A simple summary of all the scientific jargon behind Newton’s Law of Motion is that action generates momentum. When you turn your intention to targeted activities, you would break inertia. When inertia is broken, possibilities expand. From that point, you never can tell how far a product or an idea can go.
Let’s talk about productivity. Wearing the economist hat, productivity is defined as the ratio of total output to input. It looks at the efficiency of production, considering the level of resources at one’s disposal. Precisely, it is like saying, ‘hey, fella, you have the idea, the people and the finance – what did you make out of them?’
You sure have been answering that question indirectly. Your bottom line at the end of each year provides answers. The industry attention you garner provides answers. Your competitive strength provides answer. Your growth level provides answers. Somehow, your medical report provides answers.
Why? Productivity is the primary driver of sustainable personal growth. Productivity is the primary driver of sustainable transformation in the standard of living. Productivity can even determine your network, which people agree is a measure of your Networth.
For all that it is worth, you don’t want to joke with productivity. It does make a difference between people who rise to the top, stay at the top and those who hug the middle lines. Higher productivity means that you can produce more value, generate higher incomes and attain a better life.
Jennifer Chan, an expert in this field, captured this topic well. She wrote, “In today’s world, being productive is no longer about doing more; it’s about doing better. It’s about getting off the couch and doing work that matters — whether there is a monetary value assigned to it or not. It is about being efficient with your time, focused on your goals and producing value.”
The New York Times framed it aptly, “Productivity Isn’t About Time Management. It’s About Attention Management.”
You may be looking at your performance score or recent accomplishment and feeling you haven’t really hit the mark you set. Probably, your wallet isn’t reflecting how much input you squeezed into getting things done. Or milestones aren’t reached as fast as you would have desired. A few insights into how to raise productivity won’t hurt. Here we go:
- Prioritise – Your input may not be yielding the right output because you aren’t focused on what matters. Experts say, ‘true productivity is about being brilliant at a few carefully selected areas rather than doing a lot of busy work’. That rings a bell. Productivity is about focusing on tasks that really matter and letting someone else handle other stuff. You can be everywhere, doing everything and still achieve quality. You have got to prioritise. If possible, take one task and be laser-focused until it is accomplished.
- Plan – Experts also say create a schedule. Possibly use a calendar. It may not always work as intended. But putting things on a calendar creates a subconscious priority awareness, which can inform what you say ‘No’ to and what you accept. Remember, you can’t say ‘Yes’ to everything and everyone and be at your best.
- Perform – Like Nike would say, Just Do It. Shut out the distractions and just get on that task. Action creates momentum. It is about hitting the start button and letting everything that doesn’t matter stay on the waiting list until you are done.
However, don’t forget to take a break. To be at your best, occasionally you need ‘Me-time’. You need to refresh to perform optimally. Get some break when it gets foggy, and you are sweating it without reasonable results. If you reset, you will be on fire again. See you next time.
