For my own productivity ‘system’, I have identified 4 key components that simplify the understanding of any system out there.  The framework is completely underpinned by your personal modes of operation and your core purpose and desire.  With this, here is the framework:

The 3 areas within the framework, as you can see, are tools, tactics and processes.  They are defined as follows:

Tools – these are the technology pieces and other systems that help you facilitate your productivity.  This would be your computer, smartphone, and software. Also included here are your notebooks and pens, post-it notes, etc. Whatever the tools are, these are here.

Tactics – these are the individual tasks or simple strategies within your system, such as a weekly meeting or daily download. Other areas include how you handle email, how you communicate and how you filter your information flow.

Processes – these are habits, routines, calendar events, and general management of your tactics and tools.  It is essentially methodologies that govern the cooperation of tools and tactics.

Now remember, as I mentioned, if your system is not grounded in the foundation of your mode of operation (M.O.) and your core purposes, it will likely fall apart and you will be miserable doing it. The goal isn’t simply to get stuff done but the right stuff in the right way, going for accomplishment and not simply busy-work.  Your M.O. is how you work most effectively. Not everyone operates exactly the same and this must be considered when deciding how to get things done.  Your core purpose includes your personal mission and life vision. What are you trying to do with your life and does your system move you properly?  Think about this and move toward identifying the 4 components for yourself and how they meld together.

What do you think? is this framework descriptive of your system of accomplishment?

Many systems of productivity exist today. Thousands of bloggers, experts, consultants, and organizations exist all with their own prescribed system of ultimate productivity.  But often, it is THEIR system and not one that works for you.  So what does work for you? Is it simply an excuse to say that it doesn’t work for me because it wasn’t designed specifically for me? Or are we simply failures for not being able to hold to every written rule within the system that dictates our breathing patterns? Well, to start developing YOUR system, your meMethod to productivity, you need to first understand yourself, and that is often simpler said than done.  Most people think they know themselves but when it comes down to it, they are as clueless as a stranger who just met them.  In fact, the stranger can be more accurate as they come in with no specific biases or desires or preconceived images of you.  Our own image often skews the perceptions we have about ourselves and this then affects our ability to design or operate within a system for personal productivity.  Once we understand where we are, we can move on to the next steps in designing our system or approach.

The following steps describe an approach to this design process:

1. understand yourself, your strengths, passions, and desires, your mode of operation, YOU.
2. Identify your responsibilities, projects, desired habits, etc… all the things you need to, or would like to accomplish
3. Analyze the current system or process you use. What works? What doesn’t?
4. Gather the information, tools, tactics, and possible strategies together that you have come across or thought up
5. Identify what fits within your “you” from step one. How do the current processes that are working fit?
6. Drop what does not fit or has not worked.
7. Identify the remaining areas of responsibility that are not taken care of by the viable tactics and strategies identified.
8. Delegate as many of these as possible. This may be through outsourcing, coworkers or other individuals internally (within your organization or family), or complete automation via technology.
9. Eliminate as many other responsibilities or tasks as possible since you likely will not do them anyhow.
10. Items that are left… well, you might just have to buck up and do them!  Have specific times and approaches to get the things done that need to be done but can only be done by you…even though they are no fun and don’t “flow” with YOU.

So, the question now arises… how can I understand myself more fully? There are many tools and exercises to assist you in doing this.  I will list and briefly describe a few of them.

Kolbe A Index – This index identifies your MO (mode of operation). It essentially identifies how you like to get things done.

StrengthFinder 2.0 – This test identifies 5 areas of talent which may be developed to become strengths. It is accompanied by a book that explains them in more detail.

VALS survey – This survey is short and sweet, designed to identify mindsets distinguished by 8 categories or types.

Myers-Briggs – Identifies personality traits such as habits of communication, patterns of action, and characteristic attitudes and values.

Each of these tests will reveal valuable insights into how you operate, where you derive passion and energy, and where you ought to explore or focus.  Remember this, it will be more valuable if you attempt to shed your ideal vision of yourself while taking these assessments and try to respond to each question as if in a vacuum.  Don’t over-think them.  For example, if the question states, “do you find yourself moving to the center of a big group or staying toward the edges of the group?” Don’t attempt to think where the question is leading and what the result might be one way or another, simply reflect back on past experiences in groups and realize where you gravitated or where you found to be more comfortable and where you gleaned energy.  Was the middle too stressful awkward for you? Did you feel alone when on the edge? Again, don’t over-think it.

With the results from these tests and some time spent contemplating them, you will be much more prepared to design your ideal system of accomplishment.  Take the steps above and discover yourself, then start designing!!

Entrepreneurs and new business owners have a tough time “changing channels”.  If you are one, you know exactly what I mean.  When we are at work, we work.  When at home, we relax…and work.  When at your kids baseball game, we cheer them on…and work (thanks you blasted smart phone!).  Now, the benefit to this often is seen in the ability to simply take time off whenever desired and still be able to finish up those contracts, or whatever.  This has been handy for me more than once.  The danger is, however, quite obvious.  If my wife said “lets go to California next week” (where she is from), we could do it.  I would, of course, likely take time to chat with clients and do some work.  With such short notice, there would inevitably be things that ought not be left or lack time to delegate.  This can be great, although worthless if I simply worked the entire time we were there!  Learning to manage the “channel surfing” of our attention is an invaluable skill and utter necessity, especially with other important attention grabbers such as family.  This brings us to a powerful principle of productivity, part of the meMethod… fixed-schedule lifestyles.

This principle was illustrated quite well in a blog post offered by Cal Newport here.  You may also learn more about him on his own blog here. The starting principles for fixed-schedule productivity are as follows:

Episode 4 of 37 Signals’ podcast is Jason Fried’s speech at BIG Omaha 2009.  As usual, he creates some friction with his viewpoints that often oppose the “trend & hype” of current venture buzz.  I like it!  I like the balance and alternative thinking that helps ground the entrepreneur.  Listen to it here.  and here is the quick and dirty summary from their site:

In this talk, Jason discusses what he’s learned at 37signals over the years. Topics covered: The idea that you should “fail early, fail often” is bogus. Plans are guesses. Interruption is the enemy of productivity. Sell your byproduct. Emulate chefs. Focus on what won’t change. If you want to do something, you’ve got to do it now.

Listen to it, I highly recommend it.  If you feel the need, let me know what you think of the key ideas, namely:

- “Fail early, fail often” debunked.

- Planning is a joke, just live in the moment!

- Don’t talk to each other, its an interruption.  Use tools instead.

- Sell byproducts.

etc…

A common conundrum that entrepreneurs find themselves in is that of work-life balance.  Even more so is a life-timing balance.  Often we are financially unstable, working 80 hour weeks, failing and starting up again, and we continue to put off life saying that once we achieve “x”, then we will be ready.  The common ones are marriage, children, vacations and travel, family time, personal time (not work related), etc.  I find myself with this dilemma on a regular basis, and here I am preparing for my first kid, a baby boy due in February!  I’m excited and have simply had to put those worries aside and know that I’ll figure it out.  There’s always a way and it’s never as bad as you initially think. Sometimes you just need to make it happen!

Live life in spite of circumstance

Sometimes life must be lived regardless of what circumstance permits.  Vacations and family time can only be passed on for so long before it grows too late.  Entrepreneurship is consuming and, for those who haven’t realized it yet, LIFELONG!