With countless blogs, books, and best-practices (pardon the alliteration), maximized productivity is a common pursuit, especially for the ambitious ones among us.  Many have even dedicated themselves full time to this unachievable endeavor, the perfect level of self-management and productivity.  But why?  What is the purpose to improved productivity.  The obvious, yet superficial, answer is to get more done, to create, to accomplish.  This is partially true, yet, lacks, and simply reveals the next question: why get more done, create, or accomplish?  Ultimately, it brings us to the pursuit of happiness, particularly lasting joy.  For whatever number of reasons, we are happy when we are productive, when we create, when we participate in the progression of ourselves and, as a secondary benefactor in many cases, society.  With an understanding of this core purpose, we can more fully explore methods of productivity with a higher context that promises the results we seek.  But why do we want to be happy?  All I know is I do, so that’s where we’ll leave the philosophy for this post.

With this obsession toward productivity, we find ourselves seeking methods and sharing methods for doing so.  Each person or guru introduces a set of principles to productivity with tools of the trade such as calendaring systems, to-do lists, technology, etc.  We read the book, try it out, do it for a week or so, maybe a month, then slowly drop parts of each method until we are left back where we were or close to it.  Don’t get me wrong, I like many of the systems available and commend their creators for contributing to the world of productivity improvement only have yet to find the system that truly works for me.  Maybe those of us falling into this trap are simply undisciplined and we need to quit blaming the system, or maybe not.  I don’t question a tendency toward laziness, especially if the system adds a list of new daily tasks simply to manage the system itself!  What I do question is whether that “laziness” is the problem!

Enter the meMethod…

What I have noticed is that with each failed attempt at systematically enhanced productivity improvement, we tend to retain a piece of that system, even if only a memory of something we liked.  If we attempt several and explore blogs, books, and gurus for more, we are left with a plethora of ideas that have left an imprint on our memory.  We create, even subconsciously and unintentionally, our own set of productivity best practices.  So why are we all not ultra-productive happy folk?  Well, just because a lot of ideas are chaotically floating around in our clouded memories does not mean a single one is even implemented or works complementary to the others.  We may not have ever connected the dots!  How do all these ideas relate?  How would they work together?  I mean, what are they?!?!

So the meMethod enters as the method that works for ME.  Each person may have their own meMethod, what works for you is yours.  So I add my own ingredients to the already overflowing productivity stew, in a kitchen with far too many chefs and the clamor over which recipe to choose.  Well, the recipe depends upon each person’s tastes and that, my friend, will never be agreed upon.  The pursuit for productivity is an individual one, each person to choose their path.  This does not mean we are on the journey alone, only that our specific path will be ours.  Many have trod the path before and even more are doing so today. Each has something unique to offer and each ought to be explored.  In the future, I will post various resources that I’ve found useful as well as a complete meMethod guide that will be available likely within 6 months or so.  I look forward to sharing more on this topic.

What are some resources you’ve found helpful regarding productivity?  Any favorite blogs, books, or tools?