How Bad Habits Can Help You Be More Productive

Losing your temper, straying from the work in front of you and staring out the window, fidgeting during meetings with the boss—we’re all guilty of some bad habits from time to time, but it turns out we might be doing ourselves a favor. What many consider a bad habit might actually be making you more productive, so see if your favorite is on this list and feel free to fidget away.

1. Temper Flares Reduce Tension

A constant bad mood doesn’t do anybody any good, but the occasional tantrum to let off a little steam can reduce anxiety, ease group tensions, and let you refocus on constructive ways to solve problems rather than stewing away in your own stress and frustrations. Find constructive ways to let your temper out without straining your work or family relationships, but acknowledge your anger rather than bottling it up.

2. Daydreaming Helps with Problem Solving

Let your mind wander, and you’ll be surprised how much work it gets done on its own. That problem you’ve been pounding your head against just might solve itself, and you’ll get the proven productivity benefits of a quick break regardless.

3. Fidgeting Improves Alertness

Conventional wisdom says that fidgeting is a sign that you’re bored, or not interested in what’s being said or what you’re supposed to be paying attention to. In reality, fidgeting is your nervous system’s way of trying to increase your attention and your physical alertness, and studies have demonstrated fidgeting’s ability to improve working memory performance.

4. Being Negative Makes Room for the Positive

When you learn to say no to extra tasks, extra worries, and extra drains on your time, you learn to make more room and attention for the areas where you want to be most productive. Learn how to say no nicely and all that extra time and focus won’t even cost you any goodwill.

5. Swearing Can Lighten Team Spirits

Check with HR before you put this one into effect in your office, but apparently the taboo nature of swearing not only makes it an effective stress reliever for you, it can help build bonds amongst your teammates and instill a lighter, more action-oriented mood.

6. Distractions Keep You Engaged

Sometimes when your mind is willing to take any excuse it can to shift focus, it’s trying to tell you to give it a rest for a bit. Give into distractions every now and then, whether that distraction is another work-related task or a funny video in your Facebook feed, and let your brain get the variety it needs to function at its highest level.

7. Moderate Messes Make Creative Successes

A bit of disarray is no cause for dismay. It turns out that the supremely organized get less done and have more problems with creative problem solving and critical thinking than those who are comfortable with a little bit of chaos on their desktops. There is such a thing as too sloppy, though, so don’t use this as an excuse to turn your office into a total pig sty.

Do whatever helps you be more productive and don’t let anyone tell you different! Let us know what habits, good or bad, help you be more productive!