7 work habits that are sabotaging your creativity
Working under constant tight deadlines, attending back to back meetings and insisting on being a perfectionist will do you more harm than good on the job.
Creative thinking is a critical aspect of developing your career and it takes daily dedication to take a step further into expressive ideas.
One of the biggest set back can be your own habits. Make sure that you are not engaged in these seven bad work habits that can negatively affect your creativity.
If you recognise any, it is best to put an end to them and adopt better work habits.
1. Frequently working under a tight deadline
If you are working in a profession that requires strict adherence to deadlines, you will need to make sure that it does not affect your creativity.
Try to plan your work schedule ahead of due dates and talk to your manager or clients about getting the work properly scheduled in the calendar.
At times last minute work assignments cannot be avoided but you can ask for an extension to give yourself the necessary time to come up with new ideas and approaches.
2. Going through back-to-back meetings without a break
You want to be proactive during meetings, especially if there are multiple sessions in a day. It is best to take a break in between meetings to give yourself a rest and digest the previous meeting before moving on to the next.
Rushing through back-to-back meeting is not only bad for your productivity, it affects your momentum to come up with creative ideas.
A short 10-15 minute break will suffice to get you prepared for the next meeting and the outcome will be more rewarding.
3. Spending too much time focusing on research at work
If you have an idea which you are already working on, chances are you have spent ample time looking up more information before you actually started on it.
There should be a limit on how much time you spend on research before it takes up more of your time which can be used more productively.
4. Sitting and working at your desk all the time
Spending all your work hours at your cubicle can dull your creativity, especially if you are in a situation where you don’t feel inspired at work.
Consider taking your work outside to a different environment instead. Working remotely for a day can be an option if you can convince your boss about the benefits of working outside the office occasionally.
5. Not listening to your colleagues’ opinions
Unless it’s a negative opinion from those trying to demoralise you, there are many who will try to help you with your work.
At times, opinions from your colleagues are exactly what you need to take your creativity to the next level.
6. Multitasking
Multitasking can be beneficial at work, but if you are not able to cope with it then you are severely affecting your ability to come up with innovative and creative ideas.
Every time you move to another task at hand, you have to refocus so that you can recapture your creative flow. It is best to focus on one task at a time depending on which one is the highest priority.
7. Insist on perfecting your work
Your creative ideas don’t necessarily translate perfectly into your work. Perfection only comes when you learn from your mistakes and heed feedback from others, refining your ideas for future work.
Hanging on to the habit of perfectionism can affect your work creativity and stop you from getting things done in time instead.
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