Productivity isn’t a flat line. It’s more like a wave. It goes up and down, depending on the time of the day, our mental state and countless other conditions. Sometimes we’re just having not a very productive day. That’s okay! We’re not machines, after all. But what to do when you encounter a real productivity block and things stop working out? It’s alright – we’ve all been there. Today you’ll learn how you can deal with your productivity dropping.
Is it a productivity block or you’re just not very productive?
First things first. The real question here is: are you a naturally productive person experiencing a temporary block, or you’re just not very productive by default? It’s important to distinguish these two cases. Look back and check if your productivity levels were always low. You may not be blocked, you may be doing things wrong. If that’s the case, these simple productivity tricks can help you get back on the right track.
But if you were always getting things done so well and suddenly you’re stuck, that’s another thing. And here’s how to solve it.
Find the reason for your productivity block
Productivity blocks rarely happen just because.
There’s always a reason for them. And just like in case of sickness, you wouldn’t’ just treat the symptoms – you would treat the cause. It’s time to find what blocks your productivity right now.
There are so many reasons that can make your productivity drop that it would be impossible to list them all. They’re very personal, they can be singular or they can bother you several at once. What could you be possibly suffering from?
- You don’t like your job and you may not feel motivated to be productive enough
- You’re stressed (again – find what stresses you!)
- You’re feeling overwhelmed, you’ve got too much on your plate
- You’re overtired or burnt out
- You’re struggling with problems in personal life that distract you from working
- You wish you could do something else but you can’t because you’ve got work to do, but keep thinking about it all the time
- Other people interfere with your productivity
- You’re not well physically
To simplify it – the reason for your block can be internal or external. It can come from within you or from your surroundings. Without pinpointing it, you won’t be able to move forward. Even more so, you won’t be able to remove the reason for your low productivity.
And if you don’t remove it, your productivity is unlikely to rise back to its previous levels.
Don’t wait for productivity block to pass – act now!
The tough truth about productivity block is that it’s unlikely to go away on its own.
Well, maybe it will – at some point. But that may take up to months and can you afford to lose this kind of time?
Once you’ve discovered the real reason behind your low productivity, it’s time to muster the will to fight it. Without excuses and putting it off in time, start working on bringing back your working power from day 1.
What caused you to fall in this unfortunate state can be dependant on you or totally out of your control. Sometimes, you will be able to eliminate the reason fully. Sometimes you’ll only be able to alleviate the result.
If it’s people who bother you, reserve your “don’t disturb time|. If it’s health issues – tend to them first. If it’s stress, deal with whatever causes it or practise some relaxation techniques. And if it’s the job that you hate so much – maybe it’s time to change it?
Whatever is the case, don’t be passive. Don’t lose time waiting for your productivity to magically come back. Go out and retake it.
The reason for your productivity block could be simpler than you think
While looking for a reason behind your low productivity, don’t omit the simplest things. Sometimes your lower productivity can have a cause so mundane and simple that you wouldn’t even think about it!
It’s often connected to our lifestyle. For example, did you know not drinking enough water can make it hard to focus? Yes, you can get slow and drowsy and disorganised only because your body craves these eight glasses of water you’re not giving it! Same goes for minerals and vitamins, for lack of physical activity and not enough fresh air. All these small things affect how your brain works. Changing something so supposedly insignificant can drastically alternate the way you work. Keep that in mind!
Get inspired
Sometimes your productivity may drop if you simply lose the feeling of WHY behind what you do.
Whether you’re running your own business or work in a team, the inspiration to give it your all is as important as the discipline to keep pushing yourself. You may be well physically and not even struggling with the number of tasks, but still feeling like you fall behind. If you lose what drives in work, it may be just the good idea to help yourself regain it.
One of the best ways to get motivated and inspired is to read a success story or listen to someone successful and passionate about what they do. Their line of work doesn’t even have to even align with yours. All that matters is that you get infected with their energy that they spread through podcast, videos, books or blog post. Forget about the overrated inspirational quotes! What will really boost you, is to learn from someone who beams with positive energy and passion about acting, changing and teaching others to become better.
Prevent the productivity block from happening
Easier said than done, you might say. But the more self-aware you are, the more you work in sync with your productive self, the more you will know what kills your productivity. And if you don’t?
Stick to simple and general tips and hacks. Eat well, exercise, plan your day, week and month. Find your most productive hours, use the productivity tricks you find cool and working. Over time, you will know more and more about what helps you rock at your job and what makes you slow down. We’re all bound to suffer from a productivity block sooner or later. Don’t beat yourself about it.
Instead, quickly locate the reason and instead of waiting, act. The sooner you start fighting it off, the sooner it will go away.
