Let’s talk about productivity.


The dreadful word haunting most of us. The thing pushing us to optimise our days, looming over team meetings where we share our to-do lists and ringing through company board meetings.

In our pursuit for excellence we create ambitious goals, strict routines, then beat ourselves up about not reaching our timelines when we inevitably fumble. We end up in chronic busyness and a culture where we reward having a lot to do yet never feel like we finish anything, leading us to burnout.

I recently listened to Cal Newport talk about his concept for “slow productivity”, focusing on producing stuff that’s good and not basing success on volume of activity. The concept is built on three big ideas: do fewer things, work at a natural pace & obsess over quality. (Listen to the full podcast here.)

The truth is it sounds easier than done. In our interdependent work environments, its just not feasible to not check your email, tell your clients or colleagues that you simply will not be prioritising their items on the list, or mono-task at one thing at a time in an obsessive manner. So what’s the solution?

Spoiler: There is no one answer. Thats because the solution for each one of us is so individual. Hence a good starting point would be to start defining how you work best. Set your own markers for success, keeping in mind that sometimes your “good enough” is more than enough.

Tip:
At the end of the week, take 15 minutes and cast a critical lense on your schedule and activities. Ask yourself:
What moved forward or got done this week, and why?
What did I get stuck on, and why?
Based on the above, how can I adjust next week?

These are the fist steps in starting to find your own version of productivity. Trial and error is the only way to get it right. Do this for yourself, or as a team. 

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