Article: Changing bad habits at work can be hard, but it’ll be a lot easier if you enlist a coworker that you’re close with to help you. In order to avoid procrastination, encourage your partner to remind you of your responsibilities and keep you on task. Tell them to call you out when they see you being unproductive or wasting time. They may notice certain patterns or behaviors that you aren’t even aware of. Don’t ask for help from a coworker that works in a different part of the building than you. If they aren’t around you for most of the day, how are they going to help? on one task at a time to avoid losing momentum. Even if you think of yourself as a diligent multitasker, the odds are high that you’re going to be more productive throughout the course of the day if you generally complete one thing at a time. If you have a lot of work on your desk or work space, start storing it in drawers or cabinets so that you aren’t tempted to move back and forth between tasks. A clean desk is an excellent way to remove distractions. You can’t be tempted to multitask if the other tasks aren’t even there! If you find yourself constantly socializing at the office, a good way of changing this habit is to announce how little time you have to talk at the beginning of a conversation. When a coworker approaches you, explain that you only have 5 minutes before you need to get back to something. Be honest. Say, “I don’t want to chat for too long because I’ll fall behind in my work.” People will respect your openness and desire to stay focused. If you try to change everything about the way you work all at once, it’s probably not going to stick. Focus on one element of your work day and start there. Start by changing your habits surrounding one thing, and improve slowly over time before trying to make another new habit stick. Physical exercise will give your brain a break and refresh your body. Even if it’s something small, like doing a few push-ups or jumping jacks, try to find a way to work some physical activity into your work day. Mid to late-afternoon is a good time for a little exercise, since it’ll help carry you through to the end of your day. Exercise is also good for you! It’ll help you lose weight, get better sleep at night, and keep you in a positive mood throughout the day. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram will absolutely destroy your attention span at work if you check them consistently. Too much time on your phone will keep you from completing time-intensive tasks. Keep your phone in your pocket at work and set limits on how much time you spend looking at screens during your breaks. If you’re using a computer all day, consider blocking social media websites so that you can’t even view them. Having a ton of extra work piled on your desk can kill your schedule, eat through your day, and overwhelm you. Practice saying “no” when asked to do additional work that you simply don’t have time for. Be polite. You can calmly explain that you’ve already got a lot of work ahead of you.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Ask a colleague to keep you accountable when you procrastinate. Focus Set limits on conversations with your colleagues. Adjust to changes in small increments over time. Exercise during your work day in order to stay healthy and focused. Avoid little time wasters like group chats or social media. Be assertive and say “no” when you’re asked to do too much.