things you think are making you productive, but are not (& the solutions to them)

Some may surprise you…

I remember when I first learned about the concept of productivity. I became OBSESSED with being productive and making the most of my day.

Of course, just like anything else, you learn things every now and then. In this case, I learned about things that I thought were making me productive, but instead were doing the opposite.

In this blog post, you will learn of 4 things you think are making you productive, but aren’t. Don’t worry though, I will provide the solutions to help you break these cycles.

Let’s dive in.

1 – Busy Schedule

Everyone has their own definition of what their “busy schedule” would look like. Your busy schedule could be from having back-to-back commitments, meetings, or numerous tasks on your to-do list. Either way, it involves you jumping from one thing to another without having sufficient time to take a breather.

Here’s the thing. Being busy can easily create the illusion of productivity. Being busy can lead you to think that you are being productive. That’s why you need to remember: just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you’re being productive.

And remember, the more you have on your plate, the more it could lead to burnout.

SMALL STEP solution

Being truly productive isn’t about how busy you are. It also isn’t about how many commitments and tasks you’re able to handle daily.

It sounds cliche, but it’s more about the quality of your work rather than the quantity.

So, instead of focusing on the number of tasks and commitments you have, prioritize tasks based on importance. You can still use strategies like time-blocking and to-do lists to ensure you get what you need done but don’t forget to take breaks so you can maintain your energy levels too.

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RELATED: 7 Time-Saving Tips for Better Productivity

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2 – Sacrificing leisure time/activities you enjoy for the sake of working

You’ve probably seen this in some movies and TV shows. In general, sacrificing leisure time typically looks like skipping hobbies, spending time with loved ones, and self-care because you need to complete extra work or work longer hours.

However, while this would make you feel productive in the short term, if you keep letting work tasks pile up and not do any of the activities you enjoy, it can lead to burnout.

Don’t get me wrong – there may be times when you have no choice but to do extra work or longer hours because it’s genuinely important. However, at the end of the day, you need to remember that your needs are important too.

SMALL STEP solution

A good first step is to establish boundaries with work and leisure. Schedule both your working sessions AND your dedicated time for rest/leisure. If you’re scheduling work tasks and meetings like important appointments, do the same thing for your:

• Hobbies
• Self-Care activities
• Time with friends/family

3 – Making your entire day about work

Similarly, making your entire day about work may seem like you would be able to achieve more. However, just like the reasons given above, if all you’re doing is working, and giving no time for other priorities in your life, it can lead to burnout.

Sometimes, sacrificing work time for other things may make you feel guilty. Just remember that YOU (aka the other areas of your life besides work) is just as important, if not more important.

Think about this, if you burnout, you have to recover from that anyways. So, you can prevent this by giving yourself rest and breaks beforehand, and make it a consistent habit.

SMALL STEP solution

When you’re scheduling your work sessions, also schedule in and implement your regular short breaks throughout your day. If you’re working a full shift, or you’re doing longer work sessions, incorporate the breaks in between. Then, after your work sessions are over, depending on your schedule, schedule in your self-care activities, hobbies, and other activities you enjoy.

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RELATED: 10 Bulletproof Ways You Can Avoid Burnout

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4 – Having a long morning & night routine

Having a long morning and night routine filled with multiple steps can make you feel like you’re being productive. However, if you’re not careful, it can do the opposite.

Having routines with too many steps can become time-consuming, leaving you feeling overwhelmed rather than energized and focused. Your morning and night routines are supposed to help you feel set up for the day (morning) and relaxed for the night (night).

So, instead of those routines doing its purpose, having too many steps can make it be more stressful instead.

SMALL STEP solution

Like established earlier, productivity is more about quality over quantity. So instead of having a long morning or night routine, opt for at least 3-5 habits that you can incorporate to simplify it.

However, if you’re like me, and have several things you want to add in your morning or night routine, have a menu instead.

A morning or night routine menu is where you list all the different activities/tasks/habits you can do in the morning or evening, and you just pick and choose based on what you feel like.

So, by having a variety of options to choose from based on how you feel, you don’t feel obligated to do everything.

To Wrap Up

So, if you were thinking that being busy, sacrificing leisure, making your entire day about work, or having a long morning/night routine was making you productive, hopefully this blog post has changed your mind 😉

I do have a free mini e-book in the Free Resources Library all about improving your productivity! You can check it out here.

In the meantime, don’t forget to take the small steps forward…

-Lauren 🙂

P.S I suggest you read these blog posts next:

• These are the Popular Productivity Tips That Actually Suck
• 7 Unproductive Habits That Will Ruin Your Productivity
• 7 Productivity Mistakes That Lead to Burnout

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