Figuring out how to squeeze out more productivity while working from home is a challenge. A big one. When you work for yourself, you’re responsible for your own productivity. And motivation. And success.
Or the lack thereof.
In fact, whether you own a brick-and-mortar shop or you’re an online marketer, we should all share one goal.
To help as many people as possible.
And, to do this well often requires max productivity.
And it often feels like there is never enough time in a day to get everything done.
But what if I told you there was one simple trick that could increase your productivity by up to 50%?
Not only that, it makes your entire workday more pleasant.
There is—and it’s easy!
And I learned it growing up.
Sometime during the late 1900s (I love saying that, I was born in 1976), I learned a simple adage.
“In polite company, you shouldn’t talk about religion or politics.”
These are two of the most divisive topics known to mankind. People have fought wars over these things for thousands of years.
Yet, if you open a newspaper, turn on the TV, or spool up the internet gossip machine, that’s what you see.
People spitting out their opinions as facts. Speaking “their truth.”
And, for all intents and purposes, screaming “If you don’t agree with me, then you’re an idiot.”
It’s tough out there for open-minded people these days. Because actual neutral sources on politics and religion are few and far between.
I have opinions on most things. Including religion and politics.
But I also have better things to do with my time than to read about them, much less engage in arguing over them. It’s not how I want to spend my free time. And it is for sure not how I want to spend the time I’m supposed to be creating content and helping clients. The time I’m supposed to find my productivity. Working from home. Unsupervised. As an entrepreneur.
So, this tip is easy. All you need to do to become instantly more productive working from home is…
Ignore divisive politics and news.
Time spent reading about things beyond your control is better spent on your goals. You know, spent on the things you can actually control.
If you’re an entrepreneur or online marketer, maximizing productivity is essential to success. And distractions are a roadblock to that success.
But it can be tough to focus when there’s so much noise and distractions around us.
Here are three reasons why ignoring divisive news and politics works:
1) Divisive Politics and News are a Waste of Time and Energy. That’s Not Productive.
When it comes to productivity, divisive politics and news can be a huge waste of time and energy. Not only are you likely to get caught up in the drama, but you’re also not going to get anything done. Instead of focusing on your work, you’ll be debating politics or getting wrapped up in a news story.
There’s no need for this kind of distraction when you’re trying to focus on your goals.
If you need to stay informed, try limiting yourself to just one source of information. Don’t jump from article to article, falling deeper down the rabbit hole.
That way, you can focus on getting your work done while still staying up-to-date on the latest news.
2) Divisiveness Often Leads to Anxiety and Stress. This Crushes Productivity.
When you’re bombarded with news and politics, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. And stressed. And anxious. This can lead to a loss in productivity working from home, as you’re no longer able to focus on your work.
Besides, this stress can have long-term negative effects on your health.
I’ll keep coming back to this point, but it’s important to remember: you can’t control everything. In fact, you can control very little.
As I write this, President Joe Biden is going to nominate someone to the supreme court.
It’s a consequential decision. No doubt about it. I will have repercussions for decades.
But there’s nothing I can do about it. I can exert no real influence on who it is. I don’t get a confirmation vote.
So, why get consumed by it?
Notice I didn’t say don’t read about it. I keep up with the news (which should be obvious by the last few sentences). But beyond keeping up with what’s going on, I don’t let it consume my emotions.
So that’s my way of saying you shouldn’t either. Don’t let the news or politics consume you.
Instead, try to focus on the things that you can control and that are positive.
This will help reduce your stress levels and allow you to be more productive. Especially when working from home as an entrepreneur.
3) You’ll Waste Time Getting Angry. Then Researching and Getting Even Angrier. Also Not Productive.
It’s no secret that news and politics are polarizing topics. After all, we’ve seen this first hand over the years. It’s been going on since at least the mid-1990s.
When you read articles and watch videos about politics, one thing is the likely result. You’re almost guaranteed to get angry.
That’s by design. The news agencies and channels know that if they can make you angry, then you’ll keep reading. And watching. And clicking. Looking for ways to justify your anger.
But anger is not productive. When you’re angry, the only thing you can think about is whatever it is that made you angry. So the best thing you can do is try your best to avoid it altogether.
This brings me to social media. They design their algorithms to keep you on the platform.
I have friends that get all spun up with political stuff. Again, some I generally agree with, some I don’t.
In either case, if I’m on a social platform and a post like this comes up, I scroll on by. It’s not worth the effort. I’m not changing anyone’s mind on Facebook or Twitter. And neither are you.
In fact, the algorithm assures you that the majority of the people that see your post already agree with you.
So, if you’re wanting more productivity working from home, avoid divisive politics and news.
It’s not worth your time.
Focus on the things that make you happy and productive instead!
