People Who Never Cross Off Every Item On Their To Do List Usually Have 9 Distracting Habits
GaudiLab / ShutterstockMany Americans seem to prize productivity above all else, but not everyone is suited for that kind of drive. Plenty of people have every intention of getting things done but never actually do because, well, their brains won't always let them.
Struggling to stay focused on one task or switch between tasks smoothly can be caused by a lot of different things, but it doesn’t necessarily mean someone is simply lazy. Lots of people feel like, no matter how hard they try, they’ll never be able to complete everything on their never-ending to-do lists, and they often have specific and distracting habits that get in their way.
These distracting habits get in the way of people who never seem to cross off every single item on their to-do list
1. Trying to do everything perfectly
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This sounds like it would be a good thing, and there certainly are some tasks that need to be completed as close to perfect as possible. But insisting that everything meets an unrealistic standard holds people back.
The more minor items on a to-do list don’t have to be executed with perfect precision. There’s no need for someone to overthink sending an email to the point that it takes longer than it should and pushes their whole schedule back. That’s how people fall so far behind that they can’t recover.
2. They can’t stick to just one task
Everyone has been in a situation where they’re focused on finishing something until they remember another task that needs to be done. If it seems more important, or maybe even seems like it would be faster, there’s a good chance that they’ll abandon whatever they were doing in the first place.
This is called context switching. The term was first used to describe how computers move from one task to another and then go back to finish the first, but it applies to people as well. Constantly switching between tasks like this increases people’s stress and makes it harder for them to get anything done. For many, it’s better to just stick with the original project, which means others may not get done.
3. They don’t block out interruptions
There’s a lot of wisdom in the idea that you should try to work in a peaceful environment. Even the smallest interruptions can completely disrupt someone’s flow and make it harder for them to finish whatever they started.
Part of the problem is that the world is full of more interruptions than ever before. People don’t only have to worry about someone coming up to their desk at work anymore. Now, a notification popping up on a phone can have the same effect, making it even easier to get off track.
4. They only do what’s easiest
Some people think that it’s best to tackle their to-do list by starting with the simplest items, but then they get so caught up in the little things that they never make it to what’s most important. Others purposefully put the harder tasks off for later and then end up never doing them at all.
Either way, they fell into the trap of thinking the simple things could ease them into the more difficult ones. This feels like a relief at the time but only leads to frustration later on. Checking anything off of a to-do list feels good, but leaving the bigger tasks unfinished destroys any confidence those small accomplishments created.
5. They underestimate how long things will take
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Even the people who are the most productive have expected a task to take less time than it actually did and felt like their schedule was thrown off because of it. This is a big problem when someone plans to get a lot of things done in one day, but that’s just not humanly possible based on how long they will all take.
It turns out that this is more than just wishful thinking. When someone underestimates the amount of time they need to get something done, it’s considered a planning fallacy. It’s hard to turn this thought pattern off and be more realistic, though.
6. They try too hard to multitask when they aren't good at it
Being able to do more than one thing at the same time, or at least attempting to, is usually framed in a positive way. Surely someone can be more productive this way, and maybe even make their brain stronger in the process.
Unfortunately, the human mind doesn’t work this way. It’s not really possible to do multiple things at the same time, and trying to do so is exhausting and leads to mistakes. Someone might think they can get more done this way, but the opposite will actually happen, setting them back even farther.
7. They take on too many tasks at once
Trying to get too much done could look like someone having a hard time saying no when people ask them to help with something, or it could look like planning to do much more in one day than what’s feasible. For some folks, it might sadly look like a mix of the two.
Staying booked and busy at this level can have negative consequences on someone’s mental and physical health. Their body and brain aren’t meant to function that way, so it will push them into a state of overwhelm. And, of course, that will make it hard to get anything done at all.
8. They don’t take effective breaks
Taking a break when you’re trying to get things done sounds counterintuitive, but it’s actually a necessity. Psychologists have found that even just stepping away from a task for a few minutes helps you pay better attention and improves your mood.
These people might not only struggle with stopping to take a break, though. It’s also possible that they have a tendency to take a break and forget they need to return to what they were working on and finish what they started. There’s a fine line between not taking breaks at all and letting them get totally out of control.
9. They spend too much time planning instead of doing
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When someone has trouble keeping track of and prioritizing the things they need to do, it’s pretty common for other people to suggest they find a planning method that works for them. There are countless options these days, from old-fashioned paper and pen to modern apps, so there really is something for everyone.
This can cause an entirely different problem, though. Someone who plans super meticulously could fall into a pattern of overplanning, meaning they spend too much time scheduling their responsibilities and not enough time actually working on them. Having a plan is a good thing, but it shouldn’t get in the way of actual progress.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
