Why Is It So Hard To Be Productive? 

When I was in charge of a big sales team in the renewable energy sector, I devoted a big portion of my time to research and try to find reliable strategies to bring my team to the highest possible results.

From those studies, it became evident a simple but critical aspect of the topic :

Introduction

There are a lot of reasons why it can be hard to be productive. For one, it can be tough to stay focused on a task when there are so many other things competing for our attention. It can also be easy to get sidetracked or discouraged when we’re not seeing results right away. And sometimes, we just don’t have enough energy to get things done.

Read more : Productivity and Time Management

The reality is that many people in today’s fast-paced world find it difficult to stay productive. This is because our brains are naturally wired to be more efficient when we have short-term goals to achieve.

However, when we have long-term goals to achieve, our brains are not as efficient, and need to employ different strategies to perform at their best.

So, if you read betwen the lines, the good news is that there are a lot of things we can do to make being productive a little easier.

We can start by setting realistic goals and breaking them down into manageable steps.

We can create a supportive environment for ourselves, whether that means decluttering our workspace or setting up a regular schedule.

And, we can find inspiration and motivation from others who have overcome similar challenges.

So if you’re struggling to be productive, know that you’re not alone. And with a little effort, you can start to see some real progress. Read on.

External And Internal Issues Keep Pushing Us Off-Track

There are a lot of difficulties that come with trying to stay productive. For starters, it can be hard to stay motivated when you’re constantly being bombarded with new tasks and deadlines.

It can also be difficult to stay organized and on top of everything that you need to do. And, of course, there are always distractions that can lead you astray.

On the other hand, we all tend to underestimate the role of our mood and often ignore the signals of fatigue our body sends us. Lack of rest, stress coming from family related concerns, anxiety related to the outcome of our efforts, all play a significant role in our capabilities of focusing and performing.

Read more : Spot the weaknesses in your Time Management Strategies!

External Factors : Distractions and Pitfalls 

There are many external factors that can affect our focus and concentration. These can include noise, movement, light, temperature and even smells.

By understanding what can impact our concentration, we can take steps to minimize these distractions and create a more favorable environment for learning, studying or working.

Noise is one of the most common external factors that can impact our concentration. Whether it’s general background noise or specific sounds, it can be difficult to filter out distractions and remain focused.

If possible, try to create a workspace in an area that is quiet enough and away from excessive noise sources. If this isn’t possible, consider using noise-canceling headphones or earplugs to help block out distractions.

Medium-low volume ambient music, at best without vocals and harsh frequencies can also surely help (Check that following the link for instance).

This is indeed my strategy of choice, since I have to divide my home workspace with the rest of my family, and my kids can be veeeery noisy sometimes! 🙂

Movement can also be a distraction, especially if it’s sudden or unexpected. Our brains are programmed to pay attention to movement, so it can be difficult to focus on something else if there’s movement in our peripheral vision.

Again, try to create a workspace where those issues are reduced to the minimum or at best non-existent.

Internal Factors : You, Your Worst Enemy!

There are many factors that can contribute to our own internal distraction. One common factor is stress. When we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, it can be difficult to focus on anything else.

Other internal factors can include our own thoughts and emotions. If we’re ruminating on something that’s bothering us, it can be hard to concentrate on anything else.

There are some things we can do to help mitigate the effects of internal distraction factors.

One is to try and stay mindful of our thoughts and emotions, and to focus on the present moment. This can be difficult to do, but it’s worth practicing. Mindfulness can help us to focus on what’s important, and to let go of the thoughts and emotions that are distracting us.

Another helpful strategy is to take breaks throughout the day.

When we’re feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to step away from whatever we’re doing and take a few deep breaths. This can help to clear our mind, bring back to focus why we are working on the task at hand and allow us to come back with a better attitude.

Tips To Overcome These Obstacles And Be More Productive

The first step to being more productive is to set short-term goals!

Why should you make a habit in the first place of always having written set goals and plan every single day?

The key word here is Clarity.

When we have clear, specific targets we can aim for, our brains are way easier to direct to work on those goals. 

(However, it is also important to have long-term goals. A higher level goal we want to achieve over a longer period of time),

Read more : Manage your time like a PRO!

Check These Out!

So, assuming you would like to receive some tips on overcoming productivity obstacles: 

• 1. Set a goal for the day. Start so easy as possible : a notebook and pen will do. This will help you keep track of everything and stay on track.
• 2. Break it down. Once you define a task, break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This will make it seem less daunting and you will be able to focus on one thing at a time.
• 3. Get rid of distractions. Set aside some time each day for uninterrupted work : this means turning off your phone, social media notifications, and anything else that might pull your attention away from what you need to do. 
• 4. Set a time limit for each task. This will help you stay focused and on track. It is also an excellent way to get ahead on a project and avoid perfectionism.
• 5. Take breaks. This is HUGE, do not underestimate it like I used to do for years…it’s important to step away from your work every once in a while to refresh your energy.
• Try taking a walk, listening to music, having a small talk with somebody or finding anything that boosts your mood. This will help you refocus and come back to your work recharged and possibly even more motivated.
• 6. Spend a little time to understand how you work, how your physiology reacts to different situations. Use those data to define a productivity method that works for you (There are a lot of different ways!!). Experiment and then try to stick with it.

Conclusion

In this article we discussed extensively about the difficulties to keep ourselves productive and on track.

We started from a solid overview of the different possible issues that get in the way while we try to give a decent performance. Then we drilled down splitting those issues between the external causes and the internal ones.

And in the last section of the article we explored together a number of different suggestions to implement in your system to improve your capabilities to sustain an optimal level of focus, and thus provide your best performance.

Read more : The Limits We Set Ourselves – https://wannabethebest.me/why-do-i-take-so-long-to-do-everything/

A Personal Perspective From Yours Truly…

I am always fascinated to comprehend how the non-visible aspect of our personalities massively affect the visible ones. 

The topic we explored today is a great example : our subconscious conditions largely our beliefs, the vision we have of things, and consequently our attitude toward different situations.

But the informations stored in our subconscious are mostly elaborations coming from previous emotional responses : as a consequence, we can walk giant steps in every aspect of our life if we invest constantly in a deep knowledge of ourselves. 

This is perhaps the most critical step in our personal growth journey. But though it is easy to understand from a “philosophical” point of view, everything turns out way harder when trying to turn a concept like this into a concrete tool capable of pushing us forward faster.

Again, Clarity and Consistency are our best ally, If we accept in the beginning to invest some time attempting the first steps correctly (or like they say “learn the basics”), what we learn along the way, apart from being priceless for itself, will direct us naturally toward the logical next steps.

Yes, It is a never-ending learning process, but the one that brings us most probably to the most meaningful experience of this strange game we call life.

Do you want to read you a regular working father like me applies Time management skills? Check out the link and find more! 😊

If you have any question, or just want to share any insight you learned while trying to optimize your performances, then I would be pleased to read from You.

You can write it all in the comments.

Take care. Talk soon…