Lifestyle

Habits Unleashed: The Key to Unlocking Peak Performance in Your Workflow

By Christy Bella | March 1, 2024

Habits form the basis of many complex routines in daily life, including the way you manage and progress through your work. This habitual work routine is what we call a workflow. How good your workflow feels and how well it works depends hugely on the quality of your habits.

Forming Habits For Peak Performance in Your Workflow

Habits are essentially behavioral patterns that become ingrained through repetition. According to research, it takes an average of 21 days to form a habit, a concept popularized by Dr. Maxwell Maltz. More recent studies suggest that the time required can vary, but the essence remains the same – consistent repetition leads to habit formation.

In the brain, habits are associated with the creation of neural pathways. As we repeatedly engage in a specific behavior, our brains carve out a neurological route, making it easier for us to navigate the same activity in the future. This process, known as neuroplasticity, highlights the brain’s remarkable ability to adapt and optimize routine actions.

The Importance of Habits in Workflow

Time Management

Successful workflow hinges on effective time management. Habits provide a structured framework for tackling tasks, reducing the mental energy and time required to make decisions. Habitual patterns result in a consistent and efficient workflow, allowing more time for non-recurrent responsibilities that are likely to arise.

An ingrained habit of assessing priorities helps strengthen decision making. The ability to quickly determine priority leads to wise allocation of resources and resolution of the most important tasks first. Tools such as a work management platform can further enhance the efficacy of one’s habits by providing a place to organize and refer to the many moving parts involved in a given workflow.

Reduced Procrastination

Procrastination often stems from indecision or the fear of getting started. Healthy workflow habits can mitigate the problem of procrastination by cultivating a sense of confidence. For example, having a distinct process for pausing work to seek information or clarification can alleviate the sense of dread associated with the unknown, and has the added benefit of strengthening relationships by asking for and receiving support.

Other habits can be leveraged for instant momentum to get started on a task. For example, a strong association between a specific playlist and the initiation of simple or easily accomplished tasks can carry over into getting started on more complex or less familiar tasks. Other examples could include settling into a particular favorite place in the office when starting on a new task, or standing up for 1-2 minutes to hold a “victory pose” before jumping in on a project.

Continuous Improvement

Looking through the lens of habit opens up the potential for continuous improvement. Ongoing experimentation with habits will result in refined behavioral patterns and routines. Learning what works, what doesn’t, and when leads to invaluable experience that allows individuals to optimize their workflow and adapt to changing demands.

Consistent effort toward developing healthy habits is going to bring results no matter how success is being measured. It’s worth noting that sometimes a habit or sequence of habits will need to be updated or eliminated, especially if there is a change of roles or needs in the workplace.

The Pitfalls of Habit

Just as healthy habits can empower an effective workflow, the opposite is also true. Feeding into habits that lead to distraction or inefficient work practices will damage a workflow and likely add stress to the day.

It’s important to stay kind and honest about the habits that are and aren’t working. It can be tempting to completely overhaul a routine, but healthy habits are best developed by focusing on changing 1-2 behaviors at a time.

Conclusion

A successful workflow can only be achieved by nurturing the habits that lead to desired results. By consciously cultivating positive habits and leveraging the brain’s ability to form neural pathways, individuals can create a structured and intentional routine, likely reducing stress in the process.

As the ancient philosopher Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Embracing this philosophy can significantly enhance one’s ability to navigate the complexities of a busy professional life and achieve long-term success.