The Hidden Cost of Productivity
Three mistakes to avoid when pursuing the efficient life
“How blunt are all the arrows of thy quiver in comparison with those of guilt.” — Robert Blair
My six-year-old wanted attention, but I wasn’t listening. I was in the kitchen, chopping onions for our dinner. My earbuds were mainlining Tim Ferriss straight into my brain and I was high on wisdom.
My son persisted and I lost my temper. Popping out an ear, I bellowed at him to leave me in peace. He stared blankly at me for a moment, then he was gone. I returned to my cooking, irritated with the disruption.
A moment later, the truth struck me like a sledgehammer. My priorities were completely out of whack.
Until then, I had viewed productivity as a service to my family. I wanted to provide for them without working every hour of the day. But in truth, I was selfish. It was more fun to geek out on productivity than to be the father my children deserved.
Over the following weeks, I reflected on my decade-long productivity experiment and realised I’d made many mistakes along the way. Mistakes I could have avoided if I’d heard more productivity failures stories instead of endless articles about morning routines and…
