Unproductive Work Habits: Part I

Since Microsoft has millions using their Office products, they have valuable insights into work habits. Recently, the Wall Street Journal highlighted some of Microsoft’s findings.

The average employee surveyed spends 57% of their time using office software for communication and meetings. Two out of three people also say they struggle to find time and energy to do their actual job.

Technology was supposed to save us time, but sometimes it can become counterproductive, and now office communication etiquette has eaten away at efficiency. Transparency and sufficient understanding between departments are necessary. However, only so much discourse is truly useful. In Ecclesiastes 8:6, Solomon taught, “For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery.”

Weighing yourself down with excessive meetings and communication will unnecessarily tax you and your team. The communication becomes a mental weight that burdens and distracts.

The first step towards improving productivity is identifying the problem. How many hours a week do you spend on email and meetings? How much time do you have left for your actual job?

Stay tuned as we identify potential solutions in this series.

Questions For Reflection

• What do you gain from your meetings? How useful or necessary are your communications? What sort of meetings do you find superfluous?
• Do you find the current level of meetings and communication burdensome? Would a quiet, streamlined work environment suit you better?
• What parts of your day bring you misery? Is it possible that the task could be delegated or eliminated?
• What do you believe God thinks is your best use of time today?