Keeping on track and remaining constantly productive are key factors in resulting in a job well-done at work. In the fast-paced world we live in, slowing down will get you run over by someone else who is geared-up and ready for action. Don't sabotage your chances to be the best version of yourself at work by dragging or stalling. Here are 3 things that may be slowing you down. Make some changes and you'll be revved up for rewarding results!
1. Inadequate Sleep
There's a lot to get done in a day, but skipping sleep in order to do everything is counterproductive. Sleep is essential in order to remain focused, energized, and on the ball. Not to mention, you won't have to fear nodding off at work!
As per Health, a good night's sleep can "improve memory, spur creativity, sharpen attention, and decrease stress," all of which will make you a better worker. Without approximately 7-8 hours per night, the benefits won't be reaped as well, if at all. Catch those zzzs, take time to dream, and you won't run out of steam.
2. Huge Lunch
While you may feel ravenous, digging into a large lunch mid-day could lead to a slow and less productive afternoon. The food may taste great going down, but you may just go down with it once you get back to your desk. The energy your body needs to digest a big meal will be drained from other areas of your body, leading to sluggishness and tiredness.
A better idea? Small spaced-out meals throughout the day rather than one filling feast. According to Daily Mail, "Grazing was the way our body was designed to eat (as per) nutritionist Antony Haynes. Large meals burden the digestive system, often causing bloating and lowered energy while the body struggles to digest them. The bigger the meal, the bigger the crash."
Bring healthy foods to work and nibble throughout the day. Think cut-up veggies, cheese, hummus and crackers, dried fruit, and nuts and seeds. Your sugar levels won't dip, you'll never feel hungry, and you'll stay balanced all day. Snack steadily so you won't slow down.
3. Multi-Tasking
You may feel like a champ by attempting to get many things done at once, but when you multi-task, something's gotta give. By dividing your focus, each task won't be done to perfection, nor will it get done in as timely a fashion. You may lose concentration, leave out important details, or find the need to backtrack in order to move forward from where you left off. By trying to do it all, you may not even get it all done. You'll slow down due to the overload and may not complete anything, let alone even one of the projects.
As per Chron, "Too many distractions break your concentration, which requires more time to come back to one task, find where you left off, and try to recreate your thought pattern."
Workplace Wellness Systems adds, "Researchers determined that heavy media multitaskers are more susceptible to distractions from irrelevant stimuli, resulting in greater problems focusing on important tasks. Employees are bombarded with numerous distractions throughout the workday, from email to social media sites like Facebook. Distracted employees can quickly lose focus on important tasks, often resulting in the loss of creativity and innovation." Taking things one at a time won't slow you down at the end of the day. Too much on your plate can lead to dropping it!
