Whether you work a traditional 9-5 in-office job or are 100% remote, there will always be distractions and obstacles that keep you from being fully productive. And while some obstacles are out of our control, like unnecessary meetings and incoming emails, others may be self-inflicted, like indecisiveness or disorganization.
Last Month, we asked our readers to name the biggest time drains at their job, and the results may surprise you.
With 40%, the top answer to the monthly poll was “Sending/receiving email,” followed by “Unnecessary meetings,” with 39%. With another 35% of the votes, readers said “Lack of organization,” while 33% of respondents cited “Constantly changing project needs/parameters” as the top time drains at work.
The rest of the results are as follows:
- “Indecisiveness” – 26%
- “Old technology/equipment” – 23%
- “Socializing with co-workers” – 20%
- “Online distractions (social media, etc.)” – 18%
- “Being a perfectionist” – 14%
Another 19% of respondents chose the “other” option. Here are a few of their responses:
- “Printer issues”
- “Scheduling and rescheduling”
- “Office drama”
- “A ridiculous amount of emails”
- “Unclear execution paths”
- “Covering for others”
- “Interruptions from co-workers”
- “Fixing other people’s mistakes”
- “Lack of decision making at the top level”
- “Lack of organization of those around me”
For more information on time management and productivity, check out these articles from Refresh Leadership!
- Infographic: Boosting Productivity With Time Management
- Time Management: When and How to Work to Your Max Productivity
- Is Lack of Organization and Time Management Undermining Your Productivity?
- Agile vs. Waterfall: Establishing a Project Management Solution that Works for You
- Engage to Produce: Increase Productivity, Not Hours
How do you overcome productivity barriers? As a leader, what are you doing to minimizing time wasters? Let us know in the comments section below!
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