9/9/2016 10HabitsthatKillanEngineersProductivityMedium

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Jan 15 5 min read

10 Habits that Kill an Engineer s Productivity

Productivity is a measure of the eciency of a person, machine, factory,
system, etc., in converting inputs into useful outputs, according to
businessdictionary.com. As such when engineers are unproductive, it means
their eorts are inecient and their output low or of an inferior quality. No
one likes producing inferior work, least of all an engineer. However,
sometimes it is an engineers own habits that causes this unproductivity. What
are you doing that is causing you to be unproductive?

Here are ten (10) habits that could be killing your productivity:

1. Multitasking

Multitasking is doing more than one task almost simultaneously by switching

between them. Although it gives an illusion of better performance, it is in fact
causing a loss of focus and creativity. The reality is that you are wasting
energy in switching tasks, which decreases productivity. So even though you
may complete the tasks, you would have spent less time and be more ecient
had you engaged in single tasking, rather than multitasking.

The best way to understand this situation is to think of your brain as a

computer with a limited amount of RAM. When you push more than one type
of work, RAM slows down and productivity reduces. The same thing happens
in your brain.

So the cure is to be a completionist and do not switch to other tasks until you
nish the one at hand. Batch similar tasks, and do not be afraid to say no.

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I.e., No more projects, if you cant handle them. Programmers at

Livecoding.tv shows how single-tasking is more ecient than multitasking.

2. Not Having a System inPlace

Organization is very important for productivity. When everything you need is

unorganized, it makes it dicult for you to nd anything. When you do not
have a system in place, everything you need is scattered. Your laptop, printer,
scanner, mouse and other accessories are not at their place. Your calendar in
PC or smartphone is not organized, making it harder to track incoming items
when you dont have a system in place.

Having a system in place makes you more productive. Dont you feel better
when you are able to reach for your mouse and nd it exactly where it should
be? Look for videos at Livecoding.tv, where programmers do live coding with
everything organized.

3. Not Having a WorkRoutine

Our mind and body cannot evolve fully with the lack of work routine. It adds
stress in our lives, which leads to inconsistent quality, increase of errors and
mistakes, work process instability, decreased employee safety, and lack of
visual management. Learn from people at Livecoding.tv. Join our website and
subscribe to any Streamer to watch his routine. You can chat with him as well.

4. Using Too ManyTools

Tools are extremely helpful. But while using a few tools can increase your
productivity, using too many can do the opposite. So, it is good to nd tools
that sync easily with others, and at the same time cover multiple bases.
Streamers on our website use few tools, and excel in their work.

5. Not Tracking YourResults

Tracking gives a clear picture of what you are up to, where you are heading,
reduces stress, and improves an engineers performance. Tracking alerts you
to problems ahead of time so that you can correct them sooner, rather than
wait for days or weeks when the problem nally shows, resulting in poor
productivity. Without tracking you will never know your true potential.

Streamers at livecoding.tv streams their work in parts. If youve subscribed to

several Streamers you will notice how well they track their previous work and
stream the next.

6. Lack Quick Decision-MakingAbility

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Taking too much time in decision-making draws a lot of energy, which could
be utilized in increasing productivity. These are some of the reasons that make
you late and a poor decision maker:

Laziness

Not anticipating unexpected events

Remaining locked in the past

Having no strategy

Over-dependence

Isolation

Lack of technical depth

Failure to communicate the what, where, when, and how associated with
their decisions

If you want to learn skills like quick decision-making and strategy building at
work, Livecoding.tv Streamers can help you on Skype (if available on Skype)
or chat.

7. Making the Same Mistake Again andAgain

There is a beautiful saying, Lessons in life will be repeated until they are
learned. Lack of focus causes you to make the same mistakes over and over
again. When you are at beginner level of anything, especially programming
language, you are prone to make mistakes. This also happens when you fear
failure and believe that you cant avoid to make mistakes.

You must therefore learn to focus. But changing old habits can be dicult and
takes time. Practice every day and you will eventually learn to avoid making
the same mistakes. You can also consult with our Streamers, hire them, and
make teams.

8. Not Getting EnoughSleep

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Your productivity will drop if you are not getting enough sleep. Beware, if
these signs show up: Youre pretty moody, your productivity and performance
are slipping, youre gaining weight, youre not looking your best, your
judgment is faltering, your libidos agging, and/or youre getting drowsy
during the day.

Research by the American Psychological Association shows failing to get

enough sleep dramatically impairs memory and concentration while
increasing levels of stress hormones and disrupting the bodys normal
metabolism.

9. Working Continuously Without aBreak

If you are a workaholic and do work continuously without a break, time

increases as the recall percentage gets lower. As the work involves
concentration of the mind, it is advised to take a short break after every 30 to
45 minutes. Absent-mindedness automatically happens during long hours of
work. Streamers and users at Livecoding.tv work with appropriate breaks.

10. Checking Your Smartphone TooOften

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If youre aiming to cut down on smartphone checking, try leaving your phone
in another room or putting it in a drawer. Keeping your phone out of reach
will help you wean yourself from the instinctive habit of reaching for it when
youre bored. Join us at Livecoding.tv. Its very interesting, and will help you
forget using your smartphone. At least for an hour.

Conclusion

Well there you have it. The ten (10) habits that could be killing your
productivity. How many of these are you guilty of? What are your habits to
foster or optimize productivity? Share your views in the Comments box below.

You can also check out Rachel Gilletts article, 13 Bad Habits You Should
Break in 2016 to Be More Productive, at BusinessInsider.com.

. . .

Originally published at blog.livecoding.tv on January 14, 2016.

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