Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, especially me because thanks to being a productive so-and-so I was on top of everything. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, the blog was updated, the paperwork was all filed at work and the glass of port was on the table for Santa (with strict instructions that I wasn’t to touch it). Why do I write about personal productivity and being organized? Why do I care about making the most of my time and working as efficiently as possible? Why do I come up with cheesy productivity themed parodies of classic Christmas carols?
Recently I completed the first draft of my main book project, which had taken me a year to do. I’d had the idea for it ever since I was at school nearly a decade ago. It took me that long to find a way of working effectively and consistently. Would I have discovered that way if I hadn’t come across a lifehacking article and subsequently picked up GTD a couple of years ago? I’ll be writing more about the techniques I’ve used to focus on long term goals this Wednesday but in the meantime I’ve detailed the benefits I feel I’ve gained from being productive. I want to know why you do it too, though. Why do you do productivity? What benefits have you found? I look forward to your comments!
- More organization
When you are an unorganized mess, knee deep in clutter it’s hard to get anything done. I remember those days long ago of digging through piles of paperwork, constantly losing stuff and pushing things to the back of the wardrobe. Not fun. And it’s not just clutter either. Having all your work in a good system frees up your brain to do all the clever stuff. - More time
There was a time long ago (probably when you were a baby) when you weren’t constantly under the pressure of deadlines and a lack of time. Thankfully it really is possible when being productive to regain the balance, by being efficient and effective. How you choose to use the extra time you make is a completely seperate issue. Some people use the time to do more work, others go on holiday or indulge in hobbies and interests. I currently choose to play Left 4 Dead (I was born in the golden age of console gaming, what do you expect?). - More relaxation
David Allen says productivity is about achieving a mind like water. I think a Fonzie-esque state of coolness towards all the work you do would also be a good way of describing it. While my fellow colleagues are rushing around like headless chickens, I’m sat there with my shades on confidently handling whatever is thrown my way (I wanted to wear a leather jacket too but the boss stopped me). - More clarity
Ever found yourself drowning under an avalanche of paperwork, emails, voicemails, letters, faxes, demands from your boss, requests from your colleagues and probably a few dozen other things? You’ll be thankful you’ve got the productive know-how to figure out what actually needs doing, when you need to do it and how you’ll do it. Simply stopping for a moment to do a little planning can make sure a difference. - More focus
Focusing on the essentials is important but it’s surprisingly difficult to do when you’re bombarded all day by demands and distractions. Getting productive means you cut out all that junk from your workflow, take a match to it and crush the remains in a compactor for good measure. Then you can put your energy into the work that really matters (in my case, the book and this blog).
December 8, 2008 at 08:50PM
I am one of those busy people who would die a million deaths if I was not productive! I have five companies and four children. I still find the time to write and blog as often as I can. It is not a lack of time, but a lack of preparation!