It is human nature to crave for more productivity because it is no less than a secret to stay on top of your work and claim back to back success. But the problem is that there is no shortcut to getting it. You have to implement different tips and tricks to find a way to lift your productivity.
But, the world of productivity is full of myths and believing them blindly can restrict you from maximizing your productivity. Do not let these productivity myths rule your world because these myths will actually bring you down.
Having a productivity checklist is really effective and having a quick view on this list is important to get an idea about your beliefs. Most of us usually believe what seems to work rather than analyzing what actually does work.
So, in order to give you a brief idea about all those productivity myths which seems to work but they actually does not, we will start to explore each of the common myths which are commonly associated with improving your productivity at work.
1 - Multitasking Can Kill Productivity
It is one of the common misconceptions that multitasking has negative effects on productivity, but that’s not true. Actually, when we talk about multitasking, a lot of people start believing that it is like task switching which is completely a different thing and yes, it might kill your productivity. Use tools like Week Plan to plan and keep track your all tasks.
The key here is to understand that multitasking has nothing to do with task switching. It is all about getting in touch with different task at the same time in order to make sure that you keep your eyes on all the essential tasks of the day. Multitasking not only makes you more productive but also helps you enhance your performance, so do not consider it as a negative aspect for your productivity because it is your plus point, when done right.
2 - Starting Your Day Early Makes You More Productive
Some people strongly believe that starting their day earlier keeps them more organized because they can avail the benefit of some extra time but it’s only a myth. Everyone has a specific productivity time period where they perform their best. For some people its morning and for others it is the night time.
To understand this process further, University of Liege conducted a survey with the help of scientists to see the difference in the productivity levels of early risers and night owls and surprisingly the night owls could stay awake and alert for longer hours.
In order to check the level of intelligence between the early risers and night owls, a study was conducted including 420 participants, which gives favor to the night owls.
3 - Taking Break While Feeling Stuck
There are many tasks aligned for a single day to be delivered. Some tasks are easy while others require going extra miles. In that situation, a small break is considered to do the trick, but that’s not the case. Don’t listen to all these emotions because they are only the obstacles and nothing else. Taking a break is a good thing, but if it is out of procrastination, then it should be avoided.
The best approach to deal with this condition is to keep working on it with more focus to get the right solution instead of going for a break because it will end up consuming more time as expected.
To shed some more light on this misconception, see what the researchers of Kellogg School at Northwestern University are saying.
4 - Doing All the Critical Tasks at the End of the Day
Most people think that doing small and easy tasks at the start of the day will help them deal with critical tasks more effectively because their confidence level will increase by viewing the number of tasks they have already done for the day. The psychologist do not agree with this and according to them, doing critical tasks at first gives a better start to your day at work.
Ron Friedman, an expert physiologist, says that the best time when productivity is at its peak is the first three hours of the start. So, if you waste that sweet spot performing easy jobs then how come we show our best productivity at work?
5 - Productivity Is About Getting All Done
A lot of people think that completing their task sheet to 100% is productivity, but it is not because it does not reflect the level of productivity of a person. Having a high productivity rate is not merely about completing tasks on time. Productive employees always give more value to the quality instead of the number because they are well-aware of its perks.
For gauging productivity, quality is the only metric that outranks all because it does not matter how long you take, if the quality is not up to the mark then the completion of that task is of no value.
6 - Higher Productivity Means More Time Spent At Work
To understand it better, you have to know the difference between hard work and smart work. Suppose, an employee works in an office from 9 to 5. But, he decides to show more productivity so that he can prove himself as the best employee among all. To handle this situation, he added three more hours and left at nine instead of 5. But the number of tasks that he achieves in a day remains the same because his mind starts to believe that he has too much time to manage his tasks.
On the other hand, one of his teammates who works 9 to 5 which is the official time of his job gets more done by just thinking smart about executing his tasks with the best quality. In that scenario, the smart worker is the winner because he is doing more in less time.
7 - Working from Office Is More Productive
You might be able to enjoy the benefits of teamwork and can interact with your boss in office atmosphere when you get stuck with something, but that does not foster productivity in you because it depends on how you approach your tasks either from the office or home or anywhere else.
8 - Working under Pressure Increases Productivity
Some people have a concept that they perform better under strict conditions because it helps them become more creative and they can finish their tasks well before time. But, the reality is different because working under pressure creates more chances of errors because the extra stress brings more cognitive load and makes it difficult for your brain to perform better. The major drawback of working under pressure is the risk of missing work deadline or hampering the quality of work which can seriously degrade your productivity.
9 - Doing All By Yourself Makes You Productive
It’s like thinking as a one-man army. It might make you feel confident about you and your abilities, but as far as productivity is concerned, it is on the lower side. Instead of doing a one-man show you should focus on task delegation because it provides you some extra time which you can invest in finding more positive ways to amplify your productivity and tap the growth. Well, to be honest, task delegation is not a piece of cake because you have to trust the capabilities of someone else but with time and patience you can master the ability of task delegation.
10 - If That Technique Works For Him, I Should Do the Same For Me
Usually, working in an office, you see some people using different working techniques, and they work well for them. It can be because of the fact that they are used to it, or they have trained themselves being more productive using that certain technique.
But, copying their style of working does not necessarily mean that your productivity will certainly boost if you use that technique. Thinking like that is like living in the heaven of the fool. Instead of following their steps, you should experiment to discover what works best for you and stick to it.
11 - First Work than Anything Else
Giving importance to work and keeping it on top of your priority list is undoubtedly a positive attitude towards work. But, in order to chase all the targets that you have set to bring perfection towards work and ignoring other critical things of your life is not the best way to go.
Here, the best thing to keep in mind is to recognize the significance of a work-life balance. Keeping a perfect balance between your personal life and work life can dramatically improve your productivity in both areas. It helps you memorize all the key things that you normally miss out because of an unbalanced working schedule.
If you still not convinced with having a work-life balance, see what the Harvard researchers are saying about the destruction of an unbalanced life.
12 - Sleep Is For Lazy People and Not For Productivity Seekers
To dig it deeper, see what the NHS (UK’s biggest health website) is saying about lack of sleep and how it can be reversed if you start taking care of your sleeping habits.
So, don’t become a victim of this misconception because lack of sleep will make you a museum of disease and with all these diseases, thinking about productivity will only become a dream for you.
13 - Setting Daily Work Routine Is A Waste of Time
Well, if setting daily work routine is that useless, then why successful people like Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Barack Obama and others give too much importance to their daily routines. The key reason for that is because they know that having a specific routine align their life and keep them in a perfect flow. It actually saves them more time because they have everything scheduled, rather than spending their time on scheduling work every single day.
You can also make use of a task management software for that purpose which does not only take care of your task prioritization but also keeps you aware of your most essential tasks and keeps your productivity at its peak.
14 - Getting Rewards Fuel Your Productivity
So, instead of thinking about them for a long time, it’s better to move forward otherwise; you will become a victim of overconfidence, and in the process, you end up losing you productivity which is the main weapon to get your success.
See how overconfidence at work disturbs a workplace.
15 - Attractive Salary Increases Productivity
Well, it sounds interesting that even getting attractive salary can not improve productivity of an employee. To understand what matters the most in enhancing productivity, a study was conducted by Global Boston Consulting Group to find out which factor creates the motivation towards productivity. See what they found.
Money cannot buy productivity because there are many other factors having more weight than a good salary such as career development, work appreciation, a good relationship among employees and more.
16 - Productivity Comes With Fame
Relating creativity with fame is not a good idea because you can only get famous once you deliver the masterpiece which is definitely not possible if you don’t work with dedication and track your work productivity from time to time. So, instead of waiting for productivity to touch your feet after becoming an industry leader, it’s better to think differently and start working on other tools to grab productivity with both hands.
17 - Healthy Diet Has No Contribution in Productivity
So, does it mean we need to consult a nutritionist if we want to maximize productivity? No. What you actually need is just to make some adjustments and start eating healthy instead of eating anything you find to eat. After all, you are what you eat!
Having no idea how to do that, don’t worry! See what sort of snacks can help you stay productive at work.
18 - Helping Others Will Make You Productive
It is also a common myth that if you help your teammates, then it will create a positive impact on your creativity. It might be able to increase your fame in the office but does not necessarily push your productivity level up because you have to take some serious time out to help others with their task which will automatically increase the time of your task delivery.
Sometimes, saying no is better than entertaining every single request from coworkers because nobody likes an employee who misses deadlines despite having good reputation at work.
19 - Willpower Has No Impact on Productivity
Willpower is not only to make impossible things possible, but it also helps you keep your productivity on top. It is just like a muscle that keeps you focused and enhances your productivity if toned properly. So, instead of compelling yourself to increase your productivity, it’s better to improve your willpower so that your brain gets all the strength that is necessary to make you productive.
Don’t know much about it — no problem. See how using some right tricks can do it for you.
20 - Meditation Cannot Boost Productivity
So, how to overcome stress? Is meditation the right answer to that? Yes, it is. If you don’t believe it, then see what Emma Seppala (Health Psychology Expert) is saying about the link of productivity and meditation.
If you are someone who believes in all or some of these myths then now is the best time for you to get over these. We hope that our myth-busting helps you improve your productivity and reach the best of you at work and in life. Stay healthy, stay happy and stay productive!
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