Productivity is Pointless without Prioritization

Most people think of productivity as a series of hacks and tactics to get more done in the same time.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Being inefficient is a waste of time, our most valuable non-renewable resource.

The problem with this line of thinking is that only focusing on how you do something is missing the crucial first step…deciding what to do in the first place.

Effective vs Efficient

Efficiency = Results / Resources. The less resources you invest to get the results you’re looking for, the more efficient you are. Because this is easy to quantify and measure, it gets the most attention.

Effectiveness is the capability to produce the desired result. Feels less clear cut, huh?

Think of it this way: Let’s say someone’s hungry, so their desired result is to go get some food as quickly as possible.

They could walk to a restaurant, but it’d be more efficient to ride their bike. It might be even more efficient to drive their car. In some cities, ordering it for delivery would be even more efficient than that.

See why most people focus on it? It feels amazing to save time.

But here’s the thing: If they zoomed out and realized that they could make something at home, they might be able to eat even sooner, or in about the same time as getting carry-out — which is at least as efficient — but this approach might be even more effective. How? If their goal is to go from being hungry to feeling satisfied, energized and healthy, that fast food takeout order probably wouldn’t make them feel as good as something healthier they could make at home.

We all know we’re supposed to cook healthy meals at home, but efficiency and convenience wins out for most people. If we focus on our end goal, it’s actually more effective to eat a healthy meal. So, the way to win is to get something healthy (more effective) in a convenient way like delivery (more efficient).

So, how does this apply beyond our eating habits? Oh, just in literally every decision you’ll ever make. 🙂

Every time you plan your day, every time you start working, you have to decide what you’re going to do. If the first thing you do is dive in, working as fast and efficiently as you can, you may “get a lot done” in that time, but what if what you’re doing won’t be effective in achieving your goals?

Efficiency is about how you do something, effectiveness is about deciding what will move you forward.

Considering the how and the what for a minute before you start working can save hours, days, months or years of wasted work. If you’re doing the wrong things, doing them more efficiently just means you’re doing more of the wrong things. If your destination is North, driving South really fast isn’t going to get you where you want to go.

Sure, do things right. Be smart and efficient so you can get things done in less time, but first be sure that what’s at the top of your to-do list is actually what’s most important. If the desired result won’t move you toward your goals, being efficient doesn’t matter.

Prioritize the right things, then do them right.

Originally published at https://makeprogress.com.