Why People Are So Obsessed With Productivity
Ice baths, yoga poses, daily affirmations…
My Instagram feed is flooded with influencers flaunting their “productive” morning routines. As someone easily influenced by modern trends and fads, I couldn’t help but feel curious.
Why is productivity so fetishized nowadays?
In my journey to understand this, I stumbled upon valuable insights regarding genuine productivity and how to integrate it into our daily routines.
A shift in work culture
The world of work has changed.
In 2022, McKinsey conducted a survey involving 25,000 individuals across America to assess remote work trends. Their findings revealed that
58% of respondents reported being offered the option to work remotely from home at least once a week.
Four years ago, the onset of COVID-19 compelled workplaces to close their doors, initiating an unforeseen experiment in the realm of work.
Today, organizations globally have set new standards for work, recognizing that flexible work arrangements are not merely a temporary response to the pandemic but a permanent feature of the today’s work landscape.
Remote work offers more freedom and and autonomy, but at what cost?
In 2023, UpgradedPoints conducted ask 1,000 remote workers about their work habits. Their survey discovered that people are prone to being easily distracted while working at home. These distractions include :
- household chores (72%)
- running errands (37%)
- taking naps (22%)
- going to the doctor (23%)
People are more distracted now than ever before
Working from home sounds easy, but it’s not in reality.
I think the increase in distractions within the remote work environment is prompting people to find ways to stay productive, even when they are in the comfort of their own home.
But, it's worth noting that much of the information available online may not always be reliable, leading to a situation where individuals prioritize productivity hacks over the actual benefits gained from being productive.
Productivity on social media : the obsession over morning routines
I used to be the guy in the picture above
I woke up at 5am,prioritized morning meditation, daily journaling, and ice baths. But, I had this growing realization that all of these activities didn’t actually make any more productive.
Juggling multiple tasks throughout my day actually reduced my productivity. The reason…?
Humans suck at multi-tasking.
A team of researchers at the University of London Study conducted a study in 2019 exploring the impact of multi-tasking on memory and learning. Participants in the study who attempted to multi-task while learning new information performed worse on memory tests compared to those who focused on a single task.
Multi-tasking has a negative impact on cognitive ability.
Social media shows you a curated snapshots of people’s lives
It’s easy to think that the influencers we see on social media are being incredibly productive throughout their day.
But it is all highly curated and oftentimes fake. These elaborate morning routines are designed to capture your attention. Their primary focus is on maintaining their audience and income streams, rather than genuine productivity.
Constantly hopping from one activity to another actually drains our energy, leaving little room to delve deep into meaningful activities.
How can we delve deeply into our work to ensure that our productivity yields genuine value?
How to enter a state of flow
The picture above is Bill Gates.
He is studying in a secluded cabin in the middle of nowhere — in fact he does this twice a year.
Why?
Because Bill values spending time reading and reflecting uninterrupted. He reads paper after paper for up to 18 hours a day. Despite his demanding schedule as the CEO of one of the world’s largest companies and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, he understands the compounding value of deep work.
Cal Newport, computer scientist and author of Deep Work, defines deep work as
“The ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time.”
How to get into the flow
Have you ever been so engrossed in your work that you lose track of time?
The type of work that feels effortless.
This usually happens when what you’re doing is challenging enough to keep you interested, but not so hard that you’re stressed out.
Here are methods I use to achieve a state of flow in my life.
- Choose the Right Task: Select a task that matches your skill level. It should be challenging enough to engage you but not so difficult that it becomes overwhelming.
- Set Clear Goals: Clearly define what you want to accomplish before starting the task. Having clear objectives helps focus your attention and energy.
- Eliminate Distractions: Minimize interruptions and distractions as much as possible. Find a quiet and comfortable environment where you can fully immerse yourself in the task.
A quote that I think best describes all of the trendy productivity advice these days comes from Bruce Lee.
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.
Real productive value emerges from going deep.
