THE WORKPLACE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES
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We often find ourselves telling small lies to justify our actions or delay tasks. These seemingly harmless deceptions, can accumulate and undermine our productivity. However, recognizing the following common lies and understanding their consequences is the first step towards breaking free from these habits and improving our efficiency.
A new notebook will solve all my problems.
The allure of a fresh start is tempting, and a new notebook feels like the perfect solution to stay organized and productive. However, after the initial excitement fades, you find yourself transferring all the unfinished tasks and unproductive habits from the old notebook to the new one. Before long, the crisp, clean pages are cluttered with the same chaotic to-do lists, incomplete notes, and unaddressed priorities, proving that it's not the notebook, but your approach that needs changing.
I'll take a screenshot so I can look at it later.
Taking a screenshot seems like a quick and efficient way to save information for later, but in reality, it often leads to a digital pile-up. The screenshot folder, initially intended as a temporary holding space, becomes a chaotic mess of random images. Months later, when you finally attempt to find that one screenshot you need, you're faced with hundreds of unread, unorganized images, none of which you can remember taking, and the information you intended to save is buried under a mountain of digital clutter.
I'll remember this person's name.
We've all been there, meeting someone new and convincing ourselves that their name is simple enough to remember. But a week later, you're frantically scrolling through your address book, trying to recall that client's name. The panic sets in when you realize you have too many similar-sounding names stored, and none of them have detailed notes. Taking a moment to add extra notes to each contact, like where you met or the context of your interaction, can save you from this headache. Android even provides a notes section for each number, which is invaluable for avoiding this common slip-up.
I'll just save this to my desktop now and organize it later.
It's so easy to hit "Save to Desktop" with the intention of tidying up later. However, later often never comes, and before you know it, your desktop is a maze of unorganized files, random documents, and folders that you can't remember creating. The once-clear workspace is now so cluttered that you can't find anything, and you're left squinting at tiny icons in a futile attempt to locate that important file you needed, ultimately slowing down your workflow and causing unnecessary stress.
I'll be there in 5 minutes.
It's a common reassurance we give ourselves and others, but life often has other plans. Just as you're about to leave, you get caught up in a lengthy phone call that eats up most of those five minutes. Suddenly, you're scrambling to catch up, realizing that your well-intended promise to be punctual is slipping away. The pressure mounts as the clock ticks on, and you find yourself either rushing out the door, risking mistakes, or having to send a follow-up message explaining your delay.
I'll remember to cancel this free subscription before my card gets charged.
The idea of trying out a free subscription seems harmless, after all, you'll just cancel it before the billing starts, right? But four weeks later, amidst the chaos of everyday life, you receive an unwelcome notification that your account has been debited for a service you didn't even use or test. The intention to save money backfires, and you're left with a recurring charge for something that should have been a one-time trial, all because that reminder to cancel got lost in the shuffle.
I need all these tabs open.
Keeping multiple tabs open feels like a way to manage everything at once, but it quickly spirals out of control. As you add more tabs, they become so small and squished together that you can't even read the titles anymore, let alone remember which site is which. The browser slows down, your focus scatters, and eventually, you lose track of why you opened half of them in the first place. What started as a strategy to stay on top of things ends up overwhelming you, making it harder to find the information you actually need.
Let me first watch this hot video before I search for what I came to learn on YouTube.
It all starts innocently enough: you go to YouTube to research or learn about a specific topic. However, as soon as you arrive, you click on a trending video, planning to quickly watch it before focusing on your intended search. But 30 minutes later, you find yourself deep down a rabbit hole of multiple videos, having watched another six clips that have nothing to do with your original goal.
You’ll agree that YouTube has a "very nasty habit" of using its homepage or timeline to display several irresistible videos directly related to your interests. For example, if you like cooking, cooking videos will be prominently featured on your timeline. The YouTube algorithm is designed to hook you with content that aligns with your preferences, making it easy to lose track of time. Before you know it, you’ve forgotten the reason you came to YouTube in the first place or can no longer remember what you intended to search for.
I'll respond to this WhatsApp message later.
It's easy to see a WhatsApp message and think, "I'll get back to it when I have more time," but later often means it gets buried beneath a flood of new messages. As more group chats and notifications fill your screen, that important message slips out of sight. Once it's out of view, finding it again can be a daunting task, especially if it's lost among countless conversations. What seemed like a quick delay turns into an awkward situation when you realize days have passed without a response.
I'll keep this document open, so I won't forget about it.
Leaving a document open might seem like a foolproof way to keep it top of mind, but unforeseen events, like an automatic software update, can close everything and restart your PC with or without warning. When your computer restarts, that important document is no longer open, and it quickly slips out of mind. The critical task you meant to complete is now buried in the chaos of your reopened programs, and what was once urgent becomes another forgotten item on your to-do list.
I'm sure the meeting will only last 30 minutes.
Optimism is nice, but meetings have a way of dragging on far beyond their scheduled time, especially when unexpected issues arise. What you thought would be a quick 30-minute discussion turns into an hour-long session as new topics and concerns are brought to the table. The extra time eats into your schedule, pushing back your other commitments and leaving you scrambling to catch up. The next time you check the clock, you realize just how much longer the meeting lasted than you had planned.
I can work just fine with a cluttered desk.
You tell yourself that a little mess won't affect your productivity, but as more clutter piles up, it becomes harder to find what you need. That report you were supposed to review is now buried under a stack of documents, misplaced amidst the chaos. The clutter not only slows you down but also adds unnecessary stress, as you waste time searching for items that should be easily accessible. Eventually, the disorganization impacts your focus, leading to mistakes and frustration.
This small task won't take long; I can squeeze it in.
At first, squeezing in a small task here and there seems harmless, but these quick jobs start to add up. Before you know it, your day is filled with a series of "quick tasks" that collectively take up significant time. The accumulated workload begins to feel overwhelming, and those minor interruptions start eating into the time you had set aside for more important projects. What was meant to be a brief detour ends up derailing your productivity for the day.
I don't need to write this down; I'll remember it.
Relying on memory seems convenient in the moment, but as the day progresses and new information floods in, the details you swore you'd remember start to fade. You find yourself struggling to recall key points from a meeting or important instructions for a task. The risk of forgetting increases, leading to potential mistakes and missed deadlines. What seemed like a small thing to remember becomes a significant issue, reminding you of the value of jotting things down.
I will save this number later.
The intention to save a phone number later is quickly forgotten amidst the influx of calls, messages, and notifications that flood your day. As more numbers come in, the one you meant to save slips through the cracks. When you need to contact that person again, you're left scrolling through call logs or trying to remember where you wrote it down. The delay in saving the number creates unnecessary hassle, turning a simple task into a frustrating search.
I'll make that difficult phone call right after lunch.
Procrastination sets in when you put off making a challenging phone call until after lunch. But before you know it, the day has slipped away, and you still haven't made the call. Just as you're about to relax, you receive an unexpected call from the person you were supposed to reach out to, leaving you flustered and unprepared. The delayed conversation now feels even more uncomfortable as you scramble to address the issues you should have tackled hours ago.
I can multitask effectively without losing focus.
The belief that you can multitask efficiently often leads to scattered attention and incomplete work. At the end of the day, you find yourself struggling to remember the last changes you made to a document or the context of an email you half-wrote in the morning. The constant switching between tasks results in a loss of focus, and instead of being more productive, you end up with a series of half-finished projects and a lingering sense of unease about what you might have overlooked.
I'll work better under pressure, so I'll start this later.
Delaying work with the excuse that you thrive under pressure often backfires when the deadline looms closer than expected. As time runs out, you realize the remaining hours aren't enough to complete the project to the standard you had envisioned. The rush to finish leads to stress, mistakes, and a final product that doesn't reflect your best effort. What could have been a well-thought-out presentation turns into a last-minute scramble, leaving you frustrated and disappointed.
I'll only scroll through social media for five minutes.
Five minutes on social media quickly turns into an hour as you get sucked into an endless stream of updates, memes, and funny cat videos. The addictive nature of social platforms makes it easy to lose track of time, and before you know it, you've spent a significant chunk of your day mindlessly scrolling. The tasks you meant to accomplish are still waiting, and the fleeting satisfaction of those five minutes has turned into regret over the wasted time.
Conclusion.
The lies we tell ourselves at work may seem trivial, but they often lead to a cascade of inefficiencies and stress. By identifying these patterns and making conscious efforts to change our behaviors, we can transform how we approach our tasks and interactions. Whether it's taking the time to properly organize our workspaces, being honest about our time management, or simply acknowledging that multitasking isn't always effective, small adjustments can lead to significant improvements. Ultimately, by confronting these everyday deceptions, we pave the way for a more productive, less stressful work experience, where our actions align with our intentions.
Kind Regards
Julius Czar
Author: Julius Czar
Company: Zillion Technologies Ltd
Mobile: +256705162000 / +256788162000
Email: Julius@RealEstateDatabase.net
Website: www.RealEstateDatabase.net
App: Install the RED Android App
Follow me on: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.
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