By now, you likely feel confident in managing your productivity and curbing procrastination. You know what drives your best work and recognize when you're slacking. But what if some of your favorite strategies are actually sabotaging your efforts?
Activities that appear productive can drain your time, while seeming distractions often reduce stress and sharpen focus. Skeptical? Let's scrutinize popular anti-procrastination tactics, backed by surveys and real-world insights from my experience in health IT recruitment at HealthITJobs.com.
Related: 3 productivity habits of successful people
1. Blocking Distracting Websites
The go-to move against procrastination? Blocking sites like Facebook and YouTube with apps and extensions to stay on task.
It seems logical—a Paychex survey found 46% of millennials and 45% of Gen Xers admit to daily internet surfing at work. Yet, when asked which strategies work best, website blockers ranked dead last.
Why? Short mindless breaks help you refocus. A Staples survey revealed 57% of employers and 64% of employees view adequate breaks as key to productivity. Staring at one screen all day fatigues your brain and eyes, but brief pauses refresh you.
Next time you're overwhelmed, frustrated, or tired, scroll Facebook, watch a YouTube dog video, or walk the office. You'll return happier and more effective.
2. Constantly Checking Emails
Morning routine: Coffee in hand, dive into your inbox—sorting, replying, reading updates. It feels productive, but it's not, and it derails your day.
A Unify survey of 9,000 workers across the US, UK, and Germany found 28% want email banned—it's inefficient, distracting, and slow, with better alternatives available.
The gold standard? Face-to-face talks. They resolve issues instantly, skipping email ping-pong.
3. Rigid Daily To-Do Lists
Classic advice: Plan your day with a to-do list for organization. Sounds ideal, but real workdays are unpredictable.
Your list gets upended by urgent manager requests, crises, or colleague feedback needs. In our 2016 Health Stress Report at HealthITJobs.com, 39% of health IT pros cited shifting priorities as a top stressor.
To-do lists ignore flexibility, becoming stress-inducing reminders of unfinished tasks. Instead, end each day listing accomplishments. It highlights real progress and motivates you.
Productivity tactics evolve—audit yours to ditch time-wasters. Related: Everything you know about getting things done is wrong
