There could be many reasons you haven't enjoyed the success you're looking for. You might work hard to achieve something, yet you continue to come up short. Sometimes, failure has more to do with ineffective or negative habits than a lack of dedication and effort. The following nine habits can hold you back from making progress in your life.
1. You're Using the Wrong Information
You can't make a chocolate cake if you're using a recipe for apple pie. Operating with bad information can stall your progress in any endeavor, whether personal or professional.
2. Playing the Comparison Game
You compare yourself to someone else. You see yourself falling short of what they have achieved. Then, you experience negative emotions like frustration, depression, and low self-esteem. Those feelings can cause you to put off working on some project or give up entirely.
3. Procrastination
Tomorrow never comes. There is only today, right now. Putting things off only means adding them to a busy to-do list later. Procrastination is the arch-enemy of progress.
4. Not Recording Your Results
The only way to know if you are making progress is to track your results. If you don't record your efforts and the results they produce, you're asking for a lack of progress. Start a journal to record your progress (or lack thereof) concerning important aspects of your life.
5. Multitasking
You might as well call this multi-underperforming. When you do several things at once, you aren't as effective. Each task will steal focus and time from the other. Practice the FOCUS method: Follow One Course Until Success. Instead of handling several responsibilities at once, you work on a single task until it is completely finished. Then, move to something else.
6. Always Saying "Yes"
Sometimes, "no" is the correct answer. It's nice to want to help others, but you should also help yourself. Other people shouldn't be setting your schedule every day. Start saying no when appropriate so you can focus on your needs.
7. Working Without Taking Breaks
People who know about such things say it's hard to focus for more than about 90 minutes at a time. This means taking several 10 to 15-minute breaks during a busy day can increase productivity.
8. Your Life Lacks Routine
Yes, routines can be boring. They can also program your mind and body to expect to do certain things at specific times. Routines lead to more progress and productivity because they free up your mind from deciding what you will be doing next.
9. Always Plugged-In Connectivity
Your physical and mental health can benefit from less time online and on your phone. Unplug regularly from screen time and Internet connectivity for more progress (and better emotional and mental health).
FAST-ACTION STEPS
✅ Look at your online and screen viewing habits. Plan to reduce that screentime by at least 10%.
✅ Create three routines or schedules you will start following each day (or at least every week).
✅ Stop multitasking today. Stop when you catch yourself trying to do more than one thing at a time. Engage in one task until it's finished, then move on to something else.
Quote:
“The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves.” - Barbara Corcoran