I’m in the process of designing and rolling out a new program. To make sure I and my participants are all on the same page, I spent some time thinking about what personal productivity really means to me. It comes down to three, key concepts.
Being productive means being well organized. In essence, this is knowing where “things” are. Things can cover a lot of ground, from physical objects to thoughts, from your car keys to computer files. You don’t have to know exactly what’s on your list or what’s stored on your hard-drive but to be productive, you do need to know where to look. The other part of being well organized is having things “under control.” This includes your schedule (how you’ve committed your time), your time (how you actually spend your time), and what’s expected. In having expectations under control, you need to know both what is expected from you as well as what you expect from others.
Being productive means being effective. I think of effectiveness as having flexibility and rolling with the punches and responding when the unexpected occurs. In addition, effectiveness means knowing how to get in the flow and access your “zone” where your best work occurs. This includes having fun and finding ways to reduce friction so your work, whatever it is, gets easier. And of course, being effective means getting the right results. It’s simple to check off items on your list but they’ve got to be the right actions that are taking you in the proper direction.
Being productive means being reliable and dependable. When someone asks you to take something on, and you say yes, how is your follow through? The only way to be truly productive is to know what you’ve said yes to and ultimately, to come through. This is trust creation. If you’re not creating trust, then you’re at risk of eroding it–and that’s not productive. Being reliable also means being strategic: knowing what’s in your (and your family’s) best interests, knowing what you can take on, and being able to say (and stand on saying) ‘no.’
When you master these three keys to success: being well organized, exercising effectiveness, and becoming reliable and dependable, you are on the right road to accomplishing your goals as well as reducing your stress and increasing your enjoyment of life.
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So, your saying being productive is having a balance between control and perspective?
Hi Brian,
I am saying that to me, being productive consists of being well organized, exercising effectiveness to get the right results, and behaving such that you are reliable and dependable (both for yourself and others). This may or may not include perspective in the sense that David Allen uses the term.
Thanks,
Tara