Do you often find yourself working slower than you would like? The things that slow you down might be external factors that get in your way but they can also be things that are more personal to you and your habits and behaviors. It’s frustrating when things get in the way of your work and slow you down, especially if you feel like you’re getting in your own way. Fortunately, there are always things that you can do to change things. If you feel like there are things slowing you down at work, you can take steps to speed up your work and get more done.
Slow Computer (and Other Devices)
Technology can be one of the worst culprits for slowing you down at work. You can end up waiting a long time for a program to respond or for a device to restart when you just want to get on with your work. If your computer is slow, one of the first things you can do is find out what might be slowing it down and how to speed it up. You can use a tool to spot and tame CPU hogging apps so that the worst apps stop using up all of your computer’s power. You might also want to consider doing things such as clearing out unneeded files to free up memory and removing apps you don’t need.
Image from Pixabay – CC0 License
Trying (and Failing) to Multitask
Many people try to multitask when they’re at work. They flit from one task to another, trying to do several things at once but ultimately failing. Instead of getting your work done faster, it actually slows you down and can result in worse outcomes too. Instead of trying to multitask, the best thing you can do is prioritize your work and get tasks completed in batches. Organize your work so that you complete the most important tasks first. You can also group tasks together so that you can do similar tasks one after the other, which can help you save time.
Writer’s Block/Lack of Inspiration
When you have writer’s block or you’re not feeling very inspired, it can make it difficult to get started on any work involving creativity or creation of any kind. Whether you have to write an email, draw up a technical document or think of some ideas for your next meeting, it’s not always easy to get the ideas or words to come. If you’re struggling to get going, reframing what you’re doing or approaching it from another angle can be helpful. You might also find it helpful to look for inspiration elsewhere so you can get your creative juices flowing.
Struggling to Focus
A lack of focus is a problem that many people face. You might find it hard to focus when you’re feeling tired or there could be lots of things happening around you that make it difficult. The first thing you should do if you find focusing hard is make sure you’re physically ready to concentrate on your work. Have you had enough sleep? Did you have a nutritious breakfast? Do you need to wear glasses? All of these things can matter if you’re finding it hard to focus on your work instead of getting distracted by other things.
Image from Pixabay – CC0 License
Distractions from Others
Another problem you might experience when you’re trying to get your work done is distractions from other people. This might be someone sending you emails or popping into your office, or it could be people having a chat right by your desk. If you’re struggling with these issues, one of the things that can help is setting boundaries. Being able to tell someone to come back later or giving them a set time when you’re able to help them will put you in control. If you find emails or other communication distracts you, you can set rules for when you will pay attention to them (unless it’s urgent).
Not Scheduling Tasks
You have a list of things to do and perhaps some corresponding deadlines. But, rather than work out what you will need to do and when, you just pick up various tasks at random and do them as and when you feel like it. You might get everything done eventually, but it takes you longer than it really needs to. If you find this is usually how your day or week goes, you need to get better at scheduling your tasks. You know what you need to do and you know how much time you have to do it, so why not schedule your time and make sure you’re using it effectively.
Being a Perfectionist
Wanting to do the job right and do it right the first time is nothing to be ashamed of. But if you’re something of a perfectionist, you can find that you get in your own way. No one can ever really do everything perfectly and often there isn’t really a perfect way to complete a task. You might feel like you have to do everything in a perfect way, but you could just be wasting time trying to achieve the impossible. Instead of trying to be perfect, focus on getting everything done to a satisfactory standard that fulfills your goals.
Not Taking Breaks
You might think that you can get a lot more done if you don’t take any breaks. If you just power through, you’ll have another hour or more to do your work. But the truth is that if you’re not taking any breaks, you’re probably slowing yourself down. Not allowing yourself to take breaks could mean you’re less able to pay attention to what you’re doing when you’re working. When you take breaks, you have time to reset and refresh so that you’re ready to get back on track when your break is over. Taking breaks ensures you have something to eat and drink, as well as take care of anything else.
If you feel like you’re always working slower than you should be, address the things that are slowing you down to get more done.
Leave a Reply