“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” –Paul J. Meyer
I asked this question via Twitter and Facebook a few days back…
How to be productive? How does one increase productivity?
Lately these questions have been swirling through my mind at a blinding pace, causing me to ponder and contemplate the real answers behind productivity.
The thoughts shared with me (via the blogging community) were very helpful – so sit down and pay close attention!
Below are their thoughts.
A few short answers…
Cut all the cords providing internet service. –Mel
You just have to set your mind to it and do it. -Rachel
Caffeine… -Bryan
With pure Willpower! -Aiden
Prioritizing and self discipline. -Mary
Two medium sized answers…
Productivity is increased by eliminating waste and keeping in ethics with regards to assignment or task, needed to be completed to produce a valuable final product (VFP). What I mean by “Eliminating Waste” is get rid of all things or traffic that flows in your area, that restricts you from completing your task. Keep only those thing in that are conducive to the completion of product. –King Artt
This is a subject I’ve done a lot of work on lately. I think a lot of attention needs to go into your environment — is it conducive to getting things done? I’ve spent a bit of time and energy (and money) optimizing my work-from-home environment and it’s made all the difference. –Karen Kelly of Dotlizard
One long answer…
I think the majority of this depends on the individual. Nobody is the exact same, and therefore some things might affect one person one way, and others another way. It is all up to the individual. I do, however, believe there are very basic things that anyone can do to increase their productivity. It begins with these three basic things:
Your Mentality
One of my favorite movies of all time is Akiva Schaffer’s comedy, Hot Rod (2007). Rod Kimble, the main character played by Andy Samberg, is a thrill-seeking young man who all his life has dreamed of being a professional stunt man. In preparation for a record setting stunt in which he plans to jump his dirt bike over 15 buses, Rod tells his younger brother, “Yeah, well, you have only to believe if you wish to achieve, Kevin.” As cheesy as it may sound, Rod Kimble does have a point. Believing, or setting a goal in our minds, is the first place to start if we want to increase productivity. Any action you make was once a thought.
Your Environment
W. Clement Stone once said, “Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them.”
When striving to increase productivity, one must examine what’s going on around him.
Is there clutter? Is there noise? Is there anything that may distract him from completing the task laid before him? The things we see and hear are internalized by our minds, thus affecting how we feel, act, and work. When you want to increase productivity, take some time to look around you; try to remove all the distractions from among you. In doing so, you will find that you are able to stay on task more easily and complete assignments at a more productive rate.
Your Drive
What motivates you? Why do you go into work everyday? What do you care about more than anything else in the world? What is your drive for doing the things you do? Productivity takes motivation. When working on a task, think of why you are doing it. You should find that this paints a picture in your mind which is hard to forget, and which you will remember from then on as you work on tasks. It gives you an end goal. “I am doing this because…” Try it!
Again, there are many different ways you can increase productivity because of the diversity of the world; but these 3 things are, I think, the most basic ways to do so. Anyone can make these changes, and examine these areas of their lives in hopes to increase the way they work.
-Joshua M. Allan of The Franklin Social
How are you productive? In what ways do you increase your productivity? Do you wish to be more productive? Share your thoughts.
