The Art of Improvement｜扼杀工作效率的3个坏习惯

3 Negative Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Productivity

I used to find it extremely difficult to be productive. The truth is I was often lazy, unmotivated, and didn't want to put in the necessary effort to complete any given task. But over the past few years, I've completely changed my life around. I'm now incredibly focused on each task I'm given, and always aim to complete every project to an incredibly high standard.

And if you want to do the same, you can start by eliminating the following bad habits that prevent you from being productive. Each of these insights changed my life for the better. I'm sure, they will do the same for you, too.

1. You Don't Create A Schedule.

For the longest time, I found it extremely difficult to get my work completed by the given deadline. The truth is that I had more than enough time to complete each task. However, I sucked at time management. But one day, I started reading some books on productivity. They suggested really simple strategies, such as creating a schedule and sticking to it. Like Steven Covey once wrote: "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule but to schedule your priorities."


So, that's what I did. I broke down my workday into 30-minute blocks and allocated a specific task for each one. For example, I currently write from 8.30 am until 11, and then go on a walk around the local area. Since I began pre-planning my days, I've noticed that I'm getting a lot more work done as I'm incredibly efficient with my time.

So, if you want to improve your productivity, start by scheduling the most important things you need to do. Even though this exercise only takes a few minutes to do, the effect it'll have on your productivity is profound.

2. You Procrastinate Way Too Much.

I used to be a perfectionist. Each day, I'd give myself a list of reasons why I should put off doing my work until tomorrow. For example, my chair wasn't comfy enough, or I felt a little bit tired. But as a result of having this bad mindset, I rarely got any work done. I've recently learned that there will never be a perfect time to sit down and work. After all, there will always be a reason or excuse as to why you can put a specific task off until tomorrow.

However, it's important to remember that nothing amazing will ever happen in your career unless you sit down and do the work. The author, Steven Pressfield, said it best: "The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying."

So, instead of procrastinating, a better solution is to get any important tasks completed as quickly as possible. Because when you make a little bit of progress each day, the power of compound interest will create incredible results in your career over time.

3. You Frequently Get Distracted.
 
If you're anything like my past self, you want to improve your productivity and get all your work completed to an extremely high standard. But for one reason or another, you have a terrible habit of getting distracted all the time. Don't worry. I know exactly how you feel. I used to take a short break from my work by scrolling through social media during the middle of a task. However, I often got distracted by posts in my feed, and consequently, lost the motivation to finish whatever I was supposed to do.

But since then, I've learned that the best way to get rid of distractions is by identifying them, and then doing whatever it takes to remove them from my life. For example, I wear noise-canceling headphones while writing to ensure that I don't get distracted by other people having a conversation. You get the idea. When you take proactive steps towards eliminating distractions, it's easier to prevent them from affecting you in the future.

In the words of Jiddu Krishnamurti: "Follow the wandering, the distraction, find out why the mind has wandered; pursue it, go into it fully. When the distraction is completely understood, then that particular distraction is gone. When another comes, pursue it also." So every day, ask yourself: "What bad habits can I eliminate right now to improve my productivity?" That's all you need to do.

词汇表
sabotage [ˈsæbətɑːʒ] 蓄意破坏，妨碍，阻挠
unmotivated [ʌnˈməʊtɪveɪtɪd] 缺乏动力的，没有积极性的
eliminate [ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt] 消除，排除，剔除
insight [ˈɪnsaɪt] 深刻见解，洞察力
schedule [ˈʃedjuːl] 时间表，日程安排；安排，计划
suck at [sʌk] 不擅长，不善于
prioritize [praɪˈɒrətaɪz] 给…排出优先级，优先处理
priority [praɪˈɒrəti] 优先事项，当务之急，最重要的事
break down 分解，划分，拆开
allocate [ˈæləkeɪt] 分配，分派
pre-plan [ˌpriːˈplæn] 预先计划，提前规划
procrastinate [prəʊˈkræstɪneɪt] 拖延，耽搁
perfectionist [pəˈfekʃənɪst] 完美主义者
comfy [ˈkʌmfi] 舒适的，舒服的（comfortable的非正式说法）
compound interest [ˈkɒmpaʊnd ˈɪntrəst] 复利，利滚利
scroll through [skrəʊl θruː] 滚动浏览，刷
feed [fiːd] （社交媒体的）动态，推送
do whatever it takes 不惜一切代价，尽一切努力
noise-canceling headphones [ˈnɔɪz kænsəlɪŋ ˈhedfəʊnz] 降噪耳机
get distracted by [dɪˈstræktɪd] 被…分心，被…干扰
proactive [prəʊˈæktɪv] 积极主动的，先发制人的
wander [ˈwɒndə(r)] 走神，游荡；漫步，徘徊

💡 翻译、视频和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】