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10 Productivity Myths That Hold You Back
No Time For A System
Most systems take some time to set up, but once you start using it, the time you use in “maintenance” is made up for by the time you save not having to think about what to do – or making up for the things you didn’t remember to do.
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Key Ideas
Copying successful people
Putting highly successful people on a pedestal can unknowingly hinder our own efforts. We get caught in comparisons and it’s easy to forget that they’ve had and still have their own set of struggle...
Maximize every moment
Working well is not about maximizing every waking moment of the day, in order to get more done. And the focus on maximizing time may actually diminish our creativity.
Instead, try identifying and focusing on the few hours of the day you are most productive.
Setting Big Goals
To achieve sustainable productivity habits, it’s best to build up with easily achievable tasks.
Small chunks of accomplishment will amount to something big eventually.
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Key Ideas
Using a productivity system
The idea of a productivity system is to organize the stuff you need to do.
There are many systems out there. But you may have no idea which system to pick. You may start we...
The purpose of using a system
There are only three different kinds of systems:
- The system of other people: You respond to the time pressures of other people.
- The system of feelings and moods: You might work a lot when you feel creative.
- A system of your own design: Moods and outside pressures still matter, but they're not the only guiding factor on what to do.
Building a habit of a productivity system is about creating a buffer between you and your temporary emotions or external pressures.
Your system needs to fit your work
Any system is designed using a particular set of assumptions about your work. The assumptions need to fit your situation.
For instance, the weekly/daily goals system works well when you have a number of concrete tasks to complete. But if your tasks are open-ended or contain only one task, then the system doesn't fit the task.
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Key Ideas
8 hours of sleep as a must
The sleep time required for optimal functioning depends on individual needs – and these vary with season, mood, activity level and other factors.
The "power" of multitasking
Multitasking can be detrimental. Research shows it stresses and slows us down, increasing our potential for error. It also decreases information retention and focus.
Productivity in offices
We can be productive out of offices. Research shows that those who dislike office have increased productivity when working from home or on public spaces.