Blog

Success and productivity go hand in hand. They always have, but the very notion of productivity is evolving over time as new technologies emerge and cultural paradigms are challenged. So how should we think about productivity in 2020?

When it comes to productivity, we need to think of it as a way of life, not merely a bunch of tactics and strategies to apply to our work or businesses. A more holistic approach is so much more effective long-term.

So, if you want to increase your productivity, approaching it like a lifestyle change makes sense. You are, after all, a whole, multifaceted person who can’t be reduced to the moments you spend behind your screen or powering through your to-do list.

First things first: A lifestyle audit. How do you spend your waking hours? What about your working hours? Whether you’ve adopted a time-management method or love tools and apps that help you optimize your performance, it’s a good idea to be aware of the way you currently get things done.

Now that you have a better idea of your present productivity reality, look into these three outdated productivity tips to ditch if you want to be more successful. Perhaps you don’t need a complete productivity overhaul but embracing a few simple tweaks and swaps might make you happier and more efficient.

Oftentimes, when you try to implement some of the mentioned elements, you may run into challenges. To resolve this very issue, I wrote my book “The Breakthrough Accelerator - Resolve your Biggest Challenge in 4 weeks”- Receive a Free download of this book by Clicking this Link

Speeding up to get more done. Do you take pride in your ability to complete tasks super-fast? You might want to rethink that approach, as speed can give you the illusion of productivity and increase the risk of making mistakes.

One myth is that you have to speed up to get more done. In fact, most of the time, by slowing down, we actually get more done. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. Unfortunately, we’re all under so much pressure to perform, we think the only solution is to speed up. But speed leads to errors. Depending on our skillset, some processes can be sped up. We just need to know which can be, and which can’t. Now that’s working smart — not just fast.

Embracing a productivity method as the ultimate one. The worst productivity advice is that there is only one effective way of doing things. There isn’t. Sure, joining the 5 AM club is a great idea, but that might not work for you. We’re all individuals and we have to find which strategies and tactics work best for our particular circumstances. Overwhelmed with the very idea of figuring out how to manage all your responsibilities? Start small, try different approaches, ditch the ones that don’t work for you and build on what works. Most people who struggle with time-management and productivity just need to get a few notches under their belt to start seeing positive results. To use a baseball analogy, you don’t have to hit it out of the ballpark, you just need to get on base.

High performance at all costs. Sure, being a high achiever does mean having a high-performance mindset to a certain extent. But not at all costs. The glorification of hustle culture is starting to be a thing of the past. I know many very successful people who live very good lives. Unfortunately, some ended up in the hospital because of stress, anxiety, or simply poor health. Regardless of how productive you are in your [career], if you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll end up burned out, depressed, ruining your relationships or just plain unhappy.

To me, true productivity means being effective in all areas of our lives.

So, armed with these tweaks, you are better equipped to face today’s unexpected challenges and curve balls. Go forth & conquer!