Productive Resistance?

In any productivity system, you have a certain level of added friction and resistance that is introduced by the system itself, i.e. you have to carry a planner, spend time writing/typing, recording, marking complete, etc.  All of these tasks would not exist if it weren’t for the system.  Daily and weekly reviews, etc. also often add several hours to your week of unproductive (directly unproductive) minutiae.  So why, in our pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness would we add a book of practices that simply add resistance?  Well, obviously we think the added resistance will be accompanied by a higher level of productivity.  We are willing to welcome the increased resistance in an effort to achieve improved results.  Compare it to giving up gas mileage on a car for increased speed and power.  It may require a bit more fuel to push through the resistance of a more powerful engine, wider tires, etc. but the increase in performance is worth it to us so we buy the car.

So the question is now raised… and I will illustrate with the car comparison:

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?

Every few months, I reach a boiling point in my personal productivity and life direction that calls for re-assessment. In essence, life “clutter” begins to cloud my brain and my objectives. What occurs is a decrease in productivity, organization, and operational clarity. Certain areas or projects may suffer in attempts to put out fires and continue forward. Apparently I am horrible at creating powerful habits and require a recharge, a time to step back and say “why do I do that? Why am I not doing this? What about that?” Well, friends, it has once again come to that point and I am beginning the routine re-organization. Each time it is re-addressed, I typically come to the table with a few new weapons, i.e. productivity methodologies acquired since the last assessment, and each time I get a little closer to finding the meMethod™ (what works for me). Some of the concepts and books I’ve been into include:

• Four Hour Work Week
• 7 Habits for Highly Effective People
• Getting Things Done
• Mission Control
• And of course, related blogs, mags, articles, etc.

So, I come to this point in hopes of maintaining a few more habits and concepts than last time, maybe placing this “boiling point” as my last. You may have experienced similar points in your own life. Why does it happen? Should it? Maybe it is good to just re-assess every few months? Maybe we ought to be in continual re-assessment, the idea of continual minor course corrections and maintenance versus substantial correction every quarter. Which is better? I have my opinions, which I will share here but let me know, what do you think?

Regular assessment ought to be part of one’s routine. I believe frequency will depend on the area of life we are exploring. Regular project productivity ought to be explored and assessed weekly while life mission and long-term alignment may receive a hard assessment quarterly, course corrections occurring with these assessments. There even ought to be a daily assessment (I’d say the end of the day) in order to align the following day. Each of the above programs may carry ideas regarding this assessment concept, calling it by different names. I have found value in each of these and have pulled from each in attempts to create the meMethod.

If you haven’t figured out, I am passionate about productivity and personal management. The meMethod is just that, the idea of an individualized concept built upon a flexible framework of productivity theories and strategies. Each person’s personality will synchronize differently with each strategy. Often, the best is to test. Try a few out and begin formulating your meMethod.

What are some other sources you’ve used and found effective for personal productivity, time-management, or however you define it?

Seth Godin recently posted a list of questions that every business owner, marketer, or individual should ask themselves about their own website and it’s effectiveness.  Think through each with regard to your own as I do with this site!

From Godin:

• What is the goal of the site?
• In other words, when it’s working great, what specific outcomes will occur?
• Who are we trying to please? If it’s the boss, what does she want? Is impressing a certain kind of person important? Which kind?
• How many people on your team have to be involved? At what level?
• Who are we trying to reach? Is it everyone? Our customers? A certain kind of prospect?
• What are the sites that this group has demonstrated they enjoy interacting with?
• Are we trying to close sales?
• Are we telling a story?
• Are we earning permission to follow up?
• Are we hoping that people will watch or learn?
• Do we need people to spread the word using various social media tools?
• Are we building a tribe of people who will use the site to connect with each other?
• Do people find the site via word of mouth? Are they looking to answer a specific question?
• Is there ongoing news and updates that need to be presented to people?
• Is the site part of a larger suite of places online where people can find out about us, or is this our one sign post?
• Is that information high in bandwidth or just little bits of data?
• Do we want people to call us?
• How many times a month would we like people to come by? For how long?
• Who needs to update this site? How often?
• How often can we afford to overhaul this site?
• Does showing up in the search engines matter? If so, for what terms? At what cost? Will we be willing to compromise any of the things above in order to achieve this goal?
• Will the site need to be universally accessible? Do issues of disability or language or browser come into it?
• How much money do we have to spend? How much time?
• Does the organization understand that ‘everything’ is not an option?

These will get you thinking about overall site effectiveness, about purpose.  Next, make a list of ideas and thoughts that came to mind as you read through these questions and answered them.  This list will serve as a reference in developing an improvement strategy moving forward.

I recently watched the video below, Alain de Botton describing and defining success in our age, including the fabulous opportunity of success like no other time in history, and the shortcomings and downfalls that such thinking brings.  This is a good TED talk that helps ground the over-ambitious entrepreneur.  It allows you to do a little introspection regarding your ambitions and desires.  I liked as well the open identification of the weaknesses of a such a “success-driven” society, including meritocracy.  One must be careful, however, as the spectrum goes from “everything is my fault, good and bad” to “nothing is my fault”. Neither end is correct.  We do control much of our own future but not all of it (you never know when tragedy strikes, etc.). And, sorry, but the odds are you are not the next Bill Gates.  Which brings me to the next interesting point.

I found it interesting, yet logical, that essentially where success is treated as “easily accessible to all”, depression and suicide tend to be accessed much more than where it is not.  We all decide we must be failures since it is so readily available and yet, we’re not successful yet.  Although I feel it is more available than it has ever been, success has become a game of envy, jealousy, and comparison instead of individual opportunity to be YOU.

He also points out the concept that realistically, you can’t be good at everything.  He goes so far as to say that work-life balance is bunk.  I may not agree 100% but it is true.  I mean, the most successful mega-companies have typically been run by work-aholics with little, if any, “personal” life.  This doesn’t mean their have not been extremely successful people with some resemblance of balance, only that the most achieved individuals in one area often are lacking in other areas, no matter what you see (no one is touting their shortcomings…).

A recent post at “bootstrap business” defines the issue entrepreneurs continually have with this balance and validates, to some extent, the point Alain states in the video.

Check out the vid and do a little thinking about success and you want.  As he states, we often accept other people’s definitions of success which is a terrible thing as many arrive at their destination realizing it isn’t what they wanted all along.

Now there is your philosophy for the day.  Good luck in whatever venture you currently face.