Productivity Killers: Are One of These Things Killing Yours?

We all know that binge-watching television or scrolling through Instagram for five hours at a time is not an efficient use of our time. While these bad habits are the most talked about, there are other things that can kill our productivity and quality work.

Problems Outside of Work and at Home

Although we all pride ourselves on being work-life balance gurus, we know that's just not how things work in the real world. For instance, I know that if I'm having issues at home, I may bring them to work with me in some form--whether I am anxious, tired, or depressed.

But I'm learning that I just have to leave any baggage at the door and acknowledge the issue outside of work. Whether it's through getting more help at home (such as hiring a cleaning lady) or going to therapy, I've learned how important it is to address home problems (outside of work) so I can focus better at work.

Lack of Sleep

As an entrepreneur, one of the first things that usually goes is sleep. While sleeping less can help us get more done in the short-term, this is going to produce a lot of long-term issues including killing our capacity to produce at our maximum. Studies show that losing a meager 16 minutes of sleep every night can hurt our ability to stay focused. I always make it a point to sleep seven or more hours a night. If I don't, then I will be scattered and my work product will suffer.

Stress and Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can diminish our quality of life. When stress and anxiety go unmanaged, they can inhibit our ability to get things completed, cause strain on relationships with colleagues, and impact our overall work quality, which is why it's crucial we all manage it.

Being an entrepreneur is oftentimes a stressful journey (especially with the uncertainty and risks that come with it) but it's best to learn how to manage these issues to prevent burn out.

These three issues are definitely not easy to fix but there are ways to address them. By learning how to cope with home issues, get more quality sleep, and manage anxiety and stress, we'll be able to enhance our productivity and overall quality of life more efficiently.