Busting These Four Productivity Myths (that are extremely unhelpful)

The plot twist is that your productivity levels don’t reflect your worth at all.

I used to be determined to be productive all the time. I watched all the YouTube videos on tips to be more productive. However, the myths that I had believed were true, did more harm to me than good!

This blog post is all about the common productivity myths that you may or may not still believe. You will learn of why these myths are far from true, and what to remember instead. This is definitely for those who want to improve their productivity and don’t know where to start, or who feel like maybe they need to know these myths so they don’t make those mistakes. Regardless, anyone can benefit from being aware of these myths.

One of the blog posts I reccommend after reading this one is the mistakes you can be making when trying to be productive, reminders of productivity, and what counts as being productive! You’ll enjoy them!

And if there is any myth on here that you relate to, feel free to let me know! If there’s a myth that I didn’t include, I would love to hear them! My comments section works in a way where I only see the comments :))

Now let’s get into these myths, and start busting them!

Myth #1 – You Have to Wake Up Early

Who has been told this one before?

I know I have, and I believed this with all my heart.

I used to wake up at 4am and 4:30am, because I believe that it would make me more productive. But all that did is make me more tired.

It took me a while, but I finally learned that what time you wake up does not determine your level of productivity.

Both a person who wakes up early and a person who wakes up late can accomplish the same exact goals, regardless on what time of the day they had woken up.

What matters is more is the amount of sleep, and rest you got. That’s the determining factor of your productivity, not the time you woke up. For instance, a person could wake up at 5am, but had only 5 hours of sleep and isn’t at their highest productivity level the whole day.

Yes, it’s great to wake up early. I personally love waking up at around 5:00am to 5:30am because I like an early start to the day. Some prefer to wake up at 7am, and that’s okay. What matters more is how well rested you are. Because think about it, if you’re lacking on sleep, it’s going to be hard to be at your highest productivity level.

What to remember instead: Wake up at a time that you feel well rested, or at least at a time when you’re not going to feel groggy and tired the whole day.

Myth #2 – You need the best productivity apps

Something that I used to do was download a lot of productivity apps believing that it would enhance my productivity.

While there are amazing productivity apps out there, the truth is, you don’t need a lot.

Just because you have the best productivity apps downloaded, it doesn’t mean that it can be used as a quick fix for better productivity.

Instead, you’re more better off having a few productivity tools that can actually help you. For instance, you may only need a productivity app for a calendar and a to-do list.

What to believe instead: Instead of downloading as many productivity apps as you can, just start off with one that you really need. Maybe that’s a calendar, habit tracker, or to-do list. Then, try out new apps as you go. You don’t need to download them all at once. Productivity apps aren’t a quick fix.

Myth #3 – You need to work 24/7

Productivity isn’t just work tasks.

Productivity is also when you take the time for your:

• Health
• Family
• Relationships
• Self-Care

Those things are not only productive, but they contribute to your productivity!

Think about this, if your health is not at its highest level, your productivity is going to end up being affected anyway!

If you’re lacking self-care, your productivity levels are going to be impacted anyway. So you mind as well prioritise it.

I discuss this in a previous blog post called 5 Things that Also Count as Being Productive that I think you’ll really benefit from!

And remember, if you’re spending time doing things that help your health, build your relationships, and helps take care of yourself, you’re really productive!

What to believe instead: That you’re probably more productive than you thought! Whenever you make time to exercise or cook meals for your health, that’s productive! If you had a long work day and you need to relax and watched a TV show, that’s technically being productive! If you need more sleep than usual and you sleep more, that’s productive! Change the way you look at productivity.

Myth #4 – You need to be “busy”

Here’s one big myth – productivity and being busy are the same thing.

And here’s the thing… it’s not.

Let me clear up the differences for you.

Productivity is when you spend your time doing meaningful tasks. This means that you’re spending your time doing tasks that make a contribution to your priorities and your goals. For example, your work and study tasks contribute to your work and study priorities. Exercise and meal time contribute to your health priorities. That extra time you’re spending on your side hustle contributes to your… side hustle.

But being busy is where your day is filled up completely with tasks, whether they are meaningful or not. For example, your day may be filled up with a bunch of tasks that don’t contribute to anything.

So pretty much, the difference maker between being productive and being busy is how intentional you are with your time, and how meaningful the tasks are.

Here’s a plot twist I’ll leave you with – if you relax more, that’s when you’re more productive. You are not productive by how busy you are, but by how relaxed you are. Because think about it, will you be working at your best when it feels hectic or overwhelming? Probably not.

What to believe instead:

Just remember that productivity is not about being busy all the time and having many things to do. You could be doing only 3 tasks in a day, and it’s still considered being productive. Just because you are busy, it doesn’t mean that you are productive.

Take a SMALL STEP

To slowly make your way out of these myths, here are a few small steps to take:

1. Wake up at a time best for you – if you once believed that waking up early makes you extra productive (like me), start waking at a time that works best for you. If it happens to be early in the morning, awesome! If it happens to be a little later than usual, that’s also awesome!
2. Delete current productivity apps you hardly use… and then, also download apps you actually need. Maybe, you need to download them to see if you’ll make use out of it. Otherwise, just save your storage and download only the apps you really need.
3. Write a list of the current things you do, and mark it if it’s productive AND it contributes to your productivity. Being aware of these things will lessen the guilt you may feel if you’re doing those things over working.
4. Write down 10 times, productivity and being busy is not the same. If you once believed this myth, time to rewire right?

Being Productive Shouldn’t Be a Goal

I’ll end this blog post with this, being productive shouldn’t be the end-all goal. The reason why these myths to wake up early, work 24/7, be busy, and have the best productivity apps are myths in the first place, because there’s this idea that you need to be productive 24/7.

But that’s not the case anymore. You don’t need to be productive all the time. Your worth is not determined by your level of productivity, and no one should ever feel guilty for putting themselves first instead.

So instead of making it a goal to be productive every day, try make a goal to:

• Work on your goals (even just for 15 minutes)
• Make progress on your health, relationships, your values.
• Give yourself more self-love.

Make the goal specific, and not just limited to productivity…. trust me, it’ll make you feel better!

-Lauren 😊

---

Share This Blog Post Here:

Related Articles:

Mistakes People Make When Trying to Be Productive

Things to Remember When Trying to Be More Productive

Five Things That Also Count As Being Productive

10 Actual Ways to Live a More Productive Life

Build a Successful Foundation for Productivity

---

---

---

CONNECT with ME!! 🗯

Instagram:

@laurenlbarri (blog Instagram)

---