28 Nov Low Productivity? 4 Common Reasons You Are Hurting Your Own Success
Low productivity in the workplace is costing companies across the United States billions of dollars every year. In fact, employees who are not engaged in their work cost the United States up to $550 billion a year. As an employee, there are several things you can do to ensure your productivity and quality of work remains high.
Let’s look at just four common reasons your productivity may be suffering and what you can do to improve it.
1. Communication is poor
The average employee spends 13 hours alone on emails each week. This is more than one full business day filled with distractions. Plus, 86% of executives, employees, and educators say that ineffective communication is the biggest reason for many failures in the workplace. And while it is hard to ignore the flood of emails in your inbox, how you manage them is key to increasing your productivity and cutting down on wasted time. Set aside a certain amount of time each day and focus exclusively on clearing out your inbox. This may be first thing in the morning, at lunch, and right before you leave at night. If you are in the middle of a big project, avoid checking your email as it can take several minutes to get back on track and complete your work.
2. Lack of sleep
Your personal sleeping habits have a significant impact on your productivity. Receiving the recommended amount of sleep each night will not only help you make better decisions throughout your work day but it will help your memory, improve your creativity, and prevent burnout. If you are not receiving the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night, make it a priority. Set an alarm on your smartphone each night that tells you it is time to get ready for bed. Also, try to avoid caffeine and alcohol late at night and keep a regular sleep schedule — even on the weekends.
3. Skipping breakfast
Eating breakfast gives you the fuel and the energy you need to stay motivated, keep your mind engaged, and work throughout the day. When you skip it, your body lacks the needed nutrients to boost your brain and be productive. Plus, it can affect your mood and make you a less-than-happy employee. Before you leave to work each morning, fuel your body with a healthy breakfast filled with protein and carbohydrates.
4. Poor time management
Poor time management skills are one of the biggest killers of productivity throughout the day. When you push tasks aside, you don’t prioritize well, or you are easily distracted, you can lose valuable time throughout your workday. According to one survey, the average worker wastes more than three hours per day on a variety of tasks such as browsing the web and socializing with other co-workers. To help improve productivity, you should focus on developing strong time management habits such as learning how to prioritize, creating and sticking to your to-do lists, etc.
By evaluating yourself and determining the reasons for lost productivity in your own work environment, you can not only improve your performance but you will also be more engaged and satisfied with your entire work experience.