Beware the Pit of Optimization
Recently I’ve been chasing a more productive me. This has led me through various approaches to how I work at home and even looking to incorporate my processional work process into this revolution. I feel like I’ve tried everything and that’s exactly where I went wrong.
After trying so many different ways to organize, schedule, plan, lay out and run my days, both work and free time, I’m back to where I feel like I just don’t do enough. I’ve come to realize that so far I’ve done everything I can to work against the grain, to push myself up river and now I’m tired, disillusioned and looking for a better way to do things.
But I won’t find the answer online.
It’s me. It’s always been me. I’ve been trying my hardest to be something I’m not — some super productive, multitasking god. I’ve found this difficult because it just isn’t me. When thinking about what my problem has been, I’ve seen patterns emerge in other functions in my life.
There is no shortage of advice on how to manage your inbox. Everything from how to sort your email, different services to use or even limiting the time you spend on email altogether with claims it’s counter-productive and a time wasting activity at work.
After trying the sub-folder within sub-folder approach of micro-sorting every email into logical groups, pushing myself to spend my time calling people or worse, walking to everyone and anyone’s desk to get what I needed done. Nothing felt right. So I gave in. I went minimal.
Inbox & Done. That’s it. If it’s in Inbox then it needs doing and if it’s in Done then it’s done. Since making the change to that simple approach to email, I haven’t ever considered another method. People are typically shocked at the approach, but I couldn’t recommend it more. The reliance isn’t on logic to find emails in your folder structure, rather it’s all about search and learning how to find what you need quickly and easily.
Note Taking
There are some amazing apps for note taking available across any device you can think of. Evernote and OneNote are the two I’ve used and both offer powerful features to make keeping track of meetings and the creative process in general easy and simple. Voice recording, photo embedding, drawing as well as notes, lists etc.
Most recently I’ve relied on OneNote and the digital process of inputting all my notes into my phone or PC during meetings and setting myself lists of actions I need to take after the meeting is finished.
This process does not suit me at all. I’ve tried so many different ways of taking notes, inputting details, sorting my notes or even managing email via OneNote. It all feels so alien. Like something else I need to worry about. I found myself thinking about how I could improve the process or how I could change what I was doing to adapt to the new process better.
Not anymore. OneNote is still my central repository for information I need to refer back to later because it does that job beautifully. I can drop emails straight into it, take photos of whiteboards and even share web pages straight into my OneNote Inbox, which I will sort through every other day. The notes are then filed into other sections like Deferred, Maybe/Someday or Resources depending on the action needed. (Yes there are some GTD-esque references there!)
How am I taking notes? The old fashioned way, with an A6 notebook from Field Notes and a pen. I find that I take more succinct notes for immediate actions or follow up items and it’s more flexible a means to take down ideas or other concepts as they flow in the conversation. Not only that but especially when meeting with only one other person, having a laptop open is like a wall between us. It’s amazing how more open the channel of communication feels in 1:1 meetings with just a notebook and pen.
So what?
These are just two of the times in my life I’ve ignored the advice or the quick fix or the latest app to get things done. Where I’ve resisted the latest book claiming to change my life. These are instances where I’ve spent more time on optimizing how I do things instead of actually doing.
It’s a trap I’ve fallen into over the past 6 months.
In thinking of how I can improve how I do things, I realized that wasn’t my problem. I began to understand myself a little better. About how to be happier. And therein lies the answer to my lacking productivity and waning motivation.
I’m keeping it simple. No more searching for a better way. No more optimization paralysis. I’m going old school. Focus. Determination. Reward. Do things I need to do. Do things I want to do. Not because my phone is reminding me to. But because it’s of benefit to me. Because it will get me to my goals. Or simply because it’s the right thing to do.
I don’t enjoy studying, but I’ll do it because it’s of benefit to me. I love writing, but only when I feel like writing. The only optimization will be internal. Quiet reflection. Thoughtfulness. Consideration.
And this feels me with relief. Beyond that, it feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders. Like my vision has cleared. Like I have more capacity, more focus to do what I love doing, instead of thinking about how to do it.
