20 Signs Your Team Needs Productivity Training

Let’s be real. Productivity training can get a bad rap. Why?.... Well, let’s see…. 

Maybe productivity training gets misinterpreted as a subtle message that staff aren’t up to par. It’s received as veiled “feedback,” or worse, punishment. Oh, he’s taking that “productivity training”…. 

Maybe it puts staff on the defensive. Who, me? I don’t need productivity training….

Maybe it’s a little galling. Well, we wouldn’t need productivity training if things weren’t run this way…. 

Maybe it seems oddly counter-intuitive. Well, I could be productive if I didn’t have to spend time in a training about being productive.

Or maybe it deserves a bad rap. There’s definitely productivity training out there that’s not, well, productive.  It’s conceptual, out-of-touch perfectionism taught by those buttoned-up trainers who can’t conceive of how you wouldn’t always have a neat desk and your email under complete control. 

As a productivity trainer and coach (who isn’t buttoned-up or out-of-touch), I think there’s another way to look at it. 

Good productivity training should give people the means to greater agency, impact, and freedom.

The side effects of effective productivity training are staff who are:

Less overwhelmed and stressed

Less frustrated and stuck

More clear and agile

More decisive and proactive

More reliable and powerful

More engaged and happy

Here are 20 signs that your team might benefit from good, real-world productivity training. And might even thank you for it. 

These productivity symptoms are in escalating order – from initial presenting signs that, left untreated, can progress into more serious and tenacious productivity “disease.”

01| Emergency mode by default

With the accelerating pace and daily onslaught of information, many default to whatever grabs attention or the latest “emergency” as a way to prioritize. Over time, this MO degrades motivation, impact, and effectiveness.

02| Endless meetings 

Professionals spend a good portion of their precious workday gathered in conference rooms or on conference calls, yet few consider it time well spent. Meetings often feel like wheel-spinning exercises that don’t advance the work.

03| Email overwhelm 

So much work is shuttled back and forth and back again through email. Yet, few use the tool well. As a result, people are glued to their email and try to fashion it into a to-do list. Problem is: this approach (which may seem brilliant - I mean, that’s where the work is, right?) lays us bare to constant interruption and a big, unruly virtual pile with to-do’s buried inside. And who hasn’t gone down the email rabbit hole in an email trance, spending untold hours without much to show for it?

04| Constantly “on”

I have good news and bad news. The good news is: Technology makes it possible to reach anyone, anywhere, anytime. The bad news is: Technology makes it possible to reach anyone, anywhere, anytime. People need recovery time yet rarely get it. They are “on” 24/7. Reachable. Without recovery time, it’s difficult to focus, make decisions, communicate, and problem solve.

05| Always saying “yes”

It’s admirable to be a “yes,” can-do, person. A team player. The go-to person. But watch out when people only say yes. If “yes” is the unquestioned, default position, if they never say “no” to anything, they will likely succumb to the often crushing burden of overcommitment. Overcommitment eventually catches up and diminishes overall performance.

06| Relentless task switching, interruption, and multitasking 

A study from the University of California Irvine found that professionals are interrupted about every 11 minutes. So? What’s the big deal? The big deal is that the brain isn’t built for that. Task switching takes a cognitive toll.

It takes only about a minute to wipe out short-term memory, which is why people have to retrace their steps to re-remember what they were doing and where they left off. Today’s workplace runs on a heavy dose of interruption and multitasking and that takes a heavy toll on performance.

07| “Dialing it in” and low “engagement” scores on staff surveys

When people are in the emergency mode, when their default work method is to focus on whatever grabs their attention, they start to feel out of control. They get disconnected from their own agency and sense of meaning, which lowers motivation. They start “dialing it in,” going through the motions. They disengage. And that shows up in their performance and, eventually, on the staff survey.

08| Procrastination

When people are “fire-fighting” every day, it’s easy to procrastinate on the bigger, high impact projects. These projects never seem to score the day’s focus because they aren’t, well, on fire. Yet. Just procrastinate long enough and these big-ticket items eventually will burst into flames. But let’s face, that’s no way to live, or work.

09| Compliance, rather than consent

When people start dialing it in, when they’re on auto-pilot, when they disengage, they go into compliance mode. They go along to get along. They may outwardly be agreeable, but their performance is compromised by this sneaky thief - compliance. But compliance is good, right? Not really. Not if you want a culture of responsibility, accountability, and leadership. Not if you want creativity, quality, and innovation.

Mere compliance is a lazy surrender of power - of the power to give consent - to be all in. Compliance often grows under the feet of fear and blame. Consent, on the other hand, is the potent driver of responsible action. It’s the engine of productivity. Compliance may stand in as a poor and costly imposter for consent. You may hobble along with compliance, but you’ll never win the race. You may survive - often at a cost - but you won’t thrive.

10| Slipping deadlines 

When people are running to keep up, overwhelmed by a steady stream of information and change, deadlines start to slip. Of course, it makes sense that timelines change with new information. But if slipping deadlines are the SOP, something is amiss.

11| Signs of stress 

When people are overloaded, when they aren’t productively engaged in their work, you begin to see the signs of stress: an uptick in sick days, moodiness, emotional volatility, exhaustion, poor concentration, workaholism, despondency, health problems, worry, anxiety.

12| Excuses

Want to know if people are productive? Listen to them. Do they speak in the language of accountability or the trendy talk of excuses? Excuses animate the victim mentality. Ironically, people end up becoming the victims of their own excusing habit. They drain their power through their fidelity to excuses.

13| Confusion

With so much input flying so fast, people can lose their bearings. They lose contact with their purpose, goals, meaning, priorities, values, roles, systems, discipline, craft. They operate helter-skelter and succumb to the numbing state of confusion. Sustained confusion becomes a drag factor on performance.

14| Gossip 

Can you hear the whispers of gossip in the halls? Then, you can make an educated guess that people may be disengaged, dissatisfied, or dialing it in. Gossip syphons off the energy of performance. It erodes trust quickly. And without trust, results are stunted.

15| Complaints about unreasonable demands or leaders

If you get wind of complaints about unreasonable demands or leaders, pay attention. It’s often a sign that the turbulence of change, of fire-fighting, of emergency mode is gaining steam and finding a target - and it’s probably not your quarterly goals.

16| Pockets of irritation and resentment

Is there a growing distance between groups of employees? Are people separating into “us” and “them” camps? While you may dismiss this as human nature or no big deal, this can quickly turn into the breeding ground for irritation and resentment, which can infect and impair performance.

17| Conflict that doesn’t get resolved

Conflict can be productive. It can spark new ideas. It can be the bridge to deeper understanding. However, conflict that doesn’t get resolved drains energy and time from productive, collaborative action. When conflict drags on and on, performance suffers.

18| Office politics 

It’s true: where there are people, there are politics. In it’s most benign or even benevolent form, politics is the skillful gathering and wielding of influence. It’s how you gain permission to exercise your power in a community. It’s the rules of engagement. It’s how you self-organize, anoint leaders, share ideas, work together.

However, when office politics rule with an iron fist, when they are the sole determinant of who gets a seat at the table, or who’s idea is heard, or who’s plan is shut out - then, Houston, we’ve got a (productivity) problem. In this type of toxic, hyper-politicized environment, team performance cedes to the self-serving rules of a powerful few. Eventually, this distorted, inbred power weakens results.

19| HR complaints

HR complaints are the urgent care of productivity disease. They are a screaming sign that productivity issues have been ignored and festered. And while you’ll need to triage and stabilize the immediate symptoms first, it’s important to take a holistic approach. What is the root of the HR complaints? What can you do to inoculate against these complaints. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself in a cycle of throwing time and money at a problem that you’ll never cure.

20| Turnover 

When the signs of productivity distress are ignored, they can eventually lead to turnover. We recognize that constant turnover has a significant financial cost. But there are auxilarly costs that debilitate a team or business. It takes a toll on morale, trust, teamwork, engagement, organizational knowledge, public relations, performance, and productivity.

The good news is these symptoms don’t have to be chronic, or a death sentence. There’s a remedy. In fact, there’s a cure: becoming expert in the mechanics, the techniques of work. 

In today’s highly dynamic and fast-changing environment, you need a solid, reliable method for triaging information, making decisions, directing attention, prioritizing, and taking action.

That’s what good productivity training can deliver: a kind of productivity “wellness” regime that builds a productivity “immune” system - a system that delivers the clarity, agility, control, confidence, impact, and engagement that leads to high-level productivity and healthy, robust performance.

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If your team could use some real-world, real-good productivity training, check out productivity training and coaching services here.

In particular, the flagship course, Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment may be just the ticket for your team. This is an in-person course offered in businesses and organizations.

Or, if you want to take the self-paced, online version of the course, you can find out information here: Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment.

Overwhelm Your Overwhelm

One thing I hear a lot from my clients, friends, colleagues (and, truth be told, from myself) is, "I'm overwhelmed." Or variations on that theme like, "I can't keep up," "It's just too much."

It's fashionable, really. Shows you're really in the game, you're a player, right? In fact, some people outright flaunt their frenzy as they flit from thing to thing. 

People defend their overwhelm: I mean, there's...

so much to do, 

so many emails, 

so many commitments, 

so many demands, 

so many interruptions, 

so many inconveniences,

so many frustrations,

so many expectations, 

so much noise, 

so much information, 

so many opinions, 

so many options, 

so much fury,

so many changes,

so many channels....

It takes no special effort to be overwhelmed. No degree, no innate talent, no specialized skill.

What it does take (for all of us) is a willingness to be overwhelmed. A belief that it's inevitable. Or, out of our hands.

And while I get why everyone is overwhelmed and definitely have empathy for it (after all, overwhelm is what often prompts people to seek out my work), I'd like to call it out a bit. I'd like to take it's power down a peg. I'd like to puncture the propaganda for a minute. 

In a sense, overwhelm is the false belief that you have no power. Overwhelm is a denial of agency. A shirking of responsibility. 

Overwhelm is the false belief that you’re not up to the task of your work and your life. It's basically, a lie. 

Now this is not to say that there isn't a good, understandable case for overwhelm. Yet, the only reason the score turns in favor of overwhelm is because we're playing without rules. 

Without rules to the game: overwhelm will likely win. With rules, you play on your terms (which should always be favorable to your "winning" or success, right??! I mean you can rig the game, you know...)... 

What are rules? They are the boundaries you put in place to protect your mind, body, and spirit - to protect your performance and peace of mind. They cure the pain of overwhelm. 

How to chose your rules? Figure out first the game you want to play. What are you after? What is important to you? Rules are the friendly fences you erect to protect what you care about. 

Then, follow the pain, follow the overwhelm and figure out a rule that will protect you from it, keep it away.

Are you overwhelmed by tiredness? Then, maybe a new rule for the time you go to sleep. 

Are you overwhelmed by your inbox? Then, maybe a rule that specifies the timeframe for managing your email. 

Are you overwhelmed by political rhetoric? Then, maybe some rules about the sources and frequency of exposure. 

Are you overwhelmed by all the social events? Then, maybe some rules about what to say yes to and what to say no to. 

The definition of the word "overwhelm" is: "to bury or drown beneath a huge mass of something. To give too much of something to, inundate. To defeat completely. To be too strong for; overpower."

It's interesting (and revealing) that we mostly use the passive form of "overwhelm" - we are the objects of some invisible player doing the overwhelm. And what's also interesting is the dictionary doesn't include a noun form of the word. We've adopted that because "being overwhelmed" has become "a thing," a reactive feeling when someone or something out there is overwhelming us. 

So let's turn things around and take back the power from this overwhelming phantom. Let's overwhelm overwhelm with some good rules. Let's call it out, see it for what it is - and keep it at bay with some basic boundaries. 

What has been overwhelming you? And what rules can protect you and keep you on your productive path?

PS Want to get some good, solid, tested, easy rules for managing your commitments on the daily? Then, I encourage you to check out the self-paced, online course: Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment. This course will help you say goodbye to overwhelm. 

Productive Patterns

I love patterns. I love connecting dots. I love connections, themes, analogies, synchronicities.

Perhaps it's because I love order, purpose, design. I find it exhilarating. Whether it's true or not, I believe there's inherent purpose - design - in life. And because of that belief, there is for me.

When I teach my Workflow Mastery course or other productivity courses, there's often someone in the room who deplores systems and routines (go figure). They argue quite vociferously that they want to be free, unimpinged by constraints, free to be creative, not boxed in.

Well, I listen with compassion. I do understand the drive for freedom, because I have it in spades. I do understand the love of creativity, because that moves me each day.

However, I have to speak to what I know to be true (once the person has unloaded their concerns).

Turns out, pattern and creativity are friends. In fact, they need each other. Discipline and freedom are best buds. Seriously. The productive paradox.

For this truth, I let Nature teach. Nature is incredibly ordered, scheduled, rhythmic. Look close up at a leaf or a pine cone. Watch the routines of a bird or a fox. Patterns, order, discipline. They are woven into life. They are the stuff of life.

Do these patterns inhibit creativity? Squash innovation? Predict a dull future?

Not at all.

Take a step back and you'll see the infinitely inventive ways that Nature relates, adapts, innovates, expresses. That crazy vine that just can't stop blooming. That unique location for a nest. That over-the-top, relentless beauty of a cherry tree in the Spring. That tumultuous hurricane that draws the seas into its being and travels its own route, regardless of anyone's opinions.

Nature is patterned, yes. It follows rules. And yet, it is free, creative, unbounded.

The productive paradox.

I believe that pattern and system and discipline provide the foundational strength and stamina to be creative, innovative, flexible.

I've seen with clients that when there is no routine, no system, no discipline, they are enslaved by their environment, scooped up by chaos, at the mercy of other people's agendas. Unmoored. Unanchored.

They tell me they're tired of not having an impact. Of going in circles. Of not seeing progress. Of dialing it in.

And so, I speak of the power of patterns. Of the right drop of discipline that can free them to do the great work they are built for.

What patterns, what disciplines free you? I'd love to know….

PS And if getting a little more order and control in the day-to-day sounds interesting to you, you might consider Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment.

Why Hedge Your Bets?

I'm part of a small group of women entrepreneurs participating in a program (led by business mentor and expert Michelle Pippin) aimed at growing our respective businesses. 

Today, I recounted an experience to this group, which led to a double "aha" (something like a double rainbow) that I'm sharing here because it has everything to do with productivity and all that stuff. 

Here's the story:

I'm working on a project in my business. I've written down the results related to the project, and included some aspirational outcomes (wouldn't-it-be-great-if... stuff). 

The other day, I took the aspirational outcomes off my list, because, as I put it, "It was bothering me to include them because it made the reality a little inflated."

In other words, it wasn't depicting the actual facts on the ground.

Well, here's what happened: One of the so-called aspirational outcomes... actually happened. After I took it off my list.

I was reminded again of the power of intention. And I expressed my lesson to the group today like this: "I see that I 'hedge my bets' and often miss on the intentional power to create through envisioning." Simple. Aha! Cool. 

It was interesting that I used the phrase "hedge my bets," and awesome that Michelle didn't miss a beat to zero in on that. She commented that we hedge our bets, so we aren't let down, to protect ourselves from being disappointed. And by hedging our bets, we take away some of the power of intention setting - what these aspirations compel and inspire us to do. 

Holy cow. And BOOM!

You see, I've been feeling for some time (like a really long time) that I've installed a beautiful glass ceiling over me. I mean, as ceilings go, it's a really nice one. It provides for me well. 

However, for all its protection, it still feels like a barrier that I can't break through (even though I built it). 

 

And then, there are those words. Hedge. My. Bets.

I saw that my lovely, homey glass ceiling (which lets in lots of light) has been constructed by Hedging My Bets. I created a ceiling to protect me from the risk of:

Disappointment

Vulnerability

The Unknown

Exposure

And so on ...

Holy. (Freaking). Cow.

Of course, I had to look a bit more into this phrase that came tripping off the tongue (actually the keyboard). Here's what I found out there in the Interwebs:

"The word hedge means to avoid making a definitive commitment, to avoid committing oneself; to leave a means of retreat open. It comes from the noun hedge, which means a fence made of shrubbery. The hedge that forms a fence offers protection and security, much like hedging a bet. 'Hedge your bets' first appeared in the late-1600s. The first use was by George Villiers, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, in his play The Rehearsal (1672): 'Now, Criticks, do your worst, that here are met; For, like a Rook, I have hedg’d in my Bet.'" (www.english.stackexchange.org)

"The verb 'to hedge' derives from the noun hedge, that is, a fence made from a row of bushes or trees. These hedges were normally made from the spiny Hawthorn, which makes an impenetrable hedge when laid. To hedge a piece of land was to limit it in terms of size and that this gave rise to the 'secure, limited risk' meaning." (www.phrases.org.uk)

"The figure of speech 'to hedge one’s bets,' whether it be in relation to a market investment, or a wagering game bet investment, derives—albeit sometimes loosely speaking—as an allusion to 'fencing in,' so as to prevent loss by escape (a form of guarding or protection), as if with hedgerows or similar planting arrangements.

The chief characteristic of a 'hedged' bet/investment is that it requires a (generally profit-reducing) counter-endeavor—a likely-to-be countervailing bet, investment, operation—so that the net gain expectation, if any, is knowingly lowered in order to avoid or minimize net loss." (www.english.stackexchange.org) 

Soooo....

I saw that my own M.O. has woven into it this idea of hedging my bets.

And for all the imagined protection this way of operating has provided, it has required "a generally PROFIT-REDUCING COUNTER-ENDEAVOR - so that the net gain expectation, IF ANY, is KNOWINGLY LOWERED in order to avoid or minimize net loss." (emphasis mine)

Now, for some, maybe hedging a bet here or there would be a good idea! But I see for myself, that it's no way to live, or work. 

So now, being aware of this hedge-betting business, I want to play my cards more fully. You know, play full out.

I'm going to dream and declare and do (even if it bothers me because it seems "inflated" or not "realistic"). And that beautiful glass ceiling may just shatter (in an awesome, sparkling way) with my own exuberance and energy and effort. And who knows what I'll discover just beyond it? Pretty much only way to find out. Right?

I tell you this story to spread the "aha" magic.

What kind of "hedges" have you cultivated and manicured to hedge your "bets"? What dreams do you not write down because you are being realistic?

And how might you play your game beyond those elegant hedges?

Want to join me in dreaming and doing, imagining and intending, aspiring and aiming - free of all that hedging? (You know you do. It will be fun.)
 

A view of hedges from my run today. #lindsayontherun

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PS. If you’re a woman who is creating, running, growing a business - and would like to surround yourself with go-for-it women and straight-talk expertise from Michelle, check out the Women Who WOW The Online Alliance for Seriously Driven Women Entrepreneurs. 

PPS. If you’re into getting productivity findings, tips, etc. that work in the real world, I'll send them to you. Sign up here. Easy Peasy.  OR join the Facebook Group, Productivity Powers. Or both. 

PPPS. (Because, why not?) Want "a method in the madness"? A way to systematically manage all the details of work and life in order to avoid the crazy-busy trap and have the impact you most want? Then check out the self-paced, online course Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment.

Productivity Is Not The Point

I’m a productivity trainer and coach. So, it might surprise you to know that I actually don’t care about whether:

Your inbox is empty.

Your office is neat.

You have an up-to-date to-do list.

Your files are in order.

You prioritize like a pro. 

You avoid multitasking.

You plan in 90-day periods.

You have a morning routine.

I don’t care about those things. Well… not exactly.

Let me explain. 

I’ve often wondered why a lot of productivity training makes me uneasy. I mean, I teach productivity. That’s my thing. 

Here’s what bugs me. “Productivity” is often taught (get ready for sweeping generalization...) as a kind of moral imperative by people who can’t comprehend how in the world you could ever have a messy desk or an exploding inbox.

There can be an undertone of superiority that sends a subtle message that these “productivity” techniques are part and parcel of good character, like personal hygiene and telling the truth. To me, much of productivity training has a weird goody-two-shoes vibe.

Why does this bother me? I mean, being on top of that inbox is important, ISN'T IT?!! 

It bothers me because it misses the point. 

Productivity is not an end in itself. It is the means. Inbox-Zero is not the point. So, no, I don’t ultimately care about your inbox. 

What I care about is your power. Productivity is about power. 

Okay, let's face it: “power” is a loaded word, and many of us have a visceral reaction to it. In fact, we shrink from it. It makes us a little (or a lot) uneasy. Why? Perhaps it’s due to the barrage of cultural messages about power. 

I mean, just look at the news: it is a daily diary of abuse of power – and always has been. And so, it stands to reason that we can unconsciously conflate power with its abuse. No wonder it makes us uncomfortable. In the social, economic, or political sphere, power is a pie and everyone is vying for a tiny piece, a little sliver. 

In the realm of productivity, however, I’m speaking about power in a more stripped down, basic, elemental sense. From this perspective, consider that power is neutral. Power is natural. Power is necessary. 

It fuels. It energizes. It plows the field. It turns on the lights.

It’s hard to get up in the morning without power.

Why do I teach productivity? I teach it as a means for people to access and exercise their natural, inherent power. 

What is power? Power is freedom and impact. 

Power is about agency – the capacity to affect an outcome, to move a needle, or to find it in a haystack.

Power is the capacity to make a difference, or a "dent."  Power is potent, but not flashy. This natural power I’m talking about is generative, beneficial, constructive. You might say, productive.

The reason I teach productivity is encapsulated in that moment when I’m working with someone to set up a way to manage their email and tasks and it happens:  I see this flash of light in their eyes (I'm not kidding.) It's that split second they realize that there’s a way to regain control over what has seemed out of control. I adore that moment. 

What is that flash of light in their eyes really? It is the recognition of their power. The power is back on. Lights on. Game on. They can see their way to greater agency. And that translates to greater impact, contribution, fulfillment, and meaning.

For me, that’s the magic. Something as mundane as getting an inbox under control or upgrading a to-do list or planning or managing one’s energy opens the door to a reservoir of personal power.

This isn't power you store up to use in some dramatic effort. This is the day-to-day power of making choices, taking action, and giving your best right where you are. 

So, yes, I actually do care about your inbox, and your office, and your habits. I care about how you ignite your motivation, manage your mindset and your energy. I care about how you connect and communicate. And I care about the method you use to fulfill your commitments, goals, responsibilities, and aspirations each day. I care about your productivity.

But not as an end to itself. 

It’s about what that productivity enables. The work and life it powers. 

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Want to open the door to greater power (read agency, impact, meaning)?

Then, consider whether the self-paced, online course, Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment  might be just the thing for you (or for others you know).... For details go here: 

What You Really Need to Be Productive: Read this before you download another productivity app or buy another organizer

Yes, I admit: I’m pretty much a sucker for the latest productivity app.

In fact, while writing this, I hopped into the iPhone app store to see if I could find how many productivity apps there are. I couldn’t find that number. But I did download today’s featured productivity app that allows you to take visual notes … I mean, how awesome is that?  

But I digress. 

I know I’m not alone in my productivity-app love. It’s not accidental that productivity is a featured category in the app store (regardless of device affiliation). Productivity apps are moneymakers.

And if digital isn’t your jam, there’s a universe of analogue options: from ingenious productivity journals, to classic moleskin notebooks, to trendy organizers.

The promise of improved productivity in the palm of your hand – whether digital or physical – is enticing, to say the least.

Yes, I download A LOT of productivity apps. But, I also admit: I don’t use most of them. 

It’s easy to get seduced into thinking that an app is going to save the day, or that an organizer will get you accomplishing things like there’s no tomorrow. 

But, many of these cool tools end up abandoned after the novelty wears off. 

Why? Because they’re the cart – not the horse…. And you need the horse, if you want to get anywhere. Obviously.

Now, I’m not here to dash your productivity dreams, or dish on apps and organizers. Far from it.

I’m here to bring a dose of reality to the magical thinking that makes us believe (again) that a cool tool or groovy gadget is the magic bullet. 

“I’m here to bring a dose of reality to the magical thinking that makes us believe (again) that a cool tool or groovy gadget is the magic bullet. ”

The best paintbrush won’t have you turning out masterpieces. The high-tech speedo won’t have you laps ahead of your competition. 

Yes, these tools may aid. They’re the cart. But they’re powered by the horse – the artist’s or athlete’s method. The way they play their game. Their technique. 

If you want to power up your productivity and make accomplishment a daily routine (count me in): you need a method. Your own “workflow” method. 

To be clear, you have a method. Everyone has a method (even if they don’t call it that). Mostly, we don’t notice how we get things done – we just get busy….

Most people have some sort of jerry-rigged habits – conscious and unconscious – that get them through the day. Maybe the method includes:

Working out of the inbox

Writing (or rewriting) a daily to-do list

A schedule packed with meetings

Reacting to whatever comes up (you know, being responsive)

Putting tasks on the calendar (and then moving them forward when they don’t get done)

Using a blend of sticky notes and their awesome memory

Holding check-in meetings

And so on . . . 

Look at the past few days… and you’ll start to detect your method. You do have a method, a technique, the way you do stuff, the way you handle your work and life.

The question is: Does your method work? 

Does your method reliably deliver the results you want? 

Does your method leave you satisfied at the end of the day? 

Does your method keep you focused on what matters? 

Does your method give you confidence that you’re on top of things and nothing is “falling through the cracks”? 

Does your method put you in control? 

Does your method keep you energized?

Does your method have you playing your game the way you want?

Or… is their maybe, possibly, some room for improvement?  

As the saying goes, if you want a different result, you have to do something differently. 

Or put another popular way: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. 

If you want a different – better – result, then look at your method, your technique – and refine it, upgrade it. 

So before you download another productivity app, get your productivity game together. 

Make sure you have a workable method you trust. Establish an effective technique to achieve your goals, aspirations, and intentions – on the daily, as they say. 

A method is made up of some basic rules you follow – rules of engagement. (And for those rule-resisters, remember these are YOUR rules.)

Consider your workflow method as setting up the game board of work (and life). Without rules, there’s no way to win – you’re just looping aimlessly through Candy Land, or filling up your car with pink and blue pegs in the Game of Life…. 

Your method (in the madness) should help you:

1| Achieve crystal clarity. 

If you’re going to bet on a horse, put your money on Clarity. 

Imagine trying to use your GPS to get somewhere – but you’re not exactly sure where you’re going…. OR the exact coordinates of where you are now. Sure, you may know you want to go in that general direction (let’s say, “West”), and you know the vicinity of your current location. But, GPS doesn’t really work that way. Siri will end up driving you up a wall, but not to your destination. 

Many underestimate the power of clarity until they experience the immediate boost, the sense of progress (and relief) that happens simply by getting clear. (Now THAT’S magic).

I see this all the time with my clients. The first step of getting crystal clear has them flying high. All of a sudden, what seemed vague, or looming, or overwhelming, or inscrutable is now doable, possible, within reach.

Without clarity, you’re smack dab in the fog. You know you’re busy and have a lot on your plate – but you’re not quite sure of the best move to make. 

Your method should deliver crystal clarity about what is actually on your plate – the actions, projects, goals, requests, responsibilities you have committed to. 

Only then, will you be able to

make clear-headed decisions on the fly,

direct and redirect your efforts,

say yes or no with confidence,

communicate persuasively,

and see the forest AND the trees.

With the escalating pace and volume of information, it’s easy for things to get muddled quickly. The constant flow of new requests, opportunities, challenges, and demands can cloud and confuse. Clarity is gold. And it’s at a premium in today’s noisy world. 

Clarity allows you to navigate with confidence. Clarity fuels that horse.

And one more thing. When it comes to clarity, you can’t fix it and forget it. Clarity requires an everyday, dynamic engagement with your world. Things do change. Fast. And so your method must give you the capacity to recalibrate to clarity quickly. 

Clarity is a virtue and will take you far. The vague rarely wins the day. Without clarity, you’ll be a cart without a horse, up a creek without a paddle… you get the idea.  

So get a method that delivers clarity. Every day.

2| Make decisions.

Decisions are the meter of progress. Each day, you're confronted with…

So. Many. Decisions. 

Yet, it's easy to put decisions off for another day. In fact, in my work with others (and myself), I’ve noticed a rampant lack of decision-making. This takes a toll, not only on progress – but also on energy. When indecision piles up, it drains, stresses, and overwhelms.

Typically, people avoid making decisions (even in the simplest things) for two primary reasons: 1) They don't want to limit their options; or 2) They don't want to make a mistake.  

Here's the interesting thing about decisions: They almost always help you move forward, even if the decision is "wrong." It’s far easier to redirect when you're moving, than when you're standing still, or sitting out. Basic physics. 

Your method should help you make smart decisions.

For example, people’s email is a pile of indecision. What if you had a rule that when you read an email you must make a decision about what you will do next  – rather than push that decision into your future…. by going on to read the next email – that, of course, is more interesting than the one you’re reading now…? 

Radical, yes. In fact, it might revolutionize your productivity. Just a little rule about making decisions on email could change your game for the better. 

3| Prioritize confidently.

It’s easy to show up each day and get busy. There’s no end to the things calling your name. But are you doing the things that matter – or defaulting to the loudest voice? 

Your method should help you determine what is priority for your time and attention. 

Now, let’s be real. A priority isn’t etched in stone. No task or project is inherently a priority. A priority exists in relation to the whole– everything elseyou need to do. Priorities fluctuate and shift with the constant tide of information and constraints of time, energy, and resources.

You need a method that helps you assess these factors on the run, and determine where to put your focus at any given moment.

4| Optimize energy.

Without energy: game over. It’s that simple. (No horse. No cart. No go.)

Your method should optimize your energy. At the end of the day, you should feel energized. Not drained.

All living things have a biological clock, their own beat, their own ebb and flow. And while humans generally fall into certain typical patterns related to times of robust versus receding energy, each person has their own chronotype – their own circadian rhythm. 

Yes, there are external realities that we may not have control over. However, your method should help you match your energy to the task, as much as possible. 

For example, when your energy is strongest (often at the beginning of the day), do the work that requires concentration and cognitive muscle, rather than waste it on scrolling through email or Instagram.

When your energy is lagging, do those easier, routine tasks. 

Your method should help you design your day to bring your best game, the optimum energy for the play.

5| Make progress on the strategic.

In the default mode, the urgent and immediate always win. That strategic thing, that bigger effort that isn’t in your face but could have real impact – gets relegated to, you know, another day. 

Your method should promote step-by-step progress on those big things that will make a difference. 

6| Focus.

Productivity requires focus. And yet, it’s no secret that focus is hard to come by – with all the bells and whistles, dings and pings that accompany your day. Your attention span continues to dwindle as the notifications accelerate. And if something or someone isn’t interrupting you, it’s likely you’ll interrupt yourself with a quick check of your phone or the news or the latest productivity app. 

Like the blinders on a racehorse, your method should help you protect against the daily distractions, and keep you moving forward in your lane. 

7|  Run your email (instead of letting it run you).

If there’s anything that’s crying out for a rule, it’s email. Left unchecked, it takes over and calls the shots. 

Hanging out all day in your inbox puts you squarely in the reaction mode, at the effect of other people’s agendas. 

Email also earns the award for Best Procrastination Device Ever. It lulls you into thinking you’re doing something when really you’re just avoiding that paper you have to write, or that plan you need to create, or that difficult conversation you need to have, or that hard stuff. 

Run right, email is a fantastic tool of the trade. Without rules, you become email’s tool – hopping with every notification. 

So, before you reach for that new productivity app or organizer….. 

First, make sure you have a good horse (a sound method). Then, you can add the cart (that app or organizer). 

We love the cart – but we need the horse. Get a clear, workable method, some simple rules to power your efforts, to play your game…. and progress and accomplishment will become routine.

If you’re thinking that maybe an upgrade to your method is in order, I encourage you to consider the online course, Workflow Mastery: The Disciplines of Accomplishment

Question: Would you like to learn the basic techniques - a solid, simple method  - to: 

Achieve clarity…

Make decisions …

Prioritize confidently …

Focus…

Optimize your energy …

Make progress on the strategic …

Run your email (instead of letting it run you) …

And more… 

….as a matter of routine, so that you can achieve what matters most to you?

If so, the Workflow Mastery course may be for you.

I've taught this course to (by now) thousands of professionals in businesses and organizations globally. For some time, I've been wanting to bring this course to more people and not limit it to private training events only. 

And now: TADA! 

I'm happy to announce that the online version of the course is now open for enrollment.

A self-paced, online video course.

Designed to fit into your (obviously) busy schedule.

Click below for more information. See if this course might be just the help you need to get a method that really works. 

Want to Get into a Productive Cycle? Do this.

Do you ever get to Friday wondering where the time went?

Do you sometimes feel frustrated that the thing you most wanted to get done - didn't (again)? Do you occasionally feel disapointed that procrastination got the best of you (again)? Do you sometimes close the week feeling discouraged that you didn't make the progress you wanted? 

Well, if this has ever been the story of your week, or if you simply want to end the week strong, energized by your accomplishments, then I have a technique for you. It's called front-loading.

"Front-load" means:

1. To arrange or plan (a schedule, project, or process, for example) so that a large portion of the activity happens in an early period.

2. To concentrate maximum effort (on an activity) at the outset.

Front-loading is a super-simple method that can have you riding high by the time the weekend rolls around. Basically, it's deliberately loading the beginning of a time period (your day and your week) with high-impact work - the work that matters most. 

 

Front-load Your Week

Figure out what you most want to accomplish this week, then begin to work on it on Monday. (Yes, Monday).

What often happens is we have that important project or task that we want to get done and we chase it all week. We ease into the week and start thinking about it on Wednesday. Then, we get sidetracked by all interruptions and email and meetings... and... then it's Friday. Again. And, we haven't touched that thing we most wanted (or needed) to complete. 

But if you make some progress on Monday, you basically start out ahead of the game. 

 

Front-Load Your Day

But don't just front-load your week. Front-load your day. What do you most want to accomplish today? Spend the first hour of your day working on it. By 9:00 or 10:00 a.m., you'll be flying high. You'll have made progress on something that mattered. 

What do most people do with that first precious hour? Email. When you start with email, it's easy to get behind and find yourself pursuing that thing you most want to get done all day. And then, it's 6:00 p.m. and it's not done. So you stay late or "kick the can" to the next day. And so it goes. 

Front-loading your day makes sense from a cognitive perspective, too. That pre-frontal cortex -  that thinking, plotting, planning, conscious part of your brain - fatigues with use. That means as the day wears on, your thinking faculties wear down. Why not apply the strongest cognitive muscle to making progress on the things that matter? 

Front-loading is a simple technique that builds momentum and fuels motivation. 

When you make progress at the beginning of the day, and the beginning of your week, your motivation rises, setting up a productive cycle throughout the day and week.

These opening productive efforts have a compounding effect that spills into the rest of your day and week. Rather than chasing your goals all day and all week, you're keeping pace or maybe leading the pack. You're activating a productive cycle of progress. 

Front-loading also works well with things you are procrastinating on, or are dreading, or are just plain hard.

Front-load those "undesirables" and get them done. Then, it's smooth sailing all day and week. There is a famous quote by Mark Twain, "Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” The book Eat That Frog, by Brian Tracy, is inspired from that sentiment - essentially, do the hard stuff first. Get it over with and everything else will be easy. 

How you start matters. Just ask a competitive runner or swimmer or jockey. How you are out of the gate will make a difference in your race. 

Front-load your day and your week with the things that matter, the things that are hard, the things you're procrastinating on and you no longer will be spinning your wheels. You'll be igniting a natural, productive cycle... and cleaning up!

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Hey, you! Are you a go-getter, do-gooder, mover, shaker,  or a candlestick maker? 

Then, by all means, come join Productivity Power, a private Facebook Group focused on the art of accomplishment, the craft of productive work, the technique of creating the life you want. Join your crowd over at the 

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