How to Fix Your Obsession with Productivity

Set realistic goals., Prioritize., Refrain from worrying about other’s work.

3 Steps 3 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Set realistic goals.

    One way to help your productivity is to set realistic goals for yourself.

    This means knowing what you can do within your limits.

    Don’t try to give yourself unrealistic goals that will fail.

    Be honest with yourself and what you can accomplish.Start by deciding what your end goal is.

    What is it that you want? It can be to finish a project or to incorporate more rest into your day.

    Make sure it is an achievable, realistic goal.

    For example, don't make a goal to go completely through everything on your to do list by Friday.

    Instead, make smaller goals for each task or chunks of the tasks.

    Break down large tasks into smaller ones.

    This can help you feel accomplished.

    Set time limits.

    Give yourself two hours to finish a task, or three or four.

    Don’t try to complete the task in too short an amount of time, or too long.

    Be realistic with how much time you have to complete the goal.

    Be specific about your goals.

    Write them down in as much detail as possible.

    After you have detailed your goal, ask yourself if it is an achievable and realistic goal.

    Is this something you can achieve? Prioritize your goals.

    Some of your goals will need to be completed before others.

    Remember to think about any problems that may arise, or things that will block your progress.

    What may cause the goal to take longer? What steps do you need to take to make sure you stay on course? Also remember to keep in mind any time you need to take to learn a task or gather information for a new work project or goal.

    For example, if you have a project due, give yourself a realistic deadline.

    This might be the end of the work day, or the end of the work week.

    Set work hour goals.

    Give yourself a start and end time to complete work.

    Once you hit the end time, switch to your personal time.

    Give yourself personal time goals, too.
  2. Step 2: Prioritize.

    One way to help your obsession with productivity is to prioritize what you need to do.

    Many times, the reason someone isn’t productive is because he spends too much time completing tasks that mean nothing instead of putting all his energy into important tasks.Make a list.

    Put things that are more important, more urgent, and that have a bigger impact on your life at the top.

    Small things that are inconsequential should be lower down or eliminated altogether.

    This makes your productivity more effective in the long run. , One way that people manifest their obsession with productivity is to constantly check on, judge, and worry about someone else’s productivity.

    Instead of worrying about what your colleagues are doing, you should focus on your own work.By focusing on what other people are doing, you add extra stress onto yourself.

    Tell yourself, “I can only control my work.

    It is not my job to patrol what my colleagues are doing.” You don’t have to fall into the work patterns of those around you.

    If your colleagues are working long hours each day or through the night, you don’t don’t have to do the same.

    Doing work reports or answering e-mails until after midnight is not going to make you more productive or succesful.
  3. Step 3: Refrain from worrying about other’s work.

Detailed Guide

One way to help your productivity is to set realistic goals for yourself.

This means knowing what you can do within your limits.

Don’t try to give yourself unrealistic goals that will fail.

Be honest with yourself and what you can accomplish.Start by deciding what your end goal is.

What is it that you want? It can be to finish a project or to incorporate more rest into your day.

Make sure it is an achievable, realistic goal.

For example, don't make a goal to go completely through everything on your to do list by Friday.

Instead, make smaller goals for each task or chunks of the tasks.

Break down large tasks into smaller ones.

This can help you feel accomplished.

Set time limits.

Give yourself two hours to finish a task, or three or four.

Don’t try to complete the task in too short an amount of time, or too long.

Be realistic with how much time you have to complete the goal.

Be specific about your goals.

Write them down in as much detail as possible.

After you have detailed your goal, ask yourself if it is an achievable and realistic goal.

Is this something you can achieve? Prioritize your goals.

Some of your goals will need to be completed before others.

Remember to think about any problems that may arise, or things that will block your progress.

What may cause the goal to take longer? What steps do you need to take to make sure you stay on course? Also remember to keep in mind any time you need to take to learn a task or gather information for a new work project or goal.

For example, if you have a project due, give yourself a realistic deadline.

This might be the end of the work day, or the end of the work week.

Set work hour goals.

Give yourself a start and end time to complete work.

Once you hit the end time, switch to your personal time.

Give yourself personal time goals, too.

One way to help your obsession with productivity is to prioritize what you need to do.

Many times, the reason someone isn’t productive is because he spends too much time completing tasks that mean nothing instead of putting all his energy into important tasks.Make a list.

Put things that are more important, more urgent, and that have a bigger impact on your life at the top.

Small things that are inconsequential should be lower down or eliminated altogether.

This makes your productivity more effective in the long run. , One way that people manifest their obsession with productivity is to constantly check on, judge, and worry about someone else’s productivity.

Instead of worrying about what your colleagues are doing, you should focus on your own work.By focusing on what other people are doing, you add extra stress onto yourself.

Tell yourself, “I can only control my work.

It is not my job to patrol what my colleagues are doing.” You don’t have to fall into the work patterns of those around you.

If your colleagues are working long hours each day or through the night, you don’t don’t have to do the same.

Doing work reports or answering e-mails until after midnight is not going to make you more productive or succesful.

About the Author

D

David Pierce

Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.

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