At the time of doing our work we have different habits that we repeat day after day upon arriving at our position.Turn on the computer, go for a coffee, sit and read the mail, etc.But the truth is that there are certain practices that can be harmful to our productivity, arethe bad routines that do not take advantage of working hours.
They do not have to be serious actions, but being repetitive thereare many hours throughout the year that we losewith these pernicious routines, whichpenalize us every day.And many of them are easy to avoid, simply the problem is that we have become accustomed to always doing things in the same way.
1. Read the email as soon as you arrive
An example is to start the day by reading email and answering messages.For many workers it is like a previous warm-up to start the day.The truth is that it is aloss of energy in a task that is not urgent, that is complementary to our work.
As soon as we complicate answering messages, we have lost an hour of work and we have not even begun to do anything.Because after answering you have to execute the pending tasks.The mail can be read at any other time.In the morning, at most, just take a look diagonally to see if there really is something important.
2. Do not prioritize the tasks of each day
And in this waywe start our task for the first thing we have on the table.We are going to have more complex tasks, that we want to attack less, simply because we know that it will be complicated that we can finish them, because they do not depend in part on us, they are complicated to coordinate, etc.
Sometimes it is more comfortable tostart with something simple that we know how to solve, even if it is not a priority.Then we will have time to get with this more complex task.But the truth is that this moment does not come and delivery times are over.
3. Make the coffee break always at the same time
At eleven o’clock we always go out for coffee.And it is an error.Because without realizing it we are going to synchronize our work rhythm with this programmed pause.If one daywe maintain a good concentrationat that time and we are in the middle of a task, the ideal is to continue.We can stop later.
In addition, this rhythm often means that we do not even attack a slightly more complex task, simply due to the fact that in three quarters of an hour we are going to stop for coffee.The ideal is thatthe pauses adapt to our rhythm.
4. Do not take breaks and do not get up from the table
Another one of the bad routines is not to stop.Get to our position, get to work andnot raise your head until the time of the meal.It is a mistake, although it seems that we are very productive.The breaks are fundamental to maintain a good concentration that allows us to be productive.Four or five hours without a break are not viable.
Thepauses have to be brief, no more than five minutes, although after several short ones one of them can be a little longer.If we work sitting the ideal is to get up, stretch your legs.Do the opposite of what our position is supposed to demand.If you work in front of a computer, do not take advantage of the break to enter social networks or read the newspaper, better get up and walk.If you work standing, take the opportunity to sit down and rest.
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5. Social networks, newspapers or WhatsApp
Nothing happens to look at social networks a couple of minutes, to enter the newspaper to read an article or enter that group of WhatsApp that is”on fire”.But when you realize it has not been a couple of minutes andyou’ve been half an hour lost.You think that you concentrate and recover it, but you do not stop thinking about that joke, about what you have read, etc.That half an hour is not returned by anyone.
6. Work on multitasking and desktop notifications
We have a panoramic monitor or two monitors connected to our computer.And we are with several windows,several applications open at the same time.This can be of great help at certain times, especially when it comes to collating information or passing it from a document to the management application.
But it can also play against us, as it is a source of distraction.We see how a new email has entered, how the messaging application opens a new thread of conversation, etc.Here we must also add the possibility of havingdesktop notifications enabled, which distract us and demand our attention when we are working concentrated.If we are not going to pay attention to them, better disable them.
7. Constant interruptions
Because they do not stop being a source ofconstant interruptionsand we are going to have enough with phone calls, a companion who passes by our table to tell us something, a personal message that our phone reaches, etc.It is necessary to isolate as much as possible to maintain the concentration, at least for half an hour.
8. Procrastinating
It is a very pernicious routine.As I have little time left to leavethis task remains for tomorrow.And the next day it accumulates to the work we already have.The bad thing is that this attitude is repeated over time.And it happens with the tasks before the break of the coffee, of eating … and usually with those that are less pleasant to us.
9. Perfectionism
It is importantto keep closing topics, so that there are no pending fringes.But sometimes a perfectionist worker does not finish any task.There is always something to do.But this means that there is no progress in other pending issues and the projects are delayed indefinitely or become awell of hoursdedicated to polish details often insignificant.
All these small acts end up accumulating a large number of hours throughout the week, little by little they are eating our time without us becoming aware of it.
