The phrases of unproductive employees

Unproductive employees have an excuse for everything. Here are a few of the phrases they use to explain away the problem:

 

1. I'm overworked

What unproductive people might not realize is that we are all overworked. The really productive people don't dwell on the problem. They just do the work.

2. That's not my job

They focus on their role too much and on what everyone else is not doing. Truly productive people don't even care. They just do whatever it takes to get things done and plow ahead, analyzing the exact role definitions later.

 

3. I'll finish that later

Unproductive people waste time because they live in a constant state of incongruity. The loose ends of their tasks never meet up, and stay loose.. In the "picking up and setting down" process they waste time because each tasks needs a jumpstart, which uses more energy.

4. I don't have all of the answers yet

Overly detail-oriented people use this one. They wait until everything is perfectly lined up before starting a task, usually languishing in perpetuity because things rarely do line up. Productive people just do whatever they can now on any tasks that need to be done. They don't wait for the perfect timing.

 

5. I'll wait for the boss to tell me what to do

For any employee in a small business, a lack of independence is a true productivity killer. While someone is waiting to be told what to do, a project will spin out of control.

 

6. I don't understand all of the variables

That is a sign of someone who will be waiting a long time because no one ever has all of the answers.

7. I don't see the benefit for me

Productive people see the greater reward of a successful company and want to play a part in building something cool. The selfies can wait until the weekend.

 

8. I might not get the credit

The process of hyping up your work, demanding crediting, and pestering people to notice your actions all contribute to an unproductive day. The employees who are slowing things down the most are spending too much time trying to get the attention of the boss.

 

9. I'm worried about my quality of work

Productive people know how to slam out good work in a constant flow of creativity and skill. They care about quality, but they also understand that being productive requires a push to finish. When the goal is to always create perfection, unproductive people create a serious slowdown.

 

10. I might fail

The hallmark of every unproductive person at work is being worried about failure.