To-do lists are popular motivators because they work. For the reasonably driven person, having a list of things to accomplish helps ensure nothing is forgotten, plus there’s a real sense of accomplishment in crossing completed items off the list. Motivation in the workplace is important for efficiency, positive morale, and good working relationships.
At the same time, it’s important to avoid spending time on productivity killers. Sure, everyone has the occasional “off” day when it’s hard to stay on task, and excessive perfectionism can lower morale just as surely as not pulling your weight can. But it’s important to recognize productivity killers so you can avoid them, putting them on a to-don’t list, if you will. Here are some common time-wasters that may have a place on your to-don’t list.
A Pavlovian Response to the New Email Notification Sound
Spending too much time managing email is extremely common. Many of us hear the new email notification sound and immediately go check. Maybe we delete many new messages unopened, but there are some that we’re drawn into. Most people do better when they set aside a chunk of time every day to focus solely on managing email. Unsubscribing to newsletters you never read can help, as can use of the classic phone call, or even walking over to ask your colleague a question.
Giving in to the Energy Vampires
Unfortunately, just about every business has at least one negativity addict who manages to drain enthusiasm from every situation. With these people, there’s no such thing as a simple “Yes.” It’s always, “Yes, but … ” They’re more than happy to tell you why a project or procedure won’t work, or why doing something is pointless. Enforcing boundaries with these people can be difficult, but it’s worth the effort. You can wear earbuds (even if you’re not listening to anything), or better, learn to speak up for yourself that you’re trying to get something done.
Falling Into Research Rabbit Holes
People who have a certain amount of autonomy at work, and who have access to the internet have all been there. They start out researching financial risk tolerance and an hour later realize they haven’t looked up, and for some reason they’re reading chocolate cake recipes. There are all types of activity timers and other productivity apps that can help you stay on task, and there are browser extensions that allow you to block certain web domains for specific time periods. Once you’ve completed a task, you can reward yourself with a few minutes on a favorite site.
Answering Every Phone Call
Obviously, this is not possible in some professions. But for many people, not taking calls at certain times is not only doable, but advisable. Work interruptions occur about every three minutes, and phone calls are frequent offenders. What’s more, once people are thrown off-track, it can take more than 20 minutes to return to the original task. Companies like Intel have had great success in blocking out time for “heads-down” work, where nobody is expected to respond to interruptions unless they’re emergencies. It may be worth a try for you.
Forgetting to Laugh
Some jobs are by nature very serious, and trying to interject levity can be unprofessional in some settings. But most jobs have room for some laughter along the way. When we get too caught up in the serious side of our work, we can forget why we do it, and bring other people down with us. Try to take a little time every day to enjoy something, whether that’s reading a great book during lunch or decorating your cubicle to be a bit more festive and uplifting. And there are unlimited funny animal GIFs online that can reel you back in after a difficult meeting or work session.
Conclusion
Knowing what not to do at work helps you focus on what you should do, and productivity apps can make things easier. Todo is an award-winning to-do list and task manager that’s used by millions for a simple reason: it helps people get things done. You can organize tasks by activity or location, so you won’t see your home to-do list while you’re at work and vice versa. With cross-device syncing, alerts, and collaboration features, Todo keeps you productive when you need to be, so you can enjoy both work and play more. And Todo is now available for the Apple Watch, for the ultimate in convenience.
