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- 5 productivity principles that really work
If you've tried many productivity methods before, you've probably noticed that many of them don't work, or have trouble adapting to you...
The reason is simple:
It's not possible to "manage your time"!
Time can't be controlled; it's first and foremost a question of energy, prioritization and structure.
That's why going against your nature, forcing yourself into patterns or boxes is not sustainable in the long term...
In this newsletter, I'm going to share with you the 5 principles that really work if you want to get better organized!
⏳ 5 productivity principles that really work
1- Surf your rhythm and emotions, don't fight against them!
Everyone is different, and what works for some won't necessarily work for you. That's why imposing routines on yourself because "it's right!" and forcing yourself into a discipline that goes against your nature will only wear you out, make you weary and give up.
It's crucial to recognize your own biological rhythms and preferences and use them to your advantage: identify your energy peaks, your cycles, your patterns... And adapt your organization accordingly!
This is the point that really changed the lives of the members of my productivity programs: Surf your flow!
Be flexible and accept the changes in your biology over time.
Biological alignment must be correlated with emotional alignment:
Optimal productivity is an emotional process.
You will naturally be more productive in activities that you love and are passionate about. Passion gives you the energy to work hard and overcome obstacles.
Find tasks you enjoy, optimize/delegate the rest, work with people you enjoy, and find meaning in what you do to stay motivated and engaged.
2- More is not always better: Do less and keep it simple!
There's a tendency to want to do more, faster, only to find that we're becoming less and less efficient.
Productivity is not only measured in hours worked. Working long hours can often lead to diminishing or even negative returns.
It's Illich's law I mentioned in this post: the longer you work without a break, the more your productivity declines.
Similarly, you can't put the same intensity on several things at the same time.
That's why it's so important to prioritize and lighten up!
Your rhythm needs to take into account peaks in productivity and rest periods, while focusing on the essentials, and that's exactly what you need to do...
3- Focus on one thing at a time
To overcome procrastination, start with the smallest possible action that seems achievable.
Commit to starting, one thing at a time... It's easier!
Whatever the time scale: a day, a week or a month, I recommend having ONE FOCUS!
For example: "My day will be successful if I..." and I focus on one thing that will be my priority! This doesn't prevent me from doing other things afterwards, but at least the most important thing will be done!
Once you've started, it's often harder to stop than to keep going.
Motivation can be both the cause and effect of action. Don't wait to be motivated to take action - take action and motivation will come!
4- Improve what you measure
Monitoring is crucial to improving any activity. Whether it's the number of sales calls, e-mail response time or hours worked, measuring your performance enables you to improve it.
Getting into the habit of putting your objectives on paper, tracking your habits and developing a real planning structure will help you make real progress.
In business, too, the implementation of systems and processes helps to improve the company's operation over the long term.
5- Don't underestimate your health and well-being
As you know, productivity starts with :
A good night's sleep
Physical fitness
A healthy mind in a healthy body
It's hard to be efficient when you're in poor health! In fact, it's a challenge for some of my clients who suffer from unpredictable health problems with which they have to contend.
Precisely: If you can't always be at your best and have no control over certain things, over the unexpected, you can take even greater advantage of the cycles and adopt flexibility.
Focusing on improving sleep, taking care of yourself and cultivating deep mental clarity will contribute positively to a qualitative time.
Remember:
Surf your cycles and rhythms
Focus on quality, not quantity
Cultivate small focuses
Plan, measure, optimize
Take care of yourself
It's a balance between self-knowledge, adaptability and "Flow"!