What I wish my father had told me about Productivity: 14 tips and tricks
- Don’t wait until you have all possible information before making a decision
If you want absolute certainty you’ll be waiting a long time! Gather your facts, consider advice, then move forward and make a decision. Often, there are unknown factors that will not be revealed until later, so you will need to make adjustments to the original plan anyway. Avoid the paralysis of analysis. There is something about forward motion that clarifies things more than just standing still and thinking! And, ironically, sometimes when you wait the problem solves itself in an unexpected way. Of course, there is a balance, and only you will know when you’ve done due diligence but not unduly dragged your feet.
Questions to consider: Do I tend to rush ahead foolheartedly or drag my feet waiting to make a perfect decision? When has something happened, or been revealed, that has rendered all my careful planning mute? What fears keep me from making a decision amid ambiguity?
2. Learn the difference between what’s urgent and what’s important
Urgent things are not always important but they tend to grab our attention. The problem develops when we don’t leave time in our schedule to work on things that are important, but not urgent. You have to intentionally make time for these things or they will be eaten up by the urgent things. Try making a square divided into 4 smaller squares to put your to-do items in. A and B are the top 2 squares; A=important and urgent, B=important but not urgent. The bottom two squares are C and D; C=Not important but urgent, and D=Not important and not urgent. As you fill in the squares with your to-do items it will force you to consider their importance and urgency. The tendency is to let C (Not important but urgent) to crowd out B (Important but not urgent). Consciously schedule to work on B items even though they may not be as attention-grabbing as C items… otherwise important things will consistently not get done and you will suffer unnecessary long-term consequences.
Questions to consider: What urgent things suck up my time even though they’re not that important? What important things do I tend to neglect because they don’t have urgency attached to them? How could I schedule a time to work on these items?
3. Write out your goals
What do you want to achieve? What would you like to do in 3 months? 6 months? A year? 5 years? Having written goals and dreams can be a powerful motivator, propelling you forward in life. Average people don’t set goals because they don’t want to be disappointed. Successful people set goals knowing that even if they don’t reach them, they will go farther and higher with goals than they would have gone without them. Go ahead. Create a dream, a vision for your life.
Questions to consider: What long-range goals do I have? Have I written them out? Have I shared them with anyone? Do I have a way of reminding myself of them?
4. Break your goals up into small steps
This will help you get started, as well as help you keep track of your progress. Put the steps in the anticipated chronological order that they will need to be done. Often you will hear that it is important to visualize success. However, research shows that it is more effective to visualize taking the steps that lead to success. This will help change what you do, which will ultimately give you the results you’re looking for.
Questions to consider: Do I usually take the time to sketch out the steps that will be necessary to complete a goal or project? If I am in the middle of a project now, am I clear what the next step is? Practice visualizing yourself taking each step and see what effect it has on your success.
5. Figure out what the next physical step is
When we are working on a complex project it can become overwhelming with all the things that need done. Slow down and think about what the next physical step is to move the project forward. It could be, “Go to the shed and look for the paint brushes,” or, “Take my laptop to the coffee shop and work on a list of people who could help me with a certain aspect of this project,” or, “Call my mother and ask if I can borrow a coffee table.” It could be a very small thing, but is a necessary step before you can get to the bigger things. It is often 2 or 3 little things that need done that are blocking and slowing us down. Our mind is obsessing about the big steps that are looming, but we often forget the small things that will get us ready for the big thing. It is important that you add a physical component to the step. Even if you just need to “think,” where and when will you do your thinking. What tools will you use?
Questions to consider: What complex task am I am the middle of and feeling stuck? What very small physical thing could I do next to move things forward?
6. Create deadlines with accountability
What will you do, and when will you do it by? Having goals is great. Accomplishing them is another matter! Once you have broken your goals/projects up into a chronological list of steps, begin attacking the first one. Set a realistic deadline for when you will complete that step. Then get someone to hold you accountable about it. Having a deadline that someone knows about besides you keeps you from drifting aimlessly, getting lost in the “someday” weeds.
Questions to consider: How practiced am I at setting deadlines? Do I get some form of accountability? Who would be a good accountability partner for me? Or maybe a group?
7. Get a Coach
A coach can help you work through the inevitable roadblocks that come on the way to achieving your goals and dreams. They can also help you think outside the box, broadening your possibilities. A coach also provides accountability, which is so essential in getting things done over a long period of time. A good life coach will not so much give you answers and advice as much as they will guide you to finding your own answers. Your answers will ultimately work better for you than someone else’s. However, there are coaches that specialize in specific areas such as business or leadership or family, who may be able to help you with wise and cutting-edge advice, in addition to helping you find your own answers.
Questions to consider: Have I ever considered using a coach? What benefit might I receive from it? What would I be willing to invest financially?
8. Put the big rocks in first
If you put pebbles in a jar first and then try to add rocks, they won’t fit. If you put the rocks in the jar first, then the pebbles can fit in around them as they will. The moral of this parable (made popular by Steven Covey) is to schedule the important things in your life first, and then let the less important things fit in around them. If you don’t do this, then by default the “pebbles” will start filling up your life, and it will seem impossible to fit in the more important things. You will never have enough time.
Questions to consider: What are the important things in my life, the “rocks?” How well do I intentionally schedule them into my day/week/month? What is one rock that is getting neglected right now? What are some of the pebbles in my life that too quickly fill up the jar?
9. Beware of time-suckers
We all tend to complain that we don’t have enough time in a day. The truth is, you’d be surprised if you kept a time log of what you actually do during a 24 hour period because you would find many time wasters and distractions. Here are some common ones: Smartphones that constantly update you about anything and everything. Compulsively checking email. People who talk your ear off when you are busy. Surfing the internet. Watching TV. Facebook. Twitter. Games. Traffic. A ringing phone. Some of these may seem unavoidable, but there are ways to limit how much time and focus these things suck out of your day.
Questions to consider: What is an example of something that sucks up my time and focus? What is one thing I could do to limit its negative effect on my productivity?
10. Practice the 80/20 rule
This rule, known as the Pareto Rule, has many applications regarding productivity. Put generically, it says, “You get 80% of your results from 20% of your action.” Some examples: 80% of your profits come from 20% of your customers, so focus on those customers. 80% of your profits come from 20% of your activities, so focus on those activities. 80% of your sales come from 20% of your products, so promote those products. Another twist on this principle is that by putting in 20% effort on a goal or project, you can usually get 80% of the desired result. This is an antidote to perfectionism because the amount of effort it takes to move something from 80% to 100% (perfection) may not be worth the cost. “Good enough” may be good enough for most things. Save your 100% effort for a very few, very important items.
Questions to consider: In what area of my life would it be smart to apply this rule? How would it change what I do? What do I put an excessive amount of time and effort in that produces relatively small results?
11. Delegate well
You may think that you are the best person to do everything that needs done in your life, however, this is simply not true. Even if you’re an overachiever, there are some things you should get other people to do for you. You might pay someone, or you might just ask a friend to help. There are several reasons for delegating: 1) You simply don’t have the time to do everything yourself, even if you have the ability. 2) There are many things you do that someone else could do faster and/or better. 3) Delegating gives other people the satisfaction of doing things they are skilled at. 4) Other people bring a fresh perspective to the task that may unlock new insights and ideas. 5) You might be helping someone earn a living. 6) It frees you up to do the things you truly love and do well. How does one delegate well? 1) Pick the right person. Do they have the ability? Do they have the time? Do they have the willingness? 2) Define the parameters of the job clearly. What is the specific desired outcome? Are there methodological considerations? When is it due? How often will there be progress updates? 3) Define what you will do for them in return, if anything.
Questions to consider: What is something I currently do myself that is unpleasant or difficult or time-consuming? Who do I know that might be good at that task? What would the parameters of the job be? How would my life be different if I delegated this well?
12. Figure out when and where you’re most productive
Are there certain times of the day or week, or certain locations/environments, when you are the most productive? Target your work time there and then. Reserve it as sacred time. For example, my mind is sharpest in the morning, so that is when I do my writing and desk work. In the afternoon, after my mind has had a good workout, I do physical chores. Also, I do my best writing in an environment like Starbucks. I know it’s cliche, but it works for me. Maybe you need absolute quiet. Maybe you need a lot of noise clutter in the background, or music. Maybe you work best after everyone else goes to bed. If you are forcing yourself through every step you may have a bad time or a bad place.
Questions to Consider: Am I a morning or night person? When is it best for me to do mental work? Physical work? What atmosphere or environment stimulates me to work at my best?
13. Learn to type well
At some point we will just think and our thoughts will be written out for us! Until then, as long as your goals involve any kind of writing (even emails), we need to type! Learning to type well and accurately on portable devices can be a challenge, but is worth the time to learn. And then there is still the beloved keyboard that we use on our laptops and desktops. Hunting and pecking can get you by, but you can be much faster when you use all 10 fingers! Be aware, accuracy makes a big difference. Typing at a blazing speed, but stopping to go back and correct every few seconds, is not as productive as it seems. Better to type accurately at a slow speed, and then gradually increase your tempo as you get better. And don’t forget, if you work with numbers very much you will want to learn to use the 10-key pad that is on most desktop keyboards. This can be a huge time saver. There are typing tutors online that are free and easy to use. Learning this skill will earn dividends the rest of your life.
Questions to consider: How comfortable am I with my speed and accuracy? If I were able to double my typing speed, what difference would it make in my productivity? Do I prefer to learn using an online program, or a live class?
14. Get plenty of rest and take care of yourself
This may seem oxymoronic when it comes to productivity, but sufficient rest is not a waste of time… It is the fuel which powers the engine. If you think of productivity as a life goal and not just about how much you can accomplish today, you will take good care of yourself, physically and mentally. Coming back to work refreshed after an hour or week often helps you break through a problem that you had been fretting over too much. Most of the truly remarkable people in the world have daily schedules that include plenty of time taking care of their mind and body.
Questions to consider: How well do I take care of my body? How will do I take care of my mind/spirit? What is one habit I can begin experimenting with that will help me better take care of myself? What rewards might it engender?
