Productivity Myths – TPW457

Let's talk about productivity myths--"productivity" beliefs that can actually make us less productive. Some productivity beliefs can actually impair our productivity Sometimes, without even realizing it, we can develop beliefs about productivity that actually make us less productive. I thought I’d talk about a few of them today, so we can examine our own thinking and where necessary replace unproductive myths with productive truths. There are several productivity myths that can actually lead to inefficiency, stress, and burnout. Here are some of them:  1. Multitasking is productive. Multitasking can actually reduce productivity because it divides your attention and can cause mistakes. Instead, focusing on one task at a time can increase efficiency and quality of work. One article cited a study by Stanford University: “The study proved that people who are prone to multitasking had worse memory, were often unable to pay attention, and couldn’t filter the information accordingly to what’s relevant for a particular goal. Therefore, they were slowed down by a bunch of unrelated information. What was even more surprising – multitaskers were quite bad at switching from one task to another as well, contrary to what one may expect.” In addition, the article notes, “long-term multitaskers have a lowered brain density in the region responsible for empathy and both emotional and cognitive control.” There is value in the kind of multitasking that has you, for example, listening to an audiobook while you walk or thinking through your presentation outline while you fold clothes, but be judicious about it and make sure when a task can benefit from your undivided attention, it gets it. 2. Busy equals productive. Being busy doesn't necessarily mean you're being productive. It's possible to be busy with unimportant tasks while neglecting those that actually move you forward. It's essential to prioritize tasks based on their importance and urgency. Many of us, often subconsciously, fill up out calendars and to-do lists to avoid the discomfort of downtime. It’s worth spending some time thinking about why.  Here are some suggestions from one article about how to “avoid the busyness trap”: * “Focus on just doing three important things each day, suggests entrepreneur Dan Sullivan.  * Have a one-hour electronic blackout period, recommends Thomas J. DeLong, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School.  * Recognize your “bias for action” — common among entrepreneurs — and realize you do not always need to do something, says business psychologist Tony Crabbe.  * Say no to things that do not advance your goals.  * Have a morning routine where you take time to reflect on how you will organize the day to fulfill some of your values.” 3. You have to work long hours to be productive. The number of hours worked is not directly proportional to productivity. In fact, long hours can lead to burnout, reducing productivity over time. One article cited data gathered by The Economist “from 1990 until 2012 and found that longer working hours don’t correlate with higher productivity.