Five Habits You Should Abandon To Improve Productivity

Bad habits not only slow you down, but also sabotage your productivity. These habits, as part of your daily routine,  damage your lifestyle to a great extent. They decrease accuracy, make you less creative, and hamper performance. Therefore, you need to find a way to abandon these habits.  Constant self-discipline and self-control can help you overcome them. To help you realise harmful effects of bad habits, here is a rundown on five habits you should abandon to improve your productivity.

1. Hitting the snooze button - Delays

The practice of pressing the snooze button on the alarm clock, every day, is the most harmful of all habits. Going back to sleep, even after the alarm clock goes off, makes you lose alertness of the body and mind, and you eventually wake up tired. This unsteadiness can take hours to get back to the routine and therefore the delay multiplies largely. So, doesn't matter how tired you believe you are, push yourself out of bed if you want to have a productive morning. The morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. Therefore beginning with a setback is definitely one habit to get rid of. 

2. Using gadgets in your bed

Using your gadgets right before sleeping and right after waking up is a big threat to your mind and body functioning.  Excessive usage of phones, tablets, laptops and digital space distracts you way more than you realise and, consequently, hurts your productivity. While gadgets and social media are significant in this age and time, keeping them away for some time can contribute to a calmer you. Try and avoid using gadgets at least an hour before you go to bed and an hour after you wake up. Reading a book, walking and meditation can help you do that.

3. Unbalanced multi-tasking

While multi-tasking is a significant trend these days, its unbalanced practice can result in a negative outcome. It's important to understand the tasks you're up at and distribute them accordingly. Working at several things at the same time is definitely efficient and time-saving. However, doing it constructively and within reach is important. Balancing out the work and keeping a track can help you work more productively and diligently. 

4. Procrastination and putting off tough tasks

Nothing damages a potential success more than procrastination. The habit of delaying and postponing a task can cost you big time. If you exhaust your energy by not putting it in timely use, your decision-making ability and productivity declines rapidly. Putting off tough tasks may seem to be an easy option at first, but this really backfires. Keeping the difficult task for the last directly affects your creative ability along the way and lowers the level of performance. It's crucial to first attempt the tough tasks with pumped up energy to get the best results at work. 

5. Not taking breaks

Photo credit: Glamour

Taking a break is the best proven way to sustain concentration. Working back-to-back for a long period of time can lower your energy level and decrease the ability to focus. If there is something that needs to be done over and over again, every day, look for a way to automate the task and save time. A break allows you to rest and regain your creative conscience. Breaks also assist in preventing mistakes and helps keep one engaged at work for a considerate time.

Also Read: Five Habits You Must Practise For Long-Term Health

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