Aiming for greater productivity is always a noble goal, but many in leader positions go the wrong way about it. You may be so used to wearing enough different hats that you think it’s natural to keep piling more work on, but that’s an easy way to lead to burnout.
The better solution is, even though it hurts to admit it, to look at where you’re actually wasting your time. There’s no shame in it, we all do it, even when we think we’re being productive, efficient workers.
Below, we’re going to look at ten ways you might be wasting your time, and ten ways to fix it.
Doing things you shouldn’t be doing
Let’s get this out of the way first. Sometimes, we all actively and intentionally waste time that we should be using productively. It may be because we’re distracted by something in the workplace, because we’re surfing sites that have nothing to do with our work, or simply taking a moment to yourself.
If you need to take a break, then you should adjust your working day routine accordingly. Otherwise, you can use time-tracking software to see exactly where and how you’re wasting your time. For instance, if you’re spending too much of the working day on Instagram, you may be able to block your access to it.
Spending forever in your emails
This is one that many of us are prone to. It’s easy to get stuck trying to clear your inbox for hours at a time. It’s also easy to end up taking multiple mini-breaks from your work to check it throughout the day. However, each time you do this, you’re disengaging from your work and it will take you more time to get back into the groove. Instead, set aside 30-45 minutes a day for checking your email. If your inbox is particularly busy with important communication, you might want to split it into two sessions per day. The important thing is that you don’t spend all day hovering in the inbox.
Getting stuck in the minutiae of HR management
If you run a team, keeping up with your HR obligations is essential. Scheduling when they work, tracking and allocating their holidays, and getting their paychecks out on time are all clearly important. However, there exists software that allows for employee scheduling made easy, for just one example. HR is one of the easiest rabbit holes to sink all your time into, so find out where you’re spending most of that time and find the tools that allow you to reclaim it.
Repeating work that could easily be automated
Your HR work is just one example. There are plenty of tasks that, while important, are time-consuming and highly repetitive. This can include your bookkeeping, file sharing, invoicing, project management, social media marketing and more. Take a look at some of the best free automation tools available on the market and see what tasks you could shave off your schedule.
Of course, all automation software requires some human interaction and monitoring, but it’s still going to save you a lot of time you might otherwise be wasting.
Handling it all on your own
Some tasks are time consuming or monotonous, but they can’t really be handled by automated software. This is the case for many client and customer-facing duties, for instance, such as handling incoming calls. One day AI may be able to do this for just fine, but for now, you should look at the possibility of working with a virtual assistant.
Finding the tasks on your plate that could easily be outsourced can save you a lot of time and effort, allowing you to focus on much more productive ways to use your day.
Having a meeting when an email would have covered it
Team meetings are not necessarily a waste of time, by any stretch. It’s important to communicate regularly to ensure everyone is on the same page and know their place in achieving work goals, as well as for bringing up issues that need to be cleared for everyone.
However, all too often, unnecessary meetings waste the time and diminish the engagement of the people involved. If you can cover it in an email, it doesn’t need to have a meeting. Similarly, if you’re covering a topic that isn’t relevant to everyone at that meeting, then make sure that it’s only being held between the relevant participants. Otherwise, you’re wasting the other participants’ time for nothing.
Doing tasks that simply aren’t necessary
At the start of the day, many of us begin by looking at a to-do list. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s easy to find that list growing longer and longer as time goes on. As such, it’s important to complement it with a “to-not-do” list.
Simply put, look over you to-do list and figure out which work is most timely and which is most important. Prioritize them and, in the process, find the work that doesn’t need to be done today. It can help you focus your energy where it’s most needed and save you the stress of having your plate too full.
Spending too long working on any one thing
When you’ve figured out what you have to do for today, then you should take the time to work out exactly when to do it. Breaking your day into blocks of time and allotting each block of time to a certain task, goal, and making time for things like breaks and routine duties can be very helpful.
This way of handling your work makes sure you’re not spending too much time on any one task, but it also makes sure that you’re giving every task on the to-do list at least some attention.
Multitasking (it’s not as good as it sounds)
Simply put, multitasking doesn’t work. You may think it does, and if you’re really enthusiastic about it then there may be no convincing you. However, multitasking has been shown to diminish engagement with both tasks, and to make them take longer than it would take to complete them individually.
Simply put, this is because your brain is constantly shifting gears between two “modes”, meaning that it’s harder to get either task done. Unless you’re one of the few who can multitask perfectly, it’s usually better to take your time and give each task the undivided attention that it needs.
Not setting boundaries between personal time and work time
Lastly, if you don’t take time for breaks, and allow yourself personal time away from work, you will never be at your most productive. When you’re blurring the lines between work life and your home life, not only do you risk burning yourself out, but you also diminish how effectively you can manage both. Your work life will suffer because you haven’t had the time to recharge, while your home life will suffer because you’re always in “work mode.” Yes, you have to work hard, especially if you’re running a business, but forcing yourself too much is counter-productive.
If none of the above sounds familiar to you, then you might simply be the most efficient manager/leader/employer to walk the earth. In most cases, however, we can all find the little time-wasters in our day and eliminate them to much benefit. If you feel the need to defend your wasted time, then simply make it a true break from work, allowing yourself the time to recharge and get back into it as productively as possible.
