You’re on a self improvement mission – good for you! But, before you make a big list of things you can do to improve your life, you should start by looking at the bad habits you need to stop. We all have bad habits and they can all interfere with us being the best we can be. We often feel comfortable doing the same things day-after-day, but you might not realize that some of these habits can interfere with you being productive and they can even have a negative effect on your work life. 

#1 Stop smoking 

If you could inhale productivity like you inhale cigarette smoke, but we can’t. What actually happens is your concentration will decrease after you have a cigarette and so will your productivity. Worse, if you are anxious for your next cigarette your concentration also falters. If you want to be more productive and live a healthier life, you need to quit smoking.

#2 Make the Right Music Choices
The music you would listen to during a workout is going to be much different than the music you listen to while you work. Choose music you like and enjoy and your brain will increase production of dopamine, which will make you excited rather than focused. So while you are at work, choose ambient music. Avoid music that you are familiar with where you will get distracted singing the words. 

#3 No More Than 4 Cups of Coffee
Most of us love our coffee. When you know the right amounts of coffee to drink your brain will be stimulated by it – the areas of concentration, attention and planning can benefit with approximately 400 mg or 4 cups of coffee a day. However, if you drink more than that it can have the opposite effect and cause you to be irritable, restless and anxious. 

#4 Divide Learning and Working
If you want to develop and increase your skills, learning is vital. Learn what you can and put that to practice. However, you can’t let learning interfere with working, as this will have a negative effect on your self improvement. Instead, set aside times or days where learning will be your focus and then it will not interfere with your work.

#5 Limit Your Rewards
You finish a task. You feel it was difficult and so you deserve a break – that’s the reward you give yourself. While it might certainly be the case, but if you take one reward in the morning and one in the afternoon. That’s it, no matter how efficient you are for the day. 

When you recognize your bad habits and turn them into good habits, you are well on your way to being more productive.