Common Mistakes Why Workers Fail to Achieve Productivity at Work

"Focus on being productive instead of busy." – Tim Ferriss

We all want to become productive in everything we do. However, there are instances that no matter how we strive to accomplish a lot of tasks, we still fail to complete them the way we want them to be. Often disregarded by some workers, various mistakes cause us not to achieve higher productivity at work.

Why Productivity Matters?

Every working environment aims to become a place of great results. Every minute should be valued; thus, a second wasted can be a piece of success that is being disregarded. Tasks in a workstation are not limited to only one or two activities. It can range from five to ten, or ten to much more. And since we are only given the same number of hours each day, isn't it intriguing to discover that some of us achieve more while some others still struggle with not completing anything?

Productivity is one factor that contributes to the achievement of goals. It helps not only the company where we work, but it makes ourselves even better persons. Lifehack shares some reasons why it is important to be productive. One of these reasons is that you can do better with your time and schedule.

"Putting some form of productivity system in place – a trusted one that best suits your personality – will allow you to achieve better results of the stuff you do with that time," a part of the article pointed out.

When you know what you need to prioritize and create an organized manner to do it, then you can have a smooth-sailing flow of tasks at hand. You will be able to do more and make better results.

The article also added:

"Being more productive can make life easier for you, especially if you commit to the system that will work best in keeping you on top of things."

Being productive also means that you can work on something else (your hobby or anything you are passionate about), so it will enhance your knowledge and your time freedom. This can be possible because you can control time more effectively.

However, despite the various articles and resources available nowadays, there are still individuals having issues with how they can be productive. This can because they merely focus on how they can imitate techniques from other successful people. Though it may seem there is nothing wrong with that, they might be missing something more substantial. It is discovering the mistakes of why we fail to achieve productivity at work. Like in solving a problem, the first step that we should do is find the cause of the problem. And from there, a solution must be formulated.

8 Mistakes Why We Fail to Achieve Productivity at Work

A poor productivity level at work can significantly impact an employee's performance, morale, efficiency, and work quality. As previously mentioned, the initial step to address the issue of a poor level of productivity is to analyze where the problem is coming from.

Here are some of the mistakes that most of us are doing resulting in a failure in improving productivity:

#1 Disregarding effective time management

Time is deemed as one of the most vital components of successful work experience. With all the hours spent effectively on important tasks, you can ensure yourself to be productive and achieve more. However, some workers take it the other way. They tend to forget the importance of setting a schedule, an organized list of tasks that need to be accomplished at a specific time. Effective time management requires an understanding of the most important tasks that need an urgent focus, as well as the tasks that can be done later. Some workers are easily distracted, which causes them to waste time and effort. Once they lose focus, they become less motivated in performing the tasks. The results: fewer tasks completed in more hours. This means lower productivity at work that can lead to some issues going forward.

#2 Lack of initiative to learn anew

An employee should not be stagnant in what they already know. There's a lot more to discover. There are various tools to try to help you with your work. Today's innovations and breakthroughs are opening new opportunities to become better at work. Nowadays, the new knowledge and skills serve as a stepping stone on how you can do tasks easier, faster, and more efficiently.

However, when you choose to stay foot on what you are today, not only will you be left behind. You will also fail to improve yourself at work. How can you get along with today's fast-paced work environment? There's no excuse for you to learn something new today. There are various free courses available and some training that requires a little investment.

#3 Lack of discipline

When you lack discipline at work, you're like a lying timbre in a vast wilderness. If you are someone who always comes late at work, spend so much time on social media during work hours, or choose to procrastinate instead of working early on the urgent tasks, then you will end up in chaos.

#4 Disregarding your physical and mental health

A lot of workers nowadays are disregarding the importance of taking care of their physical and mental health. For instance, working in a stressful environment can have a great impact on your work results. Skipping meals and not keeping yourself hydrated can also cause you to have uncomfortable work experience. Not only that but working with the wrong tools and equipment can also cause you to become less productive at work.

This is why it is critical that every workplace should apply proper work ergonomics. The use of standing desks and ergonomic chairs, for example, can help to get rid of the bad effects of poor posture and sedentary lifestyle. Also, using an ergonomic vertical mouse can lower the risk of having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other strain-related injuries.

#5 Not doing something about stress

Stress commonly contributes to a poor level of productivity in the workplace. It can make your day so down that you feel less motivated to do your job. It can also affect the mental and emotional state that thinking creatively and systematically can be hampered. Stress can make workers physically weak, leading to an increased number of absences.

#6 Poor management

Poor management in the workplace is also one of the reasons why people become less productive. When employees experience bad management, they become less inspired to give their best for the company. They will feel less valued, and without anyone recognizing their effort and dedication, they will also lose their motivation.

#7 Poor task delegation

In a workplace where various tasks should be done, it is vital to have a proper and effective delegation. Every worker should have the right information and task details to know what their responsibilities are. Common mistake workers make is not following up with questions if they do have clarifications with regards to their tasks. This results in tasks poorly executed or not completed at all. The result: it needs to be redone, spending more hours and effort, causing the worker to be less productive.

#8 Failure to communicate effectively

Communication is vital in every work environment, whether it is a home office or a workstation in a company. When a worker fails to establish clear and effective communication with the employers and other organization members, this can result in a big conflict.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive at work can be challenging and difficult. However, this is 100% possible, as long as proper techniques are applied. One critical thing to remember is first to understand the common mistakes we make that lead to the failure of achieving productivity at work. This will help us understand the cause of the problem and effectively develop the right solutions.