What To Do When You Hit These 6 Productivity Roadblocks

Updated: 8/23/19  Originally Published: 6/9/2016

Feeling unproductive but not sure what to practice about information technology? Here are some common things that can make it the way of productivity along with solutions for overcoming them!

I have to confess: Although I could talk time management and productivity all solar day long, I still find myself hitting productivity roadblocks. The list of things I want to do is always and so much longer than what I could realistically attain, and it'due south piece of cake to become overwhelmed and distracted.

Do you know the feeling? Like y'all're just spinning your wheels, running around all mean solar day but not really accomplishing much of anything?

The overachiever in me gets then frustrated when I tin't do everything on that massive list. Merely the eternal optimist in me just keeps adding on more, hoping that i day I volition find a style to do information technology all.

Last week, I stopped working long plenty to become on a walk to retrieve well-nigh the things that were getting in my manner. Why was I struggling so much? Why wasn't I getting more than done?

I came up with six productivity roadblocks that commonly get in the style of my productivity, and I idea it might exist helpful if I shared them with you, along with some of the solutions for overcoming these roadblocks.

6 Productivity Roadblocks

1. Letting urgent tasks overshadow important ones

ROADBLOCK:

This is a roadblock I run into all too frequently, and it is a common reason nosotros tend to experience like we're not moving any closer to our goals.

You know you've hit this roadblock when yous realize you are letting your days dictate themselves. Rather than having a plan in place to accomplish those important tasks, you keep yourself decorated putting out fires. I ofttimes feel this way, constantly reacting instead of interim with intention.

SOLUTION:

Start your twenty-four hours with a programme to do the highest touch things first. I like to place two or three of import tasks for the next day earlier I become to bed each night, that way I can hit the ground running in the morning.

Another method I live by is rhythms and routines. When I regularly make fourth dimension for ongoing things like household tasks, I'm ever making progress.

• Related: My Provide v-Step System For Creating A Daily Routine
• Related: How I Organize My Week For Maximum Productivity & Focus

2. Not agreement the why

ROADBLOCK:

If you don't know why a unmarried task is of import in the thousand scheme of things, it'due south easy to proceed pushing it off until tomorrow.

This 1 happened to me very recently. I had put off a task for weeks and connected to transfer it from list to listing. I was ill of it being on my list, merely I just didn't have any motivation to consummate it. When I stopped to think about why I kept putting off that task, I discovered information technology was because I didn't remember why it was of import in the starting time identify. That small job didn't mean much on its ain, but it was a necessary footstep toward a much bigger goal of mine.

SOLUTION:

Make sure you know the "why" backside each of your tasks. Look at those tasks that have been sitting on your list for far too long and ask yourself why they matter.

Endeavor adding "because ____" to the end of each detail on your to-do list. Here'southward an instance: Meal prep…because I'm on a mission to lose that weight and I know I'll be besides tired to do information technology afterward work tomorrow.

If you can remind yourself how that specific job fits into the big picture, then y'all are much more probable to be motivated to accomplish it.

three. Neglecting to track your progress

ROADBLOCK:

At the end of the day, you lot go to bed wondering what you accomplished. You lot were busy, but what did you lot actually get washed? It is and so easy to experience like you lot're not really making any progress despite feeling like you were busy all day long.

SOLUTION:

Runway your progress and take time to review your achievements. One manner to do this is to start each morning with a brusque list of the most important tasks of the day.

I try to go along this list to 3-four things that are of import. Of course I also take a listing of a ton of minor little tasks but at the end of the day, those three-four of import tasks are the things that will really move the needle. If I complete those important tasks past the finish of the day, I experience super accomplished fifty-fifty if the residual of my task list is left undone.

Some other mode to rails your progress is to finish each twenty-four hours by jotting down your accomplishments in a periodical. Keep a bullet bespeak listing of all of the things you've done, and add to it each twenty-four hours earlier you leave piece of work or before you go to bed. This volition help you reflect on your day and remind yourself of the progress you've fabricated. It'south a great motivator to work hard so yous can add some big wins to your list at the stop of the day!

• Related: Creating A ten-Minute Morning Journaling Routine

4. Overlooking the importance of defining specific tasks

ROADBLOCK:

If you look at your to-practice list and your optics apace glaze over with overwhelm, your tasks are probably not specific enough. When we don't create super specific, manageable tasks, we tin can quickly feel overwhelmed and not know where to fifty-fifty begin.

SOLUTION:

Stop filling your to-practice list with wide projects and focus on getting specific. Intermission down large projects into bite-sized tasks and utilize activeness words in each one.

For example, if I only write "make clean the house," I am faced with way also many decisions. Should I beginning in the kitchen? What needs done in the living room? Ooh, simply the bathroom needs to be cleaned, likewise. Instead of writing something like "make clean the house," take it a step further and interruption information technology down into articulate activeness steps like "wash the dishes," "vacuum the living room" and "sweep the kitchen floor."

• Related: 6 Tips For Planning Your Day & Gratuitous Daily To-Practise Listing

5. Overestimating how much yous tin can get washed

ROADBLOCK:

If y'all cease your day only finishing a fraction of your to-do list, information technology can take the wind out of your sails. You had such skilful intentions merely just couldn't get to everything! The truth is, those expectations are very unrealistic.

This is definitely one of my biggest weaknesses. I am always overly aggressive virtually the amount of work I tin can do in one twenty-four hour period. I pile on entirely too many things and stop the day simply getting one-half of it done (if I'm lucky!).

SOLUTION:

Realize that you are not super human. Be honest with yourself about how much you can actually attain in a 24-hour interval.

I matter that has helped me is to rail my time on projects for a few days and so that I'thou more aware of how long things really take. Toggl.com is a gratis tool that makes tracking time piece of cake.

Some other solution is to destine buffer fourth dimension between projects to account for distractions, travel time, transitions, etc.

And finally, try really difficult to proceed your to-do list narrowed down to but a few key tasks that absolutely demand to get done today. This will help you focus your energy on what'southward most important instead of getting lost in the sea of never ending to-dos. And since information technology's realistic, you'll end the 24-hour interval feeling amazingly productive! If you finish those primal tasks with fourth dimension to spare, you tin move onto that laundry list of other pesky tasks and knock a few out every bit actress credit!

vi. Not giving yourself a suspension

ROADBLOCK:

When you're in a season of overwhelm and your to-do list is a mile long, your get-go instinct is likely to hunker down and piece of work faster and longer. If y'all've hit this roadblock, you probably feel like you are running on a hamster wheel. It's so easy to practice, but it's actually non healthy. If you are working not-terminate, you are not being your nigh productive self.

SOLUTION:

Prioritize quality breaks. While information technology feels like you should but go on working, you'll exist more productive if you take breaks during your 24-hour interval and allow yourself time to relax and recharge.

That quality time off is restorative, and it refuels you and so you are set to come up back to your work more than focused and productive. During my work day, I find it helpful to go on short walks to break up the day and get myself away from my computer for a bit.

Fix a timer at work to remind yourself to take short breaks, whether that's a quick walk downward the sidewalk or a short walk to refill your coffee mug.

In the evenings, set a cutting-off time for yourself. Work hard to get all of your work and household tasks done during the solar day and and then give yourself permission to relax and unwind for the residual of the night.

I am always on a quest to discover little ways to be more than productive and to maximize every minute of my day, but I still get sidetracked. I have days–and sometimes weeks–where I'm not at my best. When it feels like life is pulling me in all directions, and I have no idea how I'thou going to accomplish everything.

We all take and so many responsibilities, and it is piece of cake to be difficult on ourselves when we don't feel like we're being productive enough.

If you lot find yourself hitting 1 of these productivity roadblocks, stop yourself for a minute and attempt to pinpoint why you're feeling that way. Piece of work to find a solution that will assistance y'all overcome that slump you're in, and, ultimately, don't forget to give yourself grace. Y'all are non super human, and some days volition just be more productive than others. And that's okay!

More weblog posts on productivity:

• The seven Planning Tools Tools & Systems I Use To Organize My Whole Life
• half-dozen Tips For Planning Your Day & Gratuitous Daily To-Do List
• Creating A 10-Minute Morning Journaling Routine
• My Proven v-Step System For Creating A Daily Routine
• How I Organize My Week For Maximum Productivity & Focus

Have a fantastic day!

P.S. If you are ready to be more intentional with your time, than yous practise not want to miss out on my eBook,Vanquish Your Week: The Complete Guide To Designing An Intentional Weekly Routine.

Information technology includes actionable strategies and worksheets to guide you through the entire routine cosmos process. You tin work through it in an afternoon and finish with a tangible routine you can put into practice immediately. Click hither to download a sample chapter!

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