what's the first thing you do? Check your email. You spend the first part of your morning sorting through your inbox, responding to emails, and reading updates from colleagues and managers. When you finally get through it all, you feel like you've accomplished something great – that's great!
But you really haven't accomplished much at all, and the rest of your day is ready for the same. Every time you send or read an email from someone in your office, you're wasting time – and some professionals are starting to realize this.
In a survey published by Unify of 9,000 workers in US, UK and Germany, 28% said email was the tool they would most like to see removed from the workplace. Why? Employees think it's inefficient, distracting, takes too long, and that there are better ways to communicate.
So what's the best, most effective, and most productive form of communication? Face to face. Although getting up and having a conversation may seem like a longer process, it actually helps improve productivity. Instead of emailing back and forth and waiting for responses, you can resolve any questions or issues instantly.
3. Plan each day with a to-do list.
The #1 productivity tip you've heard time and time again is to get organized, plan your day, and use a to-do list. And in theory, that sounds good. But in reality, your workday is rarely that simple.
You plan your day one way, but your manager comes to you with an urgent request, then there's a fire you need to put out, and your colleague has need feedback on a project. Before you know it, the day is over and you haven't made a dent in your to-do list.
Unfortunately, this situation is common. Among health IT professionals surveyed in the 2016 Health Stress Report, conducted by my employer HealthITJobs.com, 39% rated changing priorities as a major stressor at work.
So while your to-do list has good intentions, it doesn't account for the flexibility to handle projects and issues that suddenly arise throughout the day. So your to-do list is now just a reminder of everything you haven't done, which can cause major stress.
Instead, write down a list of what you actually have completed at the end of each day. This way you feel motivated by everything you've done and keep tabs on your actual productivity.
Tackling procrastination isn't new, but the ways we approach productivity and work are changing. . Evaluate your strategies for staying on task to see which are actually helpful and which are just another waste of time.
Related: Everything you know about getting things done is wrong
