Ten Things Not To Do To Maximize Productivity

It's the age old problem. You have a lot to do but just can't get yourself to work! This is especially prevalent in the world of freelance and consulting. Here are 10 things not do do that will help you get more done in less time without stressing you out!

1. Don't keep your desk cluttered - Having a calm and clean environment helps you focus on your work. Just having a lot of things on your desk can make you feel extra stressed out.
   
   
2. Don't let there be any distractions - Close the door, turn off the cell phone, and do whatever it takes to make it difficult for others to reach you. This also means no chatting online!
   
   
3. No distracting music - Music is ok, just not something that is going to distract you. I prefer music that is rhythmic and without a lot of words. It puts me in a trance where I lose track of time.
   
   
4. No vague to-do list - "Finish Bob's Project" is not a to-do list item. Just reading this alone will make you not want to work. You need to have your to-do list items be broken down as much as possible. If possible, break it down to things that are 10-20 minutes long (the shorter the better). When you look at an item that says "10 minutes" next to it, it's much easier to start doing it.
   
   
5. Don't open a browser window unless absolutely necessary - If you start off with your browser window open, things aren't going to look so good. It's easily the biggest distraction. If your work permits, disconnect from the Internet.
   
   
6. Don't start your work session by checking a few regular websites - You think "let me just see what's on digg and I'll start working." Before you know it, 3 hours has passed by and you haven't done one thing. Fight the urge!
   
   
7. Don't schedule meetings in the middle of your work session - Ok so you'll do a few hours of work, go to that meeting, then come back and work a few more hours. Wrong! More than likely, you won't get back to working efficiently after the meeting. It's too big a change and getting back into the work mindset is incredibly difficult. This is why I try to schedule all of my meetings in one or two days of the week and try to keep at least 2 other days of the week completely open so that I can get work done.
   
   
8. Don't take long breaks - If you do everything else correctly, you won't even want to take a long break. Just in case you feel the desire, fight it! Watching TV or playing a round of Halo will ruin your workday. Instead, just stretch, walk around a bit, and get a cup of water. Your mind will relax but stay focused.
   
   
9. Don't stress out! This is a big one. Even if you have an important deadline to reach and you are down to the wire, try to remain calm. Convince yourself that you have allocated enough time to work on the project and that you have nothing else to do that day besides work. Otherwise, your mind will be preoccupied with the thought of the deadline and you will be very unproductive.
   
   
10. Don't stop! The whole point is to create an atmosphere that encourages "flow". Don't overthink anything or worry about how much time you have left. You will get a lot done regardless so just focus on work. And try to avoid looking at the clock as much as possible.
    

Happy working!