Productivity. The holy grail of modern life. We are not anything if we aren’t productive. Yet, what is productivity and, perhaps more importantly, how do we achieve it? Is there a single path to productivity? Does ‘productive’ look the same for everybody? These are some of the questions I would appreciate definite answers to.
To me, productivity looks like getting my tasks done with minimal effort and, given how many tasks I have on my to-do list, I must get it right. Running a small business, completing work for clients, raising five children (four currently homeschooling), keeping a house in order, and finding some chill-out time is a challenge.
I have wasted so much time attempting to find the perfect system to maximise my productivity, from time-blocking every second of the day, to creating numerous task lists for everything. Nothing has achieved everything I had hoped it would, but I feel I get closer to the goal with each attempt. Maybe we should look at how best to choose a productivity system.
Play to preferences
I love pen & paper, but the harsh reality is I’m more likely to be on my computer or have my phone with me than pen and paper. With this in mind, it makes far more sense for me to keep digital records, including a calendar and to-do list. I like being able to see things at a glance and having a general overview and have everything accessible on all devices.
Don’t overcomplicate things
It’s so easy to think that everything available must be used. However, it also makes things far more complicated than they have to be. Often, I don’t need 400 different apps to increase my productivity. I usually have found that they distract me from the important stuff. I like shiny things, and lots of apps play the role of shiny things.
Stick at it
A decent productivity system isn’t perfect straight out of the bag. While I mustn’t use my productivity system as a tool for procrastination, I know I need to afford it adequate time to prove its use. I’m a week into a switch and finding things that aren’t quite working as well as I would have hoped. However, I’m not yet giving up; I’m just attempting to work out the kinks.
How do you choose your productivity system?
Originally published at https://redkiteva.uk on February 17, 2021.
