Managing time and productivity is certainly THE big issue in corporate management. And has been for decades. It’s understandable: in a society where everything moves faster and faster, it’s clear that we’re always running out of time.
As a result, it’s extremely difficult to get organized and get everything done on time. And sometimes, in our quest to be as productive as possible, we end up having the opposite effect. Worse still: certain “tricks” that seem to be very useful turn out to be the worst enemies of our productivity at work. Those false solutions that ultimately don’t allow us to use our time efficiently.

Here are the most common mistakes to avoid, and the really good tips for regaining control of your life.

Work productivity: the bad habits you need to banish to be efficient

MISTAKE 1: MULTI-TASKING
We all know that person who attends a meeting while writing on their laptop, checking their smartphone, taking notes and so on. You’d think this multi-tasker would be a real whiz at time management and work productivity. Only this person is stoned, or at least as mentally alert as someone who’s just smoked a joint. In fact, according to a 2005 British study, workers distracted by phone calls, emails and text messages have a greater temporary drop in IQ than someone who smokes marijuana.

Yes, it’s utopian to think that it’s possible to multitask in the same amount of time. What’s more, contrary to popular belief, the human brain makes no difference whether you’re a man or a woman. This has absolutely nothing to do with brain-type differences between men and women. The human brain is simply incapable of processing two things at once. That’s right, it can’t divide its attention over several elements. So while you may think you’re handling two actions at once and improving your work productivity, your brain is actually processing each one alternatively.

What’s more, you may not realize it, but every time your brain focuses on a new task, it expends an enormous amount of energy. So, logically, you’ll get tired more quickly than if you’d been doing one job at a time. Then, when you’re doing several things at the same time, your concentration drops dramatically. Which, I’m sure you’ll agree, is not at all ideal for your productivity at work. So, to perform at your best, you need to be “in focus”.

MISTAKE 2: DOING TOO MANY THINGS AT ONCE
Following on from the first mistake on this list, there’s the constant urge to spread yourself too thin. In fact, when you want to get started on an idea, it’s not uncommon to want to do the same for any parallel idea. So we often have many projects on the go at the same time. Of course, while this is a positive sign that you’re motivated and eager to work, there’s also the other side of the coin, which can affect your work productivity. Unfortunately, this is no exception. In fact, when you’re constantly spreading yourself too thin, you’re also spreading yourself too thin. As a result, each of your projects will progress at a snail’s pace. And, I’m sure you’ll agree, your motivation is much more likely to wane.

By way of comparison, let’s take the image of a light bulb. When it’s switched on, it illuminates an entire room more or less dimly. On the other hand, if you use the same intensity but direct it at the same point, the light will be concentrated in one and the same direction. With this in mind, to ensure your productivity at work, you need to focus all your energy on the project you’d like to put all your potential into.

MISTAKE 3: THE TO-DO LIST
In itself, setting up to-do lists has absolutely nothing to do with organizing your time and productivity at work. After all, thanks to your “to do list”, you have a real overview of the tasks that need to be carried out. So, in theory, it’s an excellent idea. However, there are two major pitfalls that you may not always think about, but which make it totally ineffective in managing your time and productivity at work.

Firstly, when setting up a to-do list, there’s often a tendency to set objectives instead of actions. The problem is that by giving yourself a goal instead of an action, you can waste time, drain your productivity at work and discourage yourself. In concrete terms, when you set yourself goals, you feel lost and confused. Simply because you don’t know exactly how to go about it. But by focusing on actions, you avoid the risk of getting lost in the hows and whys, because you already know what you need to do.

Secondly, the to-do list often means that you waste an inordinate amount of time filling in your list rather than emptying it. And yes, wanting to do the right thing and wanting to improve your productivity at all costs, you find yourself accumulating tasks on your famous list, which keeps getting longer and longer. At the same time, the pace of tasks actually completed is much slower. One of the reasons for this is that you underestimate the complexity of the tasks and the estimated time needed to complete them.

MISTAKE 4: RELYING SOLELY ON MOTIVATION
Yes, motivation is an indispensable factor in the success of any undertaking. After all, it’s what gets you started, even when you’ve got nothing. However, if you want to get ahead with your project and boost your productivity at work, you should never assume that your motivation is enough. That’s right: motivation is an emotion. It’s a purely variable character, subject to rise or fall according to conditions. And, to be perfectly honest, it’s human nature to be moody. Sometimes, all it takes is a slight dip in morale to put your motivation to the test. That’s why so many promising ideas end up on the shelf. And then, relying solely on motivation is a bit like relying on the weather. It’s as if, in order to succeed, you only decided to work when the weather was fine.

So, rather than relying solely on your motivation, opt for the reassurance of habits. These will not only boost your productivity at work, but will also help you persevere in your project. You can establish a well-thought-out routine that simply leads you to carry out an action without even thinking about it.

MISTAKE 5: NOT SETTING A TIME LIMIT FOR YOUR PROJECT
Another mistake that can prove fatal to any project is not setting a time limit.
And yet, when you ask someone about their project, it’s not uncommon to get a precise answer. All the main elements and details of the project are sometimes even known and visualized. Which is an excellent thing for optimizing work productivity. On the other hand, when you ask the same person what their deadline is for completing their project, they respond vaguely with “Soon”, “soon”, “one of these days”. Honestly, it’s such a shame to have such a well-thought-out idea, but not to think of a time limit for bringing it to fruition.

According to the findings of Cyril Northcote Parkinson, creator of Parkinson’s Law, work spreads out in such a way as to occupy the time available for its completion. In practical terms, this means that the more time you have to complete a task, the more time you will occupy. This is not ideal for improving your productivity at work. So, if you don’t limit the time available to complete a task, chances are your project will never get off the ground.

MISTAKE 6: LIVING IN THE MOMENT
Not to be confused with living in the moment, which is a true philosophy of life, immediacy defines the society we live in today. Let’s face it, in this age of immediacy, the demands of the outside world are constant and relentless. Solicitations that quickly slow down your work productivity. And yet, in the vast majority of cases, most of them are not real emergencies. Like most of us, you’ve probably lost count of the number of times messages, emails, social network notifications and phone calls have distracted you from your task. Distractions that in just a few seconds are enough to slow you down considerably.

So yes, one distraction shouldn’t hurt you too much. But multiply them by several hundred and your work productivity for the day is reduced to almost zero, if you’re not careful. What’s more, these constant solicitations will simply take control of your time. Simply because there will always be a more urgent demand than what you’re doing now. So, even for a few hours – ideally, a day – learn to refuse to respond to these solicitations. Simply put yourself in off mode while you focus solely on the task in hand. Otherwise, you’ll be constantly interrupted, and your work productivity is bound to suffer. What’s more, as you know only too well, the energy you expend at start-up is the most important. So you run the risk of burning yourself out unnecessarily.

MISTAKE 7: PROCRASTINATION
I’ll do it later… tomorrow… one day… no time… too complicated… let those who have never used and abused the art of procrastination cast the first stone. Ah, procrastination! That almost scientific word that makes us put off until tomorrow what we can do today. Procrastination, that bad habit that poisons our work productivity and forces us to find the good excuse not to do what we had planned. Procrastination is diabolical, because despite all our good resolutions and wonderful goals, we always find a way to put them off until later.

Tips to improve your productivity at work

Sometimes you just can’t seem to get a file done. A ton of coffee might help, but even with that, the hurdles you’ll have to overcome to accomplish your mission seem insurmountable. Fortunately, there are less caffeinated ways of overcoming this impasse and finally emerging victorious from this tedious battle against time, this frantic race against the clock, and working as efficiently as possible.

TIP 1: THE POMODORO METHOD
Developed in the late 80s by Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro method is a powerful tool for improving your work productivity. For the record, this method takes its name from the Italian word for “tomato”. For the simple reason that its inventor used a tomato-shaped timer. In detail, the Pomodora method allows you to divide your working time into 25-minute intervals, each separated from the next by a 5-minute break. For its creator, 25 minutes is an optimal interval. Neither too short, you have plenty of time to complete a task and improve your work productivity. Nor too long, so you’re sure not to lose motivation before you even start, or as the task progresses.

In practice, the idea is to devote yourself solely to a specific task during these 25 minutes. With this more than reasonable amount of time, you won’t let yourself be distracted by things going on around you. Then, if a distraction does come to mind, you can simply put it down on paper, taking care to return immediately to your current task. Once you’ve completed this task, you’ll have all the time in the world to devote to it afterwards.

TIP 2: GROUP TASKS TO BOOST WORK PRODUCTIVITY
This tip may seem trivial, but it’s actually quite effective. As we mentioned earlier, the hardest part is always getting started. That’s because the time you need to adapt and think about how you’re going to do things is usually underestimated. However, when you group your work in the same field, you end up doing it one after the other. Which is a great thing for improving your work productivity. By grouping tasks, you don’t think about the next one. So you’re less likely to find excuses not to do it. Not to mention that by doing so, you not only boost your work productivity, but also save time between tasks. In fact, there’s virtually no need to look for the next one, since you’ve already got it in front of you.

TIP 3: BREAK LARGE PROJECTS INTO PARTS
Who hasn’t been discouraged by the sight of a big project? Certainly no one. And that’s perfectly normal! When you suspect that a project is going to take you much longer than you thought, or even longer than a day, it’s easy to want to procrastinate. However, by simply dividing up the project into smaller parts, it will be much more accessible and you’ll be able to improve your work productivity. So, when you’re faced with a big project, start with the actions you can complete quickly, so you don’t get discouraged.

TIP 4: ACCEPT THAT YOU’RE NOT PERFECT
No, perfection doesn’t exist. Even if someone tried to instill it in you when you were young, you’ll never achieve it. Nothing and nobody is perfect, so there’s no point in being a perfectionist. Instead of striving in vain to make yourself irreproachable, you need to accept your mistakes. Because it’s through them that you’ll learn. What’s more, by wanting to do things perfectly, you tend to avoid action and decision-making. And yet, for optimum work productivity, you need to take action. And the more you act, the more you learn.

Other practical tips for better productivity

ADOPT A HEALTHY DIET TO IMPROVE YOUR WORK PRODUCTIVITY
We don’t always think about it, but certain types of food boost productivity, while others make you drop out in the middle of the afternoon. That four-cheese pizza you had for lunch isn’t going to help you finish that report and improve your productivity at work:

Fish
Dark chocolate
Nuts and seeds
avocado
Raw carrots
Blueberries

In addition to keeping you alert, these foods are excellent for your health. They’re also great for keeping your figure.

A CLEAN, WELL-ORGANIZED OFFICE
A recent study showed that office workers are more creative in a clean space. Having a clean and organized office helps employees to improve their work productivity and encourages them to reflect their environment. However, if the office is dirty and full of clutter, it’s easier for them to get distracted and botch their tasks.

So, if you want to perform at your best, consider a good spring clean. Get rid of papers you don’t need and brandish your steam cleaner, which will allow you to dust and clean at the same time.

It’s up to you!

With these few tips, you’ll be able to manage your time better and perform more efficiently.