Personal Productivity

Productivity is a topic you have probably searched for on Google. There are thousands of gurus trying to sell you the idea of the ultimate system when, in reality, it is simpler than that.

Don’t be fooled; productivity is not about complex systems or automating everything. Productivity is about knowing when to push and when to stop, understanding what to do and what not to do. Above all, it’s about thinking long-term and pursuing things that genuinely interest you.

• Every year, try to implement a maximum of 1-2 changes in your life. Trying to do too many new things at once is a recipe for failure. Always think in the long term. Things that are worthwhile take time.
• Have no long-term goals. Focus entirely on the process of working. Decide as you act. Once you have an idea, try to make it as simple as possible. Cut out 99% of the noise around it.
• Don’t overcomplicate your organization. Productivity gurus need your money to keep creating irrelevant content. Focus on execution. If you cannot remember the task you need to work on, it’s probably because it’s not that important.
• Many people spend too much time thinking about how to optimize their systems to perfection and not nearly enough time asking if they’re working on the right problems.
• Don’t keep a schedule. Work on whatever is most important or interesting at any given time.
• You don’t have time for everything. Not having time for something is another way of saying it’s not important. And that’s OK. Limited time means limited possibilities. That’s the way it is.
• Say no to most things; say yes to the things your gut says yes to. Only agree to new commitments when both your head and your heart say yes.
• Self-improvement should be a by-product, not the focus. You improve because you do the work, not because you focus on improving.
• Picking the right thing to work on is the most important element of productivity and is often overlooked.
• Sleep and exercise are key to your productivity. You cannot produce well enough if your body is not well-rested and energized.
• If you’re unproductive, it’s not because your system is down or your software needs replacing. It’s because you’re tired, bored, or unhappy. You cannot do things you love all the time, but try to spend most of your time doing things that you enjoy or find very interesting.
• Thinking happens outside your laptop. If you are creative, spending time in front of your computer is not the way to generate new ideas. Make sure you leave enough time in your schedule to think about what you are working on. The best ways to do this are to read books, hang out with interesting people, and spend time in nature.
• Never walk into a room without knowing why you are there. “I need to write a newsletter” isn’t knowing why you are there; “I know exactly what to write” is. Problems are rarely solved and executed in the same room.
• Working more hours makes you less productive. The countries that work the most hours are the least productive. Enjoying life more and working fewer hours makes you better at your job. This has been proven, even if your boss doesn’t like it.
• Limit your options. If you try to pursue 100 paths, you will run out of strength and will not be able to finish any of them.
• Life is about making decisions where we have no control over what is going to happen. Maybe we go down one road and end up in paradise, or maybe we end up in a wasteland. But we can’t stop trying.