Listen to any professional speaker attempting to get to the bottom of problems affecting the modern workplace and you will hear them mention the word productivity. Well, this is understandable, as the very reason why people are at work is to be productive and create a profit in one way or another. The irony is that with so much being said about productivity in the workplace, there is no proof that workplaces are more productive than they were before this became a buzzword. What you will realize is that people are spending more of their time attempting to understand the concept of being productive than actually being productive.
I always notice how everybody is geared and ready to go when they have just arrived back from some seminar that teaches about productivity but as the days wear on, they get back to their old ways of doing things. Those old ways that are the reason why we needed the lessons on how to be productive in the first place.
The Myths We Develop About Productivity
So where does the problem lie? Why do we have so many resources yet we revert back to our unproductive ways? In our quest to understand this problem, we end up arriving at certain conclusions, which of course are not always accurate. Some of us end up believing that the problem is with us. We conclude that productivity is not within us and we were never designed to be productive.
Some people will blame the productivity advice they receive. You know how a poor carpenter blames his tools? We end up accusing the productivity teachers of lying to us. We tell ourselves that we are not looking very hard for tips on how to be productive. We keep telling ourselves that there is some hidden place somewhere where we will get a reservoir of information about how to be productive. As you will see later, all these are myths and they will not take you anywhere closer to being more productive.
So What Is The Problem
I know that after debunking the myths that many of us have about productivity, you are starting to ask yourself if the issue is not with what we have mentioned above where is it then? Before I discuss how I found the solution to my own productivity issues, I will start by attempting to understand the reasons for our lack of productivity. More like going back to the basics.
Focus On Causes Not Symptoms
Herein lies our biggest mistake when we look at the concept of productivity. We tend to think that the lack of productivity, as manifested in symptoms such as procrastination, missed deadlines, and generally poor quality work, is the real problem. We fail to realize that these are just signs of a problem which is much deeper. Since symptoms can be caused by different root problems, we need to look deeper into those possible problems that may be leading us to where we are in terms of our productivity.
Defining The Real Problem
I think that the knowledge that lack of productivity is just a symptom of a bigger problem brings us closer to finding out why we have this problem in the first place. Only when we are able to honestly look at the problem in the eye and define it, will we be able to deal with it decisively.
One common reason why we put away tasks and end up missing our deadlines and producing poor quality work is simply because we do not want to do the particular task. Some reasons for this include being asked to do a task that we do not find exciting and we just end up doing it because we are afraid of the consequences of not doing it such as losing our jobs or not being paid.
Sometimes we do not know how to do the task and we do not have the courage to say that we do not. There are many reasons that can make a person who is unable to do a task not declare this lack of ability. One of them could be that they are embarrassed they will look stupid. Another is that we do not have the right communication skills to explain exactly what our problem is. At other times there is simply no one to help us when we are stuck because there are very few people who know how to do that particular task.
Sometimes we are debilitated by a fear of failure. Do you ever have those moments when the workload is so huge that you do not know where to start and therefore end up just not doing nothing? This fear can drain you of the energy you need to do the job that you end up feeling that there is no way you will accomplish the work. This may also end up playing games with your mind and telling you that you will never be able to accomplish the task.
I am sure that at this point of the discussion you can see that the lack of productivity is a product of different circumstances. This means that it cannot be solved by using a generic remedy. There is no magic pill to cure this disease. We need to first of all find out what is causing it before we can hope to cure it.
What We Should Consider
There are a few things we need to consider in order for us to arrive at the right cure for lack of productivity. I have listed some of the considerations below.
● Determining ways by which we can reduce destructions so that we can focus on the task at hand
● Finding ways by which we can make a task we are afraid of doing enjoyable
● Learning how to do the task we have been assigned and finding the right knowledge of how to do it
● Brainstorming ways by which we can do the work faster
● Finding mental ways of overcoming a fear of both failure and success
● Looking for ways to increase our levels of energy
Once we have taken the above issues into consideration, we can then work out the right remedy for our productivity problems. This is different from just asking ourselves vaguely how we can be more productive. The above considerations allow us to break down out problem into manageable units.
Using Knowledge We Gain
When the brainstorming process as described above has been completed, we will come up with solutions that can help us change our situation. More like coming up with the right medication. Now we need to take the prescribed medication; it will not be helpful just to have the medication and not take it. We need to write executable goals and set deadlines for our tasks. We need to write down the answers to the issues above and make a deliberate effort to do what we have said we would do.
Fine Tuning The Process
As you start to apply the tips you come with from the brainstorming process, you will start to realize that some tips will work better for you in practice than others. This is the time to get rid of those that do not and perfect those that do. Keep getting more tips as you go and getting rid of those that are not effective. Things change, and so should your approach to the productivity challenge.
My Answer To Increased Productivity
Personally, I have come to realize that the main reason why many of us are unproductive is simply because we are in jobs that we are not compatible with. I came to this conclusion when I found a job at as essay writing company where I am currently employed as a blog editor. My passion in life has always been two-fold; writing and helping people.
This job gave me a chance to help people with their writing. As soon as I started doing the job that I love I started to see my own productivity levels grow. Going to work does not feel like a chore anymore and I do not need someone to watch over me for me to be productive. This made me arrive at the conclusion that to be productive you need to find the vocation that suits you.
I am sure that at this point you now understand that a lack of productivity is not the problem, it is a symptom to a bigger challenge. A challenge of being afraid of starting a task, doing a task you do not have the inclination or energy to do, and not knowing how to do something. As I have indicated, my solution came from discovering my passion and taking up a job in an area that excites me and makes me feel alive.
Author Bio:
Tia Moreen is a writer, professional blogger and traveler. She helps students by consulting them about writing academic papers. Currently running a small business and working as an editor at EssayHub.
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