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Knowledge work and productivity are incompatible.
How The Idea Of 'Productivity' Holds Us Back
- The linear definition of productivity assumes that if we complete our to-do list, we are productive for the day, not taking into account the time required for creative insights that come from serendipity and lateral thinking.
- It falsely ties us to a quantitative output, which involves pseudo-work based on input and output of an age gone by. Example: Making and emailing a daily report that no one reads.
- As we answer emails and put out the fires, we miss opportunities for creativity and deep thinking, and even getting bored, which makes the brain work better.
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Key Ideas
Measuring Employee Productivity
Fixing employee productivity in the industrial age, when most workers were handling machinery and it’s parts, was a tedious but doable process. The managers had to fix the people who were making mi...
The Old Productivity Formula
The basic productivity formula(productivity= output divided by input) worked well in the industrial age as the output and input were clearly defined and measurable.
Today’s leaders need innovative solutions to measure and improve productivity in a knowledge-based workplace, as the measurement of output and input is not what it was.
Quality And Quantity
While assigning value to the output of knowledge workers, we cannot simply measure the output like before.
Coders and doctors cannot be measured by the hour, as their output is not uniform or consistent every hour.
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Key Ideas
Multitasking
Those that do multitask the most are the worst at it.
Productivity is defined as, “having the power to produce.” By that definition, multitasking is the opposite of productivity becau...
Not Getting Enough Rest
- When we get tired, we make mistakes, which means more time and money must be put into correcting those mistakes.
- When we get tired, it takes us longer to do things, costing more time and money to do something that could get done in less time if we were fully awake.
Doing Everything Yourself
Either one of two problems: you don’t like delegating tasks, or you’re having trouble prioritizing which tasks deserve your time.
Figure out which tasks deserve your time the most (or those tasks that you do best), and outsource something that’s of low priority.
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Key Ideas
“In workplaces that encourage people to be themselves--that are less hierarchical and more innovative--people tend..."
Michael Kerr
Why humor is a key to success at work
- People will enjoy working with you.
- Humor is a potent stress buster.
- It is humanizing.
- It puts others at ease.
- Ha + ha = aha! Humor is a key ingredient in creative thinking.
- It helps build trust.
- It boosts morale.
- People who use humor tend to be more approachable.
- Humor can allow your company to stand out.
- It can increase productivity.