One of the things that our society seems to be extremely concentrated on is being productive. We’re always urged to do as many things as possible, do all of them well, and things like that. So, it can get pretty overwhelming pretty fast. That’s where various efficiency hacks come in.
The only problem with them is that not all of them are as useful as some claim them to be. Today, we’re going to debunk some of these tips by using opinions from netizens who posted under a viral thread. So, let’s jump in, shall we?
More info: Reddit
#1
Driving to an office for in person time at a job that is largely in front of a computer screen.
Image source: SilencedObserver, fauxels
#2
I stopped reading productivity books and stopped watching productivity YouTube channels completely. Made a massive difference. Productivity “content” is a massive trap that makes you feel productive without actually doing anything worthwhile.
Image source: michellezssa, ijeab
#3
Getting up at 4 AM because all those productivity gurus swear by it. Ended up being exhausted and unproductive by 2 PM. Turns out my natural rhythm of waking up at 7 works just fine, and I actually get more done.
Image source: DesirableCupcake, jet-po
#4
Open office design.
Image source: EmceeStopheles, dit26978
#5
“That’s the way we’ve always done it”. Conversely, change for the sake of change is a massive waste of time.
Image source: Clunk234, Artem Podrez
#6
Commuting to an office for “collaboration”. We’re all sitting in cubicles on video calls to each other that could be done from home. Instead, we must commit hours of our personal time to commute each day and back, pay for gas, monthly parking, etc. I’d rather be productive working from my desk at home with my dog nearby.
Image source: Thick_Caterpillar379, Jane T D.
#7
Not getting 8 hrs of sleep.
Image source: mrfantastics, Andrea Piacquadio
#8
Meetings.
Image source: Both-Mango1, cookie_studio
#9
Multitasking – congrats, you’re now bad at two things at once.
Image source: PeachyGlowBabe, Vlada Karpovich
#10
Making the perfect to-do list… then spending the whole day admiring it instead of actually doing anything.
Image source: becksyxx, Suzy Hazelwood
#11
Imo spending too much time color coding and organizing tasks then lead to procrastination.
Image source: emitheteacher, Monstera Production
#12
Using apps that help you use apps less. There’s just no good solutions out there for me and I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to find the right one. Just use your apps less.
Image source: A_D_H_DAN, freepik
#13
Not understanding Activity is not Productivity.
Image source: atomicsnarl, Tima Miroshnichenko
#14
Asking a manager for advice on how to solve a technical problem.
Image source: Forsaken_Alps_793, Jonathan Borba
#15
Any “hack” about folding tshirts.
There are hacks where you pinch here and pinch here, then do this motion and you can fold a shirt in less than a second.
Or a product you can buy or make, where you lay a shirt in it, then fold up the sides and end and it folds the shirt perfectly every time.
Such time savers!
Except they’re not, because every single g*****n time, they start with the shirt laid out all nice and flat. Just getting shirts to that point is the majority of the work. When you pick up a shirt out of the dryer, it’s all crumpled and tangled up with other clothes and might even be inside out or partially inside out. My the time you get it all nice and ready to fold, your job is already practically done. Instead of laying it flat, you could just put a fold in it *as you set it down*. Now the job is done. No hacks required.
Image source: svenson_26, https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-folding-t-shirts-neatly-4440566/
#16
I recently have found that utilizing AI when it comes to data projects ends up with me making more adjustments through the program, then actually receiving any decent output. I could’ve done most of it by myself and half the time.
Image source: onetimeforguysinback, frimufilms
#17
# Doing your hardest task first.
This often just means that you will make some or no progress on your hardest task, and not accomplish the small and easy tasks that slip to tomorrow, the next week, etc.
I find that I can actually track the items I need to do if I do the small stuff that takes very little time first. Then I tackle a hard task, until I get blocked or bogged down. Then I’ll complete a medium task and reattempt some progress on the hard task.
Just the time to track all the items you don’t accomplish is staggering. Then it feels like the weight of impending doom as you now have so many things to do.
Image source: edwbuck, cottonbro studio
#18
I’m not convinced that brushing your teeth in the shower has ever saved anybody any time.
Image source: SharkGenie, Greta Hoffman
#19
Over scheduling/planning. Gotta leave room for the unexpected.
Image source: 9percentbattery, Startup Stock Photos
#20
Those 5 minute morning routines that somehow take 2 hours.
Image source: Lovelyy0Beauty, freepik
#21
Listening to productivity podcasts.
Image source: nwbrown, Andrea Piacquadio
#22
Saying the letters of certain acronyms instead of the actual words.
Image source: inaudibleuk, nappy
#23
Vast majority of kitchen gadgets, once you add up the time to get them and clean them it’s usually faster to just use the knife you’re already holding.
#24
Time boxing. It takes too long to do and isn’t usually necessary anyway.
Image source: Bottlecollecter
#25
VLOOKUP , for the life of me I cannot get it to work and I always spend way too much time trying to do it.
Image source: Original_Day6832, rawpixel.com
#26
Cleaning your entire house before starting the thing you were meant to be doing because ‘you need to be in the right headspace.’ In reality you could’ve finished the main thing in that time
Image source: Jimehhhhhhh, Nathan Cowley
#27
having multiple tabs/applications open on your computer. make a list of tasks to complete and focus on 1 thing at a time until completion.
Image source: tiny10boy, Designecologist
#28
Making your bed. It’s the same as straightening your shoes when you get home.
Image source: Snowingbulletin, Ron Lach
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