The Key to Insane Productivity Is Simpler than You Think
Productivity’s a particularly ironic concept. When you’re not being productive, you search for how to be more productive.
But finding that out takes time. Productive time. See the problem?
Interestingly, this seems to happen on a yearly cycle. Looking at Google Trends, every year looks roughly the same. People start getting interested in productivity in January. The interest peaks in March, then it tails off towards December.
Every year people are stuck in the same cycle.
Every year people search for the same answer.
How do I become more productive?
I get it. You want an easy fix. Everyone wants an easy fix. A technique, or a pill, or some way of hacking productivity. So that you can get more stuff done in less time, but without actually working for it.
I was exactly the same. Until I realized a simple truth.
Productivity’s not about techniques, or how you feel. It’s about getting things done.
I’ll give you an example.
I just got back home from a two and a half hour drive. It was shitty, and I’m exhausted. I wanted to make food. Or sleep. Or something.
Instead, I got out my Mac, turned on Brain.fm, and started working.
I answered some email. I checked in on some customers. I coded and shipped a new feature for HelpDocs. I wrote this article.
I did things, rather than trying to be more productive.
Because at the end of the day, I could spend hours Googling. I could be part of the yearly trend. But I’ll still be no more productive at the end of it.
Searching for a key to productivity is procrastination in itself.
And now? Now I can make some food. I’m making gluten-free pizza and fries. And it’s going to be amazing.
It’ll be more amazing because I won’t feel guilty.
I won’t feel guilty because I’ve actually done some work.
And I’ve actually done some work because I wasn’t trying to find an answer to my productivity woes.
See what I mean?
The key to productivity is usually just not worrying about it. Crack out your todo list, work through some tasks, and stop thinking about how productive you are (or aren’t).
You’ll probably be better off for it.
