Tackling Productivity’s Two Biggest Roadblocks

When it comes to focusing your attention and getting work done, there are two enemies which can stand in your way: Procrastination and Multitasking. While seemingly opposite, these 2 can seriously harm your productivity.

PROCRASTINATION PARALYSIS

While it’s important to spend time gathering all the information you need, sometimes people spend too much time planning to do work. Over-preparing (or over-preparedness) can lead to procrastination where you spend more time planning than actually completing your work.

Reasons why you might get stuck in the planning, and spend less time actually doing:

• You procrastinate because you’re afraid you could make a mistake somewhere
• You put off a task because you don’t feel enthusiastic about doing it
• You delay doing something because it’s difficult or unpleasant, (or you think it might be!)

Top Tips for Tackling Procrastination

Be honest with yourself

Ask yourself what is blocking you, what is the real reason you don’t want to get started? Write it down. Now consider the benefits of having the work complete, what will that feel like?

Start with small tasks

Consider, what is something you could do easily? Not to tackle the most challenging component of the work, but something small to get you started.

Plan for the challenging tasks

If you have to start the hardest pieces of work on Monday, spend 10 minutes on Friday making a plan, writing some notes, and letting your ideas flow freely before you are under pressure to start on Monday. By Monday you are already ready to go!

MULTI-TASKING MADNESS

The act of switching between multiple tasks is something we do every day… but science tells us it does not work.

When we place too many demands on our Pre-Frontal Cortex (the area of our brain primarily responsible for decision-making and problem-solving), it compromises our ability to think clearly and work effectively.

Keep an eye out for our next blog “The Terrible Two: Part 2" which will look at how we can tackle the multi-tasking madness!

- Alexandra Walsh (LFCS Associate Consultant)