I'm not your (productivity) guru

Transmission #16 from Jupiter Dispatch

Oct 31, 2024

`Time: 3.50 Minutes`

Productivity is everywhere. In TV shows, on Youtube and in every book store. Anyone tells you that you have to improve your life and join the breakfast club at 5 am.

“But productivity isn’t about doing more.” - Ben Meer

A believe I share as well with SystemSunday Ben. But what is a good way to approach productivity in real life?

Here my own productivity story:

I’m lazy as fuck. Even if writing a weekly newsletter not looks like that.

It’s maybe surprising, but at work my colleagues tell me since years that I’m able to deliver fast and always. Then most of them do one project, I run at least 2.

That’s flattering for my ego of course, but what’s my secret?

I tell you, I’m not smarter or luckier. I just follow some simple tips:

Not over stating it: Means I don’t run a tight schedule with everything planed and booked out.
Instead I make room to linger around: Sounds controversial but it’s crucial to give your urgent and important tasks room. (see Ben’s post below)
Be ruthless with prioritising: You have to master acknowledging what is important and moves the needle. I don’t like to do stuff which is not contributing. (problem is, that many corps push useless work)
Focus on outcome not showcasing being busy: I don’t care about if the solution is stupid simple. Done is better than perfect. Complex problems often don’t need a complex solution.
Systemise everything possible: Don’t doing unnecessary stuff is only one thing. You should also cut everything what’s possible in the tasks which sadly are necessary or even better, automate everything you have to do when practicable.

I’m often slower with new tasks or in new environments than others in the beginning, but more often I beat them in speed on the long run. Understanding what you have to achieve with a certain task is crucial. If you done that, then cut to the essentials.

So don’t be afraid of get some initial blame for being slow or for doing things different.

It will take some time to learn what you need to do and know what tasks to let go, but you should invest some weeks of going through this process.

For the start, use Ben’s post here and act like suggested:

My pro tip for you: Clear your calendar. Only visit meetings which you have to. And block room for your important work, best 2-3 hours every morning. Don’t plan to much ahead.

Put things and meetings you have to do at the afternoon. “Not urgent” stuff always later. It’s better to use your morning energy to eat the frog first.

Here’s a great video with our friend Shaan Puri which addresses all of this more deeply, if you want to go down the rabbit hole of being “effective instead of efficient”…