Productivity is easier conceived than achieved.  While we all wish we could be constantly producing, myriad distractions and bad habits can easily get in our way.  We may not have control over to the former, but we do have a lot of control over the latter.  For this reason, we’ve decided to dedicate this blog to discussing 5 bad habits that can cripple your office productivity and how this may be a sign to alter your workspace design. 

1. You take too much time to complete each task.

You’ve got the email written.  In fact, you’ve had the email written for 30 minutes.  Despite this, you continue looking over it.  Each time, you find a spot that you think could be improved.  Before you know it, an hour has passed before you finally hit send.  As tempting as it can be to re-examine everything you do, sometimes you just have to move forward.  Yes, it’s important to be thorough, but don’t let that stunt your ability to get things done. workspace design

2. You spend too much time planning instead of doing

While it’s obviously important to have a plan of some sort, beware of letting the planning phase of your day take up the majority of it.  This may be out of your control, as some jobs and/or companies mandate an obscene number of meetings that often result in little more than talking about what needs to be done.  Regardless, do your best to spend just as much executing as you do planning.

3. You fail to take breaks

We’re all guilty of this one.  Sometimes, we get so invested in what we’re doing that we can’t seem to pull ourselves away.  While not taking breaks might sound more productive, in the long term, it’s much less so.  The human brain can only focus on a single task for so long.  Eventually, the mind starts to wander, and you stop focusing on the task at hand.  Instead of letting this happen to you, get up and do some stretches.  Maybe even go outside for a short walk.  Whatever activity you choose, just make sure to give your brain a rest every now and again.

4. You repeat the same tasks over and over

How many times do you think you’ve checked your phone today?  Be honest.  50 times?  100?  Certain tasks are so quick simple that we may find ourselves repeating them over and over again.  As we lose focus, we find ourselves repeating these tasks more and more regularly.  It could be tough to stop, but referring specifically to our example, maybe try putting your phone in a drawer, or in a spot that it’s not so easily accessible. workspace design

5. You don’t take care of yourself outside of the office

We’re getting a little outside the box with this one, but it’s perhaps the most important bad habit to mention.  Many of us struggle to eat properly, or even eat enough at all.  Without food, our bodies simply cannot properly function.  Make sure you eat enough, exercise regularly, drink lots of water and, especially, get enough rest each night.  Without practicing healthy habits outside of work, you’re never going to be able to perform optimally inside of it.

There are many other bad habits that we could highlight here, but these 5 stuck out to us as being particularly important.  Some are easier to break than others, but all should be abandoned if you want to be as productive as possible. With an improved workspace design and more comfortable environment, these habits may be easier to kick. Take things one step at a time, and before you know it, you’ll be getting work done like never before!