Productivity is a central issue in the life of every worker. As we strive to get more things done in shorter time periods, many of us may fall victim to some of the common productivity myths that can negatively impact our work. To put these misconceptions to rest, we’ve compiled a list of 7 of the most common myths to help you make sure you’re really getting the most out of your day.
8 hours of sleep is a must
The amount of sleep required for optimal functioning depends on individual needs.
- Depending on the season, our mood, and the previous day, we might need more or less sleep to be productive the next day. Sleep is something that cannot be bent to the uniform rules of productivity.
The power of multitasking
Recent research reveals that multitasking actually slows us down, increasing our potential for error
- Multitasking was also found to generate much more stress in workers
- People who tend to multitask were less likely to retain information, experienced attention problems, and found it difficult to switch from task to task
Day-dreaming harms productivity
All of these are essential to our mental health and help us organize our information during the day
We’re only productive in offices
In today’s professional culture, this is simply not true
More time = more work done
This is a classic productivity myth that impacts the international job market.
- If you believe that by working longer hours, you’ll get more things done, think twice – it has actually been proven to lower productivity, lead to errors and generate stress.
Disconnect and you’ll become more productive
The internet is bad for our productivity because it floods our minds with useless information
A clean workspace does wonders for productivity
This study showed that lack of order might help some workers to be more efficient and creative, aiding in their decision-making process.
