The ugly truth about productivity
When you think about productivity, what comes to your mind?
- Maybe getting more things done?
- Or is it optimizing your workflows?
- Stop procrastinating and working a lot?
The truth is that productivity is a misunderstood concept.
Because it’s not about working all the time, and it’s about the intentional use of limited resources.
Time, Money, Energy — all our resources are limited.
“What would I do with unlimited resources?” is a question that I sometimes like to think about in a daydream.
However, the reality is that being productive does not equal overworking, and the opposite is the case. If you are effective, you should be able to plan time for things that you enjoy, like hobbies or taking a nap.
So, I would argue that productivity is a lot more about our habits, mindset, and environment than it is about the time we work.
Productivity is also about setting healthy boundaries and putting our own needs at the forefront.
Somehow, many of us live in surroundings where we glorify overworking.
We make a huge mistake when we define ourselves through our output and tie our self-worth to the condition of getting stuff done.
You consider yourself hardworking when you have a thousand things going on, and you might not realize that you are also spreading yourself thin. Instead, it would be better to learn how to put resources towards steps that bring us closer to our goal.
It is counterintuitive, but we set ourselves up for success in times when we don’t work. Like eating, sleeping, and enjoying ourselves.
It’s an ugly truth about productivity— you are not necessarily more productive by working more. But I can almost guarantee that you will be more effective when you start cultivating habits that prioritize your own needs.
Here are a few ways to do that:
- Set clear boundaries — unless it’s “hell yes,” it’s no
- Create a routine that benefits you
- Actively manage your energy — actively plan down-times
- Observe and adjust your eating & sleeping habits
- Observe and change how you talk to yourself
I want to talk about all the mentioned topics more in-depth in the future — so stay tuned if you are interested.
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