Top 7 Myths about Productivity in Business
Every business owner knows that there are certain things that they must do in order to be on top of their games at all times. But, some take it to extremes, and follow advice that may actually be more detrimental to not only their businesses, but to their own health and well-being. Here are seven myths about productivity in business that have gotten many people into some bad habits:
1) Lots of meetings are productive – The more time spent in meetings, the less time is spent actually doing any work. Meetings should be short and focused so they can be effective. Meetings aren’t really even all that necessary. If you want your staff to know about something, tell them in an email, announcement, etc. They can come to you later with any questions.
2) Only the big picture matters – The big picture is important, but there are a lot of little things that are important in order to complete the whole. Setting small goals will help you reach the big ones. The smaller steps show the progress you are making, and helps to keep you motivated. One way to do this is by creating lists, great tools for creating lists are Remember The Milk and Cozi, list blogging platform Listnerd.
3) Get the work done, even if it means no sleep – When one isn’t getting enough sleep, there is no way that they can truly be productive. A lack of sleep can lead to long-term health problems as well, which is going to have a negative impact on any business. Employees who do not get enough sleep can actually cost employers than they make for them, because they are not able to focus on their jobs. The brain just can’t function properly when it isn’t fully rested. Get a good night’s sleep to be productive, not the other way around.
4) Do as much as you can in as short a time as possible – While many people think that they can get a lot done by multi-tasking or trying to do jobs as quickly as possible, the opposite often happens. Just because someone is doing a lot of work, it may not be the work that they really should be doing. Multi-tasking can actually make work go slower, because people are just doing a bit of everything, and not all of one thing in as much time as they need to get it done right. Doing less will make people much more productive. Another bonus to doing less is that people will feel less stressed about their work and be better able to accomplish things.
5) You need to work yourself to death to be successful – Obviously, hard work gets the job done. But, if you are working so much that you aren’t taking time to rest and recharge, you are going to end up burning out and get less work done. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, and take care of your health in order to be more productive.
6) It’s not necessary to measure production – Because it can be difficult to know just how to measure production, many believe that it isn’t all that necessary. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The first thing to do is figure out how to be productive, then measure the progress every step of the way. This can be done daily, weekly, etc. Different projects require different productions, and the more you know the more your business can benefit.
7) Always be there for everyone at any time – It can get pretty stressful when you are the person everyone goes to when they need help with something. You need to put your foot down, and stop being that go-to person to get things done. The more you do, the more is expected. People need to learn to do things for themselves, and if you keep doing it for them, they will never learn.
Image credit: Tom Wang/Shutterstock
