Being more productive is about working smarter, not harder, and making the most of each day. While this is no easy feat, getting more done in less time is a much more attainable goal if you’re not sabotaging yourself with bad habits.
Following are 13 things you should stop doing right now to become more productive.
Aaron Taube contributed to an earlier version of this article.
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1. Impulsive web browsing
Since most of us have access to the internet at work, it’s easy to get sidetracked looking up the answer to a random question that just popped into your head.
That’s why Quora user Suresh Rathinam recommends writing down these thoughts or questions on a notepad. This way, you can look up the information you want later, when you’re not trying to get work done.
2. Multitasking
While many people believe they’re great at doing two things at once, scientific research has found that just 2% of the population is capable of effectively multitasking.
For the rest of us, multitasking is a bad habit that decreases our attention spans and makes us less productive in the long run.
3. Checking email throughout the day
Constant internet access can also lead people to check email throughout the day. Sadly, each time you do this, you lose up to 25 minutes of work time. What’s more, the constant checking of email makes you dumber.
Instead, strategy consultant Ron Friedman suggests quitting Outlook, closing email tabs, and turning off your phone for 30-minute chunks of deep-diving work.
