The way we manage our work and lives can be understood through two approaches: Top Down and Bottom Up. These approaches help us balance proactive planning with reactive responsiveness, ensuring we stay aligned with our missions while also handling life’s unpredictable demands. Ideally, we should strive to operate primarily in the Top Down approach while also having a reliable system for managing Bottom Up work.
1. The Top Down Approach – Living Proactively
The Top Down Approach should be our default way of working. This aligns with Key 1 of productivity, which is about living life through our Mission. It involves asking questions like: What do I need to achieve (my Goal) as a Father (one of my Roles) that reflects how I need to live (in line with my Mission statement)? This approach moves downstream from Mission to Roles, Goals, and then to the Actions (Habits, Projects, and Tasks) required to fulfil those goals.
By working Top Down, we intentionally populate our Weekly Planner and Action Lists based on what needs to be done. This ensures we are living purposefully and not just reacting to external pressures. This approach is proactive, enabling us to focus on what truly matters before distractions arise.
Three guiding principles further enhance the effectiveness of the Top Down Approach:
(1) The Pebble Jar Theory – Prioritizing the big rocks (important tasks) first ensures they don’t get crowded out by lesser tasks.
(2) Parkinson’s Law – Recognizing that work expands to fill the time allotted, we impose deadlines to maintain efficiency.
(3) The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) – Understanding that 20% of efforts yield 80% of results allows us to focus on high-impact tasks.
If we lived in a world of pure self-determination, this would be enough. However, life introduces unpredictable elements, requiring a secondary method for handling the unexpected.
2. The Bottom Up Approach – Living Reactively
The Bottom Up Approach aligns with Key 2 of productivity and is essential because life constantly generates unexpected work—urgent emails, phone calls, sudden crises, or requests for help. We need a system to capture and manage these without losing control over our priorities.
The GTD (Getting Things Done) Five Stages of Work provide an effective framework for handling Bottom Up tasks:
(1) Capture (Download) – Get everything off your mind and into your system without acting on it immediately.
(2) Process/Clarify (Decide) – Determine what each item is and what needs to be done with it.
(3) Organise – Place it in the appropriate list (Project, Task, or Habit) and schedule it as needed.
(4) Review – Regularly go through lists (e.g., weekly) to ensure everything stays updated and prioritized.
(5) Do/Engage – Act on commitments using the 4D Method: Do, Delegate, Defer, or Delete.
Several tools help manage Bottom Up work effectively:
(1) The 2-Minute Rule – If something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately.
(2) The Four Ds Framework – Decide whether to Do, Delegate, Defer, or Delete a task.
(3) Energy Management – Choose tasks based on available energy levels.
(4) Context Approach – Work on tasks suitable for your current location or available resources.
While Top Down work is preferred, Bottom Up ensures we capture and act on incoming tasks without letting them derail our overall mission.
3. Merging the Two Approaches
To maximise productivity, we need one system that seamlessly integrates Top Down and Bottom Up work. The ideal balance would be 60-70% Top Down and 30-40% Bottom Up.
Here is how the two approaches work together:
(1) Weekly Planning (Top Down) – When creating a weekly planner, we start with the Top Down Approach: defining our Mission, identifying Roles, setting Goals, and then determining Actions (Habits, Projects, and Tasks) to accomplish them. This ensures a proactive approach to life and work.
(2) Daily Execution (Bottom Up) – As the week unfolds, unexpected tasks arise. We handle these using the Bottom Up Approach, ensuring they are captured, processed, and added into our system effectively without overwhelming our predefined priorities.
This integrated system allows us to engage in forward planning (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly, Decade) while also accommodating the realities of life.
By mastering both approaches, we create a holistic productivity system—one that keeps us moving forward purposefully while allowing flexibility to handle whatever life throws our way.
Are you tired of feeling like you’re constantly running on a hamster wheel, juggling endless tasks, and never quite making meaningful progress on your goals? You’re not alone. In today’s world of distractions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose control of our time. But there are solutions: Time Blocking, Time Boxing, and Time Theming. These powerful time management techniques can transform your schedule from a source of stress into a wellspring of productivity. We will explore each one of them by asking three key questions: What is it? How do we do it? Why do we use it?
Time Blocking: Focusing Your Time
Are you tired of feeling like you’re constantly running on a hamster wheel, juggling endless tasks, and never quite making meaningful progress on your goals? You’re not alone. In today’s world of distractions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lose control of our time. But there’s a solution: Time Blocking. This powerful time management technique can transform your schedule from a source of stress into a wellspring of productivity.
1. What is Time Blocking?
Time Blocking is the practice of assigning specific time slots in your day for particular tasks or activities. Instead of just having a to-do list, you allocate a “time block” for each item, effectively turning your calendar into a visual roadmap of how your time will be spent. This approach shifts you from passively reacting to your day to proactively shaping it according to your intentions.
2. How Do We Do Time Blocking?
Here are five steps to follow to use time boxing: (1)Choose Your Tool: Select a tool that suits your preferences and workflow. This could be a digital calendar (like Google Calendar or Notion) or a spreadsheet or a paper planner. (2)Identify Your Available Time: Before you start scheduling tasks, take stock of your available time. Consider your work hours, personal commitments, and any other obligations that might impact your schedule. (3)Identify and Prioritise Your Tasks: List out everything you need to handle in a given day or week, including work tasks, meetings, personal appointments, social events, and even dedicated time for rest and relaxation. Then, prioritise these tasks based on their importance and urgency. (4)Estimate Time: Realistically estimate how long each task will take. If unsure, overestimate rather than underestimate. This will help you avoid over-scheduling and ensure you have enough time to complete your tasks. (5) Allocate Time Blocks: Assign specific time slots for each task on your calendar, considering your energy levels and prioritizing demanding tasks for when you’re most alert and focused.
3. Why Do We Use Time Blocking?
Time Blocking offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance your productivity: (1)Boosted Focus: Time limits prevent tasks from dragging, enhancing your concentration. (2)Reduced Stress: Pre-planning eliminates decision fatigue, freeing up mental energy. (3)Increased Control: Prioritise your goals and take charge of your day.
Take Action and Time Block Your Way to Success! Time Blocking is a powerful tool that can help you structure your day, improve focus, and prevent wasted time. By incorporating this technique into your daily routine, you can take control of your time, enhance your productivity, and achieve your goals more effectively. Give time blocking a try and experience the transformative power of intentional time management!
Time Boxing: Maximising Your Time
Do you find yourself struggling to stay on track, with tasks dragging on longer than they should and productivity slipping away? You’re not alone. In a world where work expands to fill the time available, it’s easy to fall into the trap of procrastination and inefficiency. But there’s a solution: Time Boxing. This structured approach helps you set clear time limits for tasks, keeping you focused, motivated, and in control of your workload.
1. What is Time Boxing?
Time Boxing is a time management technique where you allocate a fixed, maximum unit of time for an activity in advance, and then complete the activity within that time frame. This method encourages focused effort and helps prevent tasks from dragging on indefinitely. By setting clear boundaries, Time Boxing transforms abstract goals into manageable, time-bound tasks.
2 How Do We Do Time Boxing?
To effectively implement Time Boxing, follow these steps: (1)Identify Tasks: Clearly define the task or activity you intend to accomplish. Understanding the specific requirements of the task is essential for setting realistic time limits. (2)Set Time Limits: Determine a fixed period to dedicate to the task. This could range from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the complexity and importance of the activity. The key is to set a timeframe that is challenging yet achievable. (3)Use a Timer: Use a timer to monitor the allocated period. This could be a traditional kitchen timer, a smartphone app, or any other timing device that suits your preferences. (4)Focus Solely on the Task: During the designated time box, concentrate exclusively on the task at hand. Eliminate potential distractions to maintain high levels of focus and efficiency. (5)Review and Adjust: After the time box expires, assess what you’ve accomplished. If the task is incomplete, decide whether to allocate additional time or move on to the next activity. Reflect on the process to make necessary adjustments for future time boxes.
3. Why Do We Use Time Boxing?
Time Boxing offers several advantages that can significantly enhance your productivity: (1)Enhanced Focus: By dedicating a specific timeframe to a task, Time Boxing encourages deep concentration, reducing the likelihood of distractions and multitasking. (2)Improved Efficiency: The sense of urgency created by a ticking clock can motivate you to work more swiftly and efficiently, often leading to quicker completion of tasks. (3)Better Time Management: Time Boxing helps in allocating appropriate amounts of time to various tasks, ensuring a balanced approach to workload and preventing burnout.
Take Action and Harness the Power of Time Boxing! Time Boxing is a powerful technique that can transform the way you approach tasks, leading to greater productivity and satisfaction. By incorporating this method into your daily routine, you can manage your time more effectively, maintain focus, and achieve your goals with greater ease. Give Time Boxing a try, and experience the benefits of structured time management!
Time Theming: Scheduling Your Time
Are you tired of feeling like you’re constantly putting out fires, juggling a million different tasks, and never quite making headway on your most important goals? Many of us struggle with the overwhelming feeling of having too much to do and not enough time. But there’s a simple yet powerful strategy that can help you reclaim your schedule and boost your productivity: Time Theming. This technique can help you reduce stress, increase focus, and achieve a better work-life balance.
1. What is Time Theming?
Time Theming, or Day Theming as we will focus on here, is a time management strategy where you assign specific themes or focus areas to each day of the week. This approach allows you to batch similar tasks together, minimise context switching, and create a structured rhythm in your work. By dedicating entire days to particular types of tasks, you ensure that all essential aspects of your work and life receive adequate attention.
2. How Do We Do Time Theming?
To effectively implement Time Theming, follow these steps: (1)Identify Your Key Themes: Reflect on the recurring tasks and responsibilities in your work and personal life. These could include areas like content creation, meetings, administrative work, personal development, and family time. (2)Assess Your Available Time: Evaluate your weekly schedule, considering work hours, existing commitments, and other obligations that might impact your availability. (3) Assign Themes to Days: Align your themes with your natural energy levels and preferences. For example, if you’re most creative on Mondays, dedicate that day to brainstorming and planning. (4)Create a Schedule: Develop a weekly plan that outlines the focus for each day. This could be a simple list or a detailed calendar, depending on your preference. (5)Be Flexible and Adapt: While it’s important to adhere to your themes, remain adaptable to accommodate unexpected tasks or urgent matters.
3. Why Do We Do Time Theming?
Time Theming offers several benefits that can enhance your productivity: (1)Reduces Decision Fatigue: By pre-determining your focus for each day, you eliminate the need for constant decision-making about what to work on next, conserving mental energy. (2)Increases Focus and Flow: Batching similar tasks together allows you to enter a state of deep work, where you’re fully immersed and less prone to distractions. (3)Reduces Procrastination: Having a designated day for specific tasks can help overcome procrastination by providing a clear structure and reducing the temptation to delay tasks.
Take Action and Theme Your Way to a More Productive Week! Time Theming is a powerful technique that can transform your approach to time management and productivity. By incorporating this strategy into your weekly routine, you can gain greater control over your schedule, reduce stress, and achieve your goals with greater ease and efficiency. Give Time Theming a try, and experience the benefits of a more organised and focused work week!
Conclusion
These 3 time management techniques that will improve your excellence, effectiveness and efficiency: Time Blocking, Time Boxing, and Time Theming. Implement each one and your productivity will increase dramatically!
There are 3 critical time frames in dealing with life: Past, Present and Future. This has come up in my coaching for productivity on numerous occasions as I have talked about positive or negative ways in which we approach each time frame. It seems natural to be most comfortable in one place on the Past-Present-Future Continuum: some of us are more Past-orientated, others are more Present-orientated and still others are more Future-orientated. You probably favour one of the three or you sit between two of them.
When I asked ChatGPT about how we can best approach the past, present and future, the summary response was: “The most effective way to approach the past, present, and future is through a mindful and balanced approach that integrates reflection, engagement, and planning. By learning from the past, fully experiencing the present, and thoughtfully preparing for the future, you can lead a more purposeful and satisfying life. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, these principles can serve as a foundation for your personal journey of self-discovery and growth.” You can read the full response it gave HERE. which is loaded with some very practical suggestions!
I am going to tackle each time-frames and will suggest one thing to Know about each time frame, one thing to Avoid and one thing to Do for each. Let’s start by focussing on dealing with the Past productively.
1. Managing the PAST Productively
One Thing To Know: The Past is Helpful– Our minds are truly amazing in that they help us to remember the past with incredible clarity at times and with less clarity at other times – mostly to protect us from harmful memories. You have probably been surprised at how you can suddenly remember something clearly or struggle to recall some detail. The Past really can be your friend as it helps you relive the past, make sense of the present and prepare for the future. If you are struggling with painful memories from the past then it is wise to get help from someone who is appropriately trained.
One Thing To Avoid: Ruminating – We go wrong when it comes to approaching the past when we get stuck in it – when we find ourselves anchored and unable to move forward. The one thing we need to void (not the only thing to avoid but a key thing) is Ruminating. In the book Peak Mind, Dr Amisha Jha says of Ruminating: “The tendency of our minds to get pulled by a memory or worry, and to incessantly create stories, takes us away from the here and now as our stress increases. You’re ruminating on something that occurred in the past, long after the time when reliving it is helpful or instructive.” She says: “Ruminating is rewinding the mind, pulling it away from the current moment and staying stuck in the past.” Ann Voskamp said in a newsletter that there is a downward spiral that starts with brooding: “Our tendency to brood, referred to by cognitive scientists as “morbid rumination,” often makes us focus on the negative aspects of our lives and can lead to anxiety and depression.” Clearly getting stuck in ruminating about the past is not helpful. Check out a helpful video on Ruminating HERE or read the summary HERE.
One Thing To Do: Savour the Past – Something I learned from Chris Bailey in How To Calm Your Mind, is the value of creating a Savour list. He says that we can slip into an Accomplishment mindset that stops up enjoying the fruit of our work and or from getting the most out of something that happened in the past. Rather we need to practise Savouring where we disengage ourselves from our goals and immerse ourselves in a delightful previous happenings – it is the practise of purposeful inefficiency where we set aside our accomplishments goals and switch to a mindset of deliberate enjoyment. Chris says we should start a Savour List to keep a record of things we can dwell on positively. Here are some items that I added to my Savour list: (1) The first cup of coffee in the morning. (2) Seeing a target bird through the lens of my camera. (3) Going somewhere in nature that I have not gone before. (4) The positive feelings I have when I finish a coaching or training session. (5) Road trips to a birding destination. (6) Sitting in a campsite when we have set everything up! Oh, a bonus thing you can do is create a Best Moments List (credit to John Acuff in his book: All It Takes Is a Goal) where you create a list of things from your past – they can be an Experience, a Relationship, an Accomplishment, or an Object. Just brainstorm things that come to mind as best moments in your life and link them to one of the categories – it will inspire you!
I have only just touched on the Past which is one of the 3 time frames we need to handle productively. Hopefully this will spark your thinking to explore more deeply what it means to approach your Past productively.
2. Managing the PRESENT Productively
Let’s shift our focus to the Present and explore one thing to Know about the Present, one thing to Avoid when approaching the Present and one thing to Do about the Present.
One Thing To Know: The Present is Fleeting – You may have watched an Ali Abdaal video where he reviews a book written by Matthew Dicks which has a fascinating title: Someday is Today. With the Present forming the bridge between the Past and the Present it is clear that it is not permanent – but fleeting and gone in a flash. Unless we actually engage with it as fully as we possibly can we will miss out on all that it can be. Hopefully this challenge will help you take a more intentional approach to the Present. For help with this, let’s explore one thing to avoid and one things to do.
One Thing To Avoid: Wandering – We must watch out for uncontrolled mind wandering which is having off-task thoughts during an ongoing task or activity. Unless we guard our focus on the present moment we will mind travel in one of two directions (to the Past or to the Future): (1) Travelling to the Past is RUMINATING: as we explored in the last section, ruminating is rewinding our mind, pulling it away from the current moment and getting stuck in the past, usually in a negative thought pattern. (2)Travelling to the Future is CATASTROPHISING: this is where we fast forward our mind to future events and we expect the worst – it is a kind of mental time travel away from the present moment but in a very unhealthy way. We will explore Catastrophising more in the next section. Mind wondering has consequences: it creates noise and clutter and brings health challenges especially psychological ones – so clearly it is something to avoid at all costs.
One Thing To Do: Seize the Present – To borrow from the classic movie by Robin William’s, Dead Poet’s Society, we need to “seize the day” (Carpe Diem) – or in this context: Seize the Present. Giannis Antetokounmpo, a professional basketball player, said: “When you focus on the past, that’s your ego… when I focus on the future it’s my pride… I kind of like to focus in the moment, in the present. And that’s humility. That’s being humble.” This is a great challenge to live in the present – to be humble and avoid focusing on the past or the future where ego and pride hangout. Read more about the quotation HERE. So, what can you do to live in the present? It helps to practise mindfulness which means paying attention in the present moment without creating a story about it or trying to explain it. It is getting raw data about what is happening. We notice everything that is going on and we observe what is happening. Check out a brilliant article on the Calm blog that explores 7 ways to embrace the present moment and as a bonus check out their article entitled: How to be more present and live in the moment.
I have only just touched on the Present which is one of the 3 time frames we need to handle productively. Hopefully this will spark your thinking to explore more deeply what it means to approach your Present productively.
3. Managing the FUTURE Productively
I am going to suggest one thing to Know about the Future, one thing to Avoid when approaching the Future and one thing to Do about the Future. Let’s explore how we can approach the Future productively:
One Thing To Know: The Future is Near – This may sound obvious but the future is closer than you think. When we were young we could not imagine being a decade or two or three older and then suddenly we found ourselves there. When we plan a trip in the future it can feel like forever away and suddenly we find ourselves on the other side of the event wishing it had not gone by so fast. So, there is no better time to see the future, take steps to get there and enjoy whatever it is that we anticipated.
One Thing To Avoid: Catastrophising – I briefly touched on this form of mind wandering in the last section when I said that we can mind travel into the future in an unhealthy way as we catastrophise by thinking the worst is going to happen. While our future may indeed include challenging moments, it really does not help to dwell on the negative possibilities. Rather we should plan for the best possible outcome and then deal with challenges that arise rather than expecting them and preparing for them. Of course it helps to prepare to some extend for unplanned happenings or expenses but that is a healthy response while catastrophising leaves us afraid and depressed about possible negative outcomes. Choose to think positively and your present will be so much more enjoyable. Check out a helpful video on Catastrophising HERE or read an article HERE.
One Thing To Do: Shape the Future – There is a phrase that has come to mean so much to me: Be Kind To Your Future Self. No one seems to know where it originated and even ChatGPT says it’s origin is elusive but it returned a very comprehensive discussion of the concept which you can read HERE. For me, Chris Bailey has been the author who inspired me to live every aspect of my life with a focus on making it easier for my future self to operate. Here are three things that I do to be kind to my future self: (1) I create Standard Operating Procedure documents for just about everything that I do – to make it easier when I need to redo the task in the future. (2) I have created an extensive document library using Notion that I can search or filter to recover something that I need. (3) I have an extensive photo library that is well indexed and backed up so that I don’t lose precious memories and can locate them when needed. These are just some ways you can shape the future! You are effectively creating motes or templates for your future self so you struggle less to get things done.
I have only just touched on the Future which is one of the 3 time frames we need to handle productively. Hopefully this will spark your thinking to explore more deeply what it means to approach your Future productively.
Challenge:
How are you doing in each of the 3 time franmes of the Past, the Present and the Future. What is your default focus and what can you do to ensure you devote time, attention and energy to managing all 3 of the time frames to be productive in a way that is healthy and holistic?
There is a close connection between the values we live by and what we accomplish in life. In fact, we can identify and use our values to live productively and be aligned to what is really important to us.
Do you have a list of values that you live by? These are not a random list of character qualities but attributes of the person you want to be (according to Nir Eyal). As an example, here are my 7 core values: Growth, Excellence, Truth, Relationships, Innovation, Commitment and Helping.
Pause and reflect on the power of Values from these words by Alain Deguire: “Your core values are the driving force in your life! Living by your values is a fundamental key on your way to becoming the person you want to be, to achieve your goals and dreams as well as to establishing the basis of your relationship with yourself and others.”
Here are 3 Things you can do using values to become the person you want to be:
1. Identify Your Values
Start by identifying five to seven Values that reflect what is most important to you and that reveal what you are becoming in life. Here are two ways you can identify your values: (1) Reflect on moments in life that left you feeling satisfied, significant or joyful – because experiences like these can reveal our values. (2) Select values from lists of available values and narrow the list down from 20 to 10 and then to around 5 to 7. I have created a Workbook you can use to do this exercise. Once you have your list of Values you need to create a one-sentence Description of each value which describes the kind of person you are becoming. This is how I describe Innovation which is one of my values: “I am a person who invents new ways to understand or do things.” Plus you should create an Acronym for goals to help you remember them. Mine is GET RICH (Growth, Excellence, Truth, Relationships, Innovation, Commitment and Helping). In case you are wondering, being rich to me is not just about money – in fact, Sahil Bloom has a book where he explores 5 Types of Wealth: Time Wealth, Social Wealth, Mental Wealth, Physical Wealth, and Financial Wealth.
It’s Your Turn: Identify your core values, create an acronym to remember them and describe them clearly!
2. Link Your Values
Next you should link your values to goals in your life by either creating new Goals for each value or doing some reverse engineering by linking existing goals you have to the values you have just identified. Here is an example of a Goal I have for my Innovation value: Learn from books, podcasts or articles every day. And here is one of my goals for the value of Relationships: Connect with one friend a day. Try and make each goal as specific as possible so it leads you to a next action and also make it measurable so you can ensure it gets achieved. Oh, I have more than one Goal linked to each Value!
—> It’s Your Turn: Link the core values to your life using goals that are specific and measurable.
3. Track Your Values
Finally you should create a way to track the progress you are making in living your values. If you create goals that are measurable you should easily be able to create a Metric for each of your values which will help you track your progress. The Metric will give you a Task, Project or Habit to add into your action management system which can be ticked off when it is completed. Be sure to look for metrics that are not once off – so if you Value is Learning – don’t make the metric: “Read The 5 Types of Wealth Book This Week” – rather make it “Spend 30 Minutes a Day Reading to Learn” and then you can add a Habit to your life (Read for 30 Minutes Every Day) and add a Project (Read the 5 Types of Wealth Book) and a Task (Summarise Chapter 1 of The 5 Types of Wealth Book). I hope this example will help you create actionable metrics for your values!
—> It’s Your Turn: Create one metric for each of your values.
Challenge:
I challenge you to: (1) Identify Your Values and List them, (2) Link Your Values to your Goals, and (3) Track your Values using Metrics. Don’t forget you can use the free Workbook I created for you to use to identify and track your values.
To be productive in all areas of life, we must embrace three principles: Excellence, Effectiveness, and Efficiency. While they may seem similar, each one plays a distinct role in shaping a holistic approach to productivity. Here are three simple phrases that clarify the distinction between them:
(1)Doing Things Responsibly: This is Excellence
(2)Doing Right Things: This is Effectiveness
(3)Doing Things Right: This is Efficiency
Let’s explore each principle in depth before examining the tool that best supports it.
(1) Excellence: Doing Things Responsibly: Excellence is the commitment to a high standard in everything we do. It is not about perfection but about taking responsibility for our work, our decisions, and our actions. When we strive for excellence, we show up fully, put in our best effort, and ensure that what we produce reflects care, integrity, and quality. Excellence means doing what is right, even when no one is watching, and holding ourselves accountable for our commitments. It is the foundation of trust and reliability in both personal and professional life. Without excellence, we may complete tasks, but they may lack depth, consistency, or ethical responsibility. One way to measure Excellence is to step back and ask: Am I delivering my best work with integrity and accountability?
(2) Effectiveness: Doing Right Things: Effectiveness is about making the right choices. It ensures that our time, energy, and resources are directed toward actions that create meaningful impact. Being effective means aligning our actions with our mission, goals, and priorities, rather than simply staying busy. Many people work hard but focus on tasks that do not contribute to their bigger vision. Effectiveness is the key to avoiding distractions and ensuring that our efforts are meaningful and results-driven. One way to measure Effectiveness is to step back and ask: Am I doing what truly matters?
(3) Efficiency: Doing Things Right: Efficiency is about optimising the way we work. It is not just about working hard but working smart – eliminating waste, streamlining processes, and finding better ways to accomplish tasks without sacrificing quality. Efficiency ensures that we complete our work in the best possible manner, using the least amount of time and resources necessary. However, efficiency alone is not enough; without effectiveness, we may simply be doing unimportant tasks faster. True productivity requires efficiency, but only after ensuring we are focused on the right things. One way to measure Efficiency is to step back and ask: Am I completing this task in the best way possible with the least wasted effort?
The most productive individuals and teams integrate all three principles: they take responsibility for their work with a mindset of excellence, they focus on what truly matters to be effective, and they execute their tasks in the best way possible to be efficient. Each of three principles brings a different result: (1) Excellence ensures quality, (2) Effectiveness ensures impact, and (3) Efficiency ensures sustainability.
Without one of these elements, productivity is incomplete: (1) Excellence without effectiveness can lead to wasted effort, (2) Effectiveness without efficiency can lead to unnecessaryburnout, and (3) Efficiency without excellence can lead to inferior results.
Three Productivity Tools
There are three productivity tools to help you achieve Excellence, Effectiveness, and Efficiency: (1) The Pickle Jar Theory will help you do things responsibly by prioritising; (2) The Pareto Principle will help you do the right things by optimising, and (3) Parkinson’s Law will help you do things right by minimising.
1. The Pickle Jar Theory (Prioritising for Excellence)
You will achieve Excellence by using ThePickle Jar Theory to do things responsibly in your life. This tool is about prioritising what is most important to you. Do you ever find yourself busy but unproductive? It’s like chopping down trees in a forest, making great progress – only to realise you’re in the wrong forest, cutting down trees that don’t serve your purpose! The Pickle Jar Theory will help you prioritise your actions.
The Pickle Jar Theory, introduced by Jeremy Wright in 2002 and demonstrated by Stephen Covey HERE, visualises your day as an empty jar. Tasks come in three sizes: (1) Rocks: your most important tasks that align with key goals and have major consequences if left undone. (2) Pebbles: important but less critical tasks that support your objectives. (3) Sand: minor tasks or distractions with minimal impact. To manage your time effectively, place the rocks first, followed by pebbles, then sand. If you start with sand and pebbles, the rocks won’t fit!
Here are Three Steps you can take to use ThePickle Jar Theory to Prioritise for Excellence:
Step 1: Identify Your Rocks: Begin by identifying the tasks that are most crucial to your personal and professional goals and that are linked to your important life areas. These are your big rocks – the non-negotiable activities based on all areas of life that you are responsible to handle and that must be prioritised and not crowded out by lesser important things. Schedule them in your calendar first! Here is one thing you can do: List the most important areas you need to spend time on in your week and identify Projects and Tasks for each area.
Step 2:Address Your Pebbles: Once you’ve identified your big rocks, you need to address the pebbles – the tasks that are important but not as critical. Schedule specific time slots in your calendar to do these tasks without allowing them to overshadow your main priorities (your big rocks).Here is one thing you can do: Review your to-do list and schedule time to work on tasks that support your primary goals.
Step 3: Manage Your Sand: Once you have identified the Rocks and scheduled the Pebbles you need to manage the Sand which represents the minor tasks and potential distractions that can easily consume your time. They may be unavoidable but they have to be managed or you won’t be excellent in all areas of your life. Schedule them in your calendar only after placing your Rocks and Pebbles first. Here is one thing you can do: List low-priority tasks you do in your day and diarise time to work on them in your calendar so they don’t crowd out your pebbles and rocks.
By consciously applying ThePickle Jar Theory, you will structure your day to focus on what matters most, leading to increased productivity and a greater sense of accomplishment. Remember, it’s not about fitting everything or more into your jar; it’s about prioritising the things you are most responsible for and getting them into the jar first! As you embrace the theory you will get better at living your mission, managing your actions and focusing your mind – you will become Excellent! The challenge is to be excellent by prioritising the things you are responsible to get done!
2. Pareto Principle (Optimising for Effectiveness)
You will achieve Effectiveness by using the Pareto Principle to do right things in your life. This tool is about optimising your action management system.
Do you ever find yourself working on things that don’t truly matter? It’s like checking tasks off your list and feeling productive – only to realise they make little difference in your life. The Pareto Principle will help you optimise your actions.
The Pareto Principle, named after Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, states that approximately 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In action management, this suggests that a significant portion of your results stems from a small fraction of your efforts. By identifying and focusing on these critical tasks, you can maximise productivity and achieve your goals more effectively.
Here are Three Steps you can take to use the Pareto Principle to Optimise for Effectiveness:
Step 1: Identify High-Impact Tasks. Not all tasks contribute equally to your objectives. Determining which activities have the most significant impact allows you to prioritise effectively. You need to be sure that the things you do help “move the needle” in key areas of your life. Here is one thing you can do: Review your to-do list and highlight the tasks that directly contribute to your primary goals and do them first.
Step 2: Remove Low-Impact Tasks. Tasks that don’t significantly contribute to your goals can consume valuable time. Delegating or eliminating these activities frees up resources for more important work. Here is one thing you can do: Examine your lists and identify tasks that can be delegated to others or removed entirely.
Step 3: Regularly Reassess Priorities. As projects and goals evolve, so do the tasks that hold the most value. Regular reassessment ensures you’re always focused on what matters most in your life. Here is one thing you can do: Schedule time each week to evaluate your tasks and priorities and adjust your focus to align with your current objectives.
By embracing the Pareto Principle, you can optimise your efforts and invest your time in activities that yield the greatest impact. Remember, it’s about focusing on the vital few rather than the trivial many. The challenge is to be effective by optimising the things that produce the best results!
3. Parkinson’s Law (Minimising for Efficiency)
You will achieve Efficiency by using Parkinson’s Law to minimise the time you allocate to tasks, ensuring you do things right.
Do you ever find yourself spending far more time on a task than necessary? It’s like spending too much of your salary on luxury items and not having enough left to take care of your living expenses. Parkinson’s Law will help you minimise your actions.
Parkinson’s Law, introduced by British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson in 1955, states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” This means that if you allocate more time than necessary for a task, it will likely consume all that time, even if the task doesn’t inherently require it. Once you realise this tendency you will be able to implement strategies for more effective time management.
Here are Three Steps you can take to use Parkinson’s Law to Minimise for Efficiency:
Step 1: Set Clear Deadlines. Without specific deadlines, tasks can drag on indefinitely. By setting clear, concise deadlines, about when the task needs to be completed you create a sense of urgency that will help you focus better and be more efficient. Make sure that the timeframes challenge you to complete the work promptly but without compromising quality. Here is one thing you can do: Review your current tasks and assign realistic deadlines to each one.
Step 2: Break Projects Down. Large projects can feel overwhelming and may lead to procrastination. Breaking them into smaller, manageable tasks helps maintain momentum and ensures consistent progress. Most task or project lists get stuck because we don’t identify the specific next actions that we need to take. Here is one thing you can do: Take a project you’re currently working on and divide it into smaller parts.
Step 3: Set Time Limits. Allocating excessive time to tasks often leads to inefficiency. By limiting the time you give yourself to complete each task, you will work with greater focus and be more productive. You will need to challenge yourself to complete tasks within the shorter timeframe. Here is one thing you can do: Identify a routine task and reduce the time you usually allocate for it.
By using Parkinson’s Law, you can structure your day to focus on what truly matters, leading to increased productivity and a greater sense of accomplishment. Remember, it’s about working smarter, not harder! The challenge is to be efficient by minimising time spent on tasks that don’t really matter!
Summary
You now have three powerful tools to enhance productivity, each aligning with a key principle: (1) The Pickle Jar Theory supports Excellence by helping you prioritise tasks responsibly. It ensures quality work by focusing on what truly matters first, preventing wasted effort. (2) The Pareto Principle drives Effectiveness by guiding you to optimise your efforts. It helps you achieve maximum impact while avoiding burnout by concentrating on the most valuable tasks. (3) Parkinson’s Law enhances Efficiency by encouraging you to work within set limits. It prevents wasted time and effort while maintaining quality, ensuring sustainable productivity.
In productivity, there are three things that sound similar but are quite unique and your efforts to live a productive life will significantly improve when you understand and use all three of them. They are Rituals, Routines and Habits and they serve distinct roles, and each contributes to effective action, time, focus and energy management. Let’s define each one, see how they impact on productivity and consider an example of each:
1. Use Rituals for Mindfulness
Rituals are intentional practices filled with personal meaning, often performed with a sense of purpose or mindfulness. Unlike routines or habits, rituals elevate an activity beyond functionality by adding an emotional or symbolic dimension to them. Impact on Productivity: They help set the tone for your day or specific tasks by anchoring your mindset to a purpose and they are especially useful for transitions – like starting or ending your workday – because they prime your mental state. Example: Morning coffee can be a ritual if you take time to savour it while reflecting on your intentions for the day – the focus isn’t just on drinking coffee but on preparing your mind for what lies ahead.
2. Use Routines for Structure
Routines are structured sequences of tasks performed regularly. They are consciously designed to accomplish a particular goal and often consist of multiple habits strung together. Impact on Productivity: They provide consistency and predictability, reducing decision fatigue and they help you organise your time and ensure you complete necessary tasks efficiently. Example: A daily evening routine might include tidying your workspace, preparing your to-do list for the next day, and reading for 20 minutes – the purpose is to close the day in an orderly manner and prepare for tomorrow.
3. Use Habits for Efficiency
Habits are automatic actions triggered by cues. They develop over time through repetition and typically require little conscious thought once established. Impact on Productivity: They create efficiency by minimising mental effort for recurring tasks and they allow you to focus your cognitive resources on more complex decisions or creative tasks. Example: Brushing your teeth after breakfast is a habit – it happens almost without thinking, triggered by the cue of finishing your meal.
Here are some more practical examples to differentiate between Rituals, Routines and Habits:
(1) Ritual: Starting your workday by playing a specific piece of music to signal the shift into focus mode and set the emotional tone for productivity.
(2) Routine: Having a weekly planning session every Sunday where you review goals, prioritise tasks and schedule your week which will keep you organised.
(3) Habit: Automatically putting your phone in “Do Not Disturb” mode when you sit down to work to ensure uninterrupted focus.
By combining Rituals (Purpose-driven practice); Routines (Organised series of actions), and Habits (Automatic recurring behaviours), you can create a well-rounded system that supports consistent, purposeful and effortless productivity.
There are 7 Challenges that I help people overcome and for each challenge I have a Key they use that contains Systems guaranteed to yield positive results. Here are each of the 7 Challenges with the related Key and the Results achieved by using my Key – plus an analysis of the Strengths and Weaknesses linked to each Key and how to achieve Balance:
Challenge #1: Uncertainty
Uncertainty is created when you are unclear about your life’s mission and how to live it through your whole life. You may be doing well in your personal life or in your work life but doing well in both areas (and in all sub-areas) can be elusive! You will struggle with a feeling of uncertainty when you don’t have every area of your life under control and you wish you were clear about what you need to do to make every area of your life fire on all cylinders.
The Key: When you are uncertain about your mission and how to live it through your whole life, you need to use Key #1: Live Your Mission and implement the mission management system to keep your mission in front of you and live it through all your Roles using Goals with scheduled Activities in a Weekly Planner.
The Results: Living Your Mission leads to increased clarity, motivation, job satisfaction, engagement, and a sense of direction, all of which contribute to higher personal productivity.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 1 is Drive. When you excel at living your mission, you have every area of your life aligned with your mission statement and live through each of your Roles with great effectiveness. However, living in Hyper-Drive can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Drive is Burnout – you can be so driven to get all areas of your life running at full speed with goals and activities that you struggle to take a break or escape for a season.
The Balance: When Burnout caused byDrive becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Revisit your Roles to make sure that you have a personal Role on your list that is given as much attention as the other Roles and that you work on your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health while taking time for being and not just for doing.
Challenge #2: Overwhelm
Overwhelm is what you experience where you have so much to do that you honestly do not know where to start and feel like you are drowning in commitments and unfulfilled promises or desires. You will struggle with the challenge of overwhelm when you don’t know what to do to achieve your goals, or how to manage everything that is on your action lists. You may resonate with the phrase: “too much to do and not enough time to do it.”
The Key: When you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start with everything on your plate you need to use Key #2: Manage Your Actions and implement the action management system to know what needs to be done about stuff in your life that is important to you and track your actions in a system you trust.
The Results: Managing Your Actions fosters a sense of control, clarity, and purpose, ultimately leading to greater personal productivity and achievement.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 2 is Activity. When you excel at managing your actions, you have a comprehensive system to manage all your commitments and perform with extreme efficiency. However, living with Hyper-Activity can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Activity is Overwhelm – you can be so focused on creating lists and ticking things off that you generate more Tasks than you are able to handle.
The Balance: When Overwhelm caused byActivity becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Review your Tasks to make sure that you have a comprehensive workflow for managing actions so that every Task is interrogated to find out whether it is something you need to Do, Delegate, Defer, or Delete and you purge your lists as often as possible.
Challenge #3: Inconsistency
Inconsistency is what happens when we set goals but do not work on the strategy and systems that are needed to move us closer towards achieving our goals. We end up being erratic, always starting and stopping things that would help us advance in life. James Clear says that we don’t “rise to the level of our goals – we fall to the level of our systems”.
The Key: When you struggle to be consistent in any area of life, you need to use Key #3: Build Your Habits and implement the habit management system to build habits by making them Obvious, Easy, Attractive and Satisfying and track them to ensure they become habitual.
The Results: Building Your Habits boosts efficiency, strategic focus, time management, concentration, stress reduction, creativity, and overall well-being.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 3 is Routine. When you excel at building your habits, you develop routines that boost your efficiency, reduce stress in your life, and increase your sense of well-being that leads to increased productivity. However, living with Excessive Routine can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Routine is Rigidity – you can become overly focused on tracking your habits that you end up overwhelmed, stressed, and fatigued with so much you need to sustain.
The Balance: When Rigidity caused byRoutine becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Reduce your Habits to make sure that you are able to allocate time, attention, and energy to each one and get them automated by making them obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
Challenge #4: Busyness
Busyness may sound like something that is desirable and to be honest it does get rewarded in our world. However, it is not necessarily equated with productivity! If we are busy doing the wrong things then our efforts are a waste of time. Adam Grant says: “A busy life is not a symbol of status – it’s a symptom of trying to do too much for too many people.”
The Key: When you get too busy and can’t find time to do important things you need to use Key #14: Plan Your Time and implement the time management system to plan ahead, identify your priorities and create goals for all areas of your life.
The Results: Planning Your Time provides structure, clarity, and direction, which all lead to greater efficiency and goal attainment.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 4 is Control. When you excel at planning your time, you create structure, clarity, and direction that helps you create the futures and achieve your goals. However, living with Extreme Control can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Control is Micromanagement – you can become overly controlling of your time, tend towards workaholism, and miss out on opportunities that come from spontaneous happenings.
The Balance: When Micromanagement caused byControl becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Revamp your Calendar to make sure that you have enough preparation and processing time before and after events and set a limit on the number of appointments, meetings, or events that you add in a specific time frame.
Challenge #5: Distraction
Distraction happens when we allow things to distract us from important things we are doing. It is a serious challenge as it takes up to 23 minutes to regain our focus after we are distracted. Alexander Graham Bell said: “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work in hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.”
The Key: When you find yourself distracted and unable to do what you set out to do you need to use Key #5: Focus Your Mind and implement the attention management system to live your passion, train your brain, and limit distractions.
The Results: Focussing Your Mind improving efficiency, reducing distractions, facilitating task completion, supporting decision-making, aiding time management, ensuring quality work, and fostering satisfaction.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 5 is Hyperfocus. When you excel at focusing your mind, you improve efficiency, reduce distractions, improve work quality, and increase satisfaction. However, living with Constant Hyperfocus can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Hyperfocus is Fixation – you can limit your ability to change priorities or address unexpected issues and neglect relationships.
The Balance: When Fixation caused by Hyperfocus becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Refocus your Attention to make sure that you know when to narrow your focus and when to broaden your focus to respond to all that is going on around you and the relationships that matter to you.
Challenge #6: Frustration
Frustration happens when you are not using your strengths to be productive and you end up feeling frustrated. When you don’t put enough emphasis on linking who you are with how you live and work you will end up frustrated because you are working against yourself. Partnering with yourself to be productive is critical as it leads to effectiveness in all areas of life!
The Key: When you become frustrated because you are working against who you are you need to use Key #6: Know Your Self and implement the self management system to accept who you are and only do what you are best at doing when you are at your best.
The Results: Knowing Your Self helps you optimise your strengths, manage your weaknesses, and navigate your personal challenges effectively.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 6 is Excellence. When you excel at knowing yourself, you operate in the area of your strengths and accept work that matches your abilities, which helps you to get things done better, easily, and faster. However, living with High Excellence can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Excellence is Perfectionism – you can become too focused on improving yourself, obsessed with flawlessness, which leads to procrastination and never satisfied with the quality of what you produce.
The Balance: When Perfectionism caused by Excellence becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Revise your Expectations to make sure that you know when your best is good enough, appreciate where you have come from, and give yourself grace when you fail to meet your expectations.
Challenge #7: Depletion
Depletion happens when you don’t work on renewing your energy and you end up depleted and unable to be productive. When you are depleted you don’t have the energy to show up and deliver what is needed in the moment. When you are drained you can do what is on your radar and this leads to overwhelm and inefficiency.
The Key: When you are too depleted to show up and deliver your best you need to use Key #7: Renew Your Energy and implement the energy management system to generate physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy to help you live a Productive Life.
The Results: Renewing Your Energy promotes focus, motivation, clear thinking, physical stamina, resilience to stress, and creativity.
The Strength: The Strength behind Key 7 is Stamina. When you excel at renewing your energy, you improve your ability to focus, show up with greater motivation, think more clearly, and reduce levels of stress in your life. However, living with High Stamina can be exhausting!
The Weakness: The Weakness behind Stamina is Hyperactivity – you can become hyperactive and live on an adrenaline high, never slowing down long enough to live in the moment and unable to embrace rest and be refreshed.
The Balance: When Hyperactivity caused byStamina becomes a thief of productivity, you need to Release your Energy to make sure that you are not becoming hyperactive or making excessive errors due to frenetic activity but adjust the rate at which you generate and consume energy.
My new book, The Productive Biz, has just been published and it includes a massive library of resources to help you implement the 7 Keys to Running a Productive Business. You can get your copy on Amazon today or start with a free Sample which is the whole of Key 1 with free resource in a Google Drive folder. Keep reading because this is not just a book promo but a chance to discover how to Live your Mission through KRAs with Goals!
At a Glance:
Learn how to Write Your Mission Statement using a 4-step outline that will make it easy to write and ensure it is comprehensive.
Learn how to Identify Your Key Result Areas using a 3-step process that will give you 6 critical areas to live our your mission.
Learn how to Create Your Goals for KRAs using the SMART goal framework or a super useful question to guide your thought process.
Living Your Mission Through KRAs with Goals
The first key to running a productive business is to Live Your Mission. Your Mission is lived through your Key Result Areas by achieving your Goals and Planning your business. This is about figuring out what your business is all about. And by business, I mean your whole business – not just what you do in some areas of the company, but in every area. For me, a productive business is one that creates a better future and that involves radical change both internally and externally.
1. Write Your Mission Statement
Creating a Productive Business starts with writing a mission statement to describe the kind of business you want to be and the difference you want to make in the world. During my training of thousands of leaders across the continent of Africa, I adopted a four-step process to writing a mission statement based on answers to four questions. As you work through the questions, be sure to complete each step of the process either with a pen or your keyboard.
Step 1: What must we BE to succeed? The first question forces you to start with your “being” rather than your “doing”. As you answer this question, think about the kind of business you want to run Choose a noun that describes what you want to be. Imagine the best version of your business. Keep it as short as possible – use a single word, or a hyphenated phrase or, at most, three or four words.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Descriptive Noun is:
Step 2: What must we DO to succeed? The second question focusses on what you must do as a business to live out the noun you chose in the first question. Write down three ways in which you will impact people to bring change in the world using verbs – i.e., action or doing words.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Verbs of Impact are:
Step 3: Who will we target? The third question is all about the different groups of people that your business will impact as you live your mission. Make sure that it is as broad as possible. Try and end up with 3 groupings of people that cover all your target groups.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Target Groups to impact are:
Step 4: What will the result of our impact be? The final question deals with what you believe your impact will accomplish in the people you target. Here you are describing the change you want to see in your target audience.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: The Result of our impact will be:
The next part of this process is to move towards writing out your mission statement in one sentence using as few words as possible. Take the words or phrases you identified using the four questions and add them to the following sentence:
We are _____________________ (descriptive noun) who _____________, _____________, _____________ (verbs of impact) to _____________, _____________, _____________ (target groups) so ____________________________ (result of influence).
Now you are ready to write your mission statement in one sentence, memorise it, display it and connect with it every day as you run your business.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Mission is…
Well done if you followed my process so far – you have a clearly written and powerful mission statement to direct your focus as a business owner or leader. Now it is time to take the next steps…
2. Identify Your Key Result Areas
The second step to living your mission is to identify the Key Result Areas (KRAs) through which you will live your mission. Your Key Result Areas are the areas you must focus on and track to achieve our mission. Here are 3 steps to take to identify your Key Result areas:
Step 1: List Possible Areas To Focus On. Do a brainstorm of all possible areas that are important to your business. Consider your product, staff, customers, revenue, processes, etc.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Possible Areas are:
Step 2: Select Six Areas To Focus On. This step will give you a manageable set of Areas to focus on as you live out your mission. Go back to the list of possible KRAs in Step 1 and narrow the list down to no more than 6 key areas you need t focus on to be successful as a business – make sure they cover your whole business.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our 6 Key Result Areas are:
Step 3: Write Descriptive Statements For Each KRA. The descriptive statement describes the condition we must reach for each Key Result Area to be considered operational and working well.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our 6 Key Result Areas are described as:
In my book I also describe how you should do a SWOT analysis on each KRA, identify critical issues for each KRA and create an action plan for each KRA. The Sample Chapter will walk you through these additional steps and it will also give you sample statements, KRAs and Goals from three different businesses!
3. Create Your Goals for KRAS
The third step to live your mission is to create your goals. Now that you have defined the KRAs you will focus on for your business you need to create goals for each KRA. You could use the SMART goal approach and create goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely or you can create goals by asking yourself: “What is the most important thing we could do this week to have the greatest positive impact on this KRA.” While many goals may come to mind, you should limit yourself to just a few important goals for each KRA. With your mission statement in mind, look over the work done in Step 2 for each KRA and create 2 goals for each key area.
—> It’s Your Turn: Complete the sentence: Our Goals for our 6 Key Result Areas are:
Note: This is an excerpt from my new book, The Productive Biz.
My book includes a Bonus Step which is to Work your Plan using a Business Planner that has 8 sections: Mission, KRAs, Goals, Priorities, Projects, Tasks, People and Habits so you can track your progress.
Order My Book for More Like This!
The Productive Bizis filled with practical tools to shape and run your business using 7 Keys that defeat the 7 Giants stealing your productivity (visit the book’s website to meet the giants). Each of the keys contains proven strategies, with clear steps to take to implement them, plus a set of resources in a Google Drive folder to make it all work in your world.
Here is what you get:
1 Book: around 60 pages in A4 format if printed out.
1 Workbook: a fully interactive journey for screens or pens.
1 Folder: a Google Drive folder with 69 assets to add endless value.
9 PowerPoint Presentations: one for each key and the intro and outro too.
Get it with all these Bonuses for just $9.99 on Amazon as an eBook!
I believe that this process for developing and living your mission will be of great help to you and that you will invest in your future by buying a copy of my book!
Oh, you should definitely consider working with me this year! Let me be your productivity coach in your personal life or your business life! I am not cheap but affordable and can promise results based on testimonies from over 100 clients. Click HERE to book a free discovery call with me and we can talk about my 9-week coaching journey and see how we can make it happen. Act today and cast a vote for the kind of person you want to be!
My name is Mark Tittley and I have spent decades pursuing productivity in my WHOLE life. I have trained and coached people across the globe in productivity and I send out a weekly Newsletter to help people live a Productive Life. Each newsletter contains 3 One Things that I have either Read, Done or Created that have helped me be more productive.
Over the past seven weeks I have explored
each of the 7 keys to living a productive life from my book, The
Productive Life.
As I wrap up this series of messages, let me suggest a few things that could
sabotage your efforts at living a Productive Life and remind you of what we
covered:
* Struggling with Guilt. Many people feel guilty
when they are not working a hundred-hour week. For many years I was a
recovering workaholic. I was the worst possible taskmaster and I kept driving
myself to work non-stop – even when I was supposed to be off. Thankfully,
maturity and a desire to live a truly Productive Life have helped me leave that
way of thinking and living behind. Maybe you are in a different place in your
career and don’t yet feel the need to balance your life. Hopefully you will
learn from others who have gone before you and learn to pace yourself and pay
attention to all areas of your life. When you work, work hard and smart, but
when you rest, rest well!!! Make sure you implemented the strategies you learnt
in Key #1: Live Your Mission.
* Dealing with Overwhelm. My wife and I have a
blackboard in our kitchen where we write motivational quotes for each week.
Last week we chose to use a quote from the Productivity
Paradox Podcast
by Tonya Dalton: “Overwhelm is not having too much
to do – it is not knowing where to start.” This book should have given you
practical tools and strategies to know what action to take in any moment as we
explored in Key #2: Manage Your Actions.
* Battling with Habits. My daughter, Ashley,
often speaks of how our bodies have muscle memory and the negative effects that
can have on our efforts to get or keep fit. Our minds have something similar
going on and we will need to work consistently at the new ideas and habits that
we are developing to overcome old ways of thinking and living. Don’t forget we
referenced research that suggested that we need to repeat an action for at
least 66 days before it become a habit. You may need to revisit Key #3:
Build Your Habits to refine your best practices around mastering good
habits.
* Neglecting Key Areas. Maybe you are doing
well in some areas of your life but you are really struggling in other areas.
Remember we have been talking about the Productive Life and not just the
Productive Employee. It may be helpful to revisit Key #4: Plan Your Time
where you learnt to include a wide variety of life areas in your planning to
set and achieve your goals.
* Getting Easily Distracted. The world is not going
to suddenly stop shouting for your attention. You won’t wake up tomorrow with
no messages or demands for you to respond. You will need to continually revisit
Key #5: Focus Your Mind and keep working on avoiding distractions.
* Fighting Your Nature. If you don’t appreciate
how you have been wired and spend too much time trying to overcome your natural
strengths and tendencies you will end up being frustrated because you have
spent too much time trying to change who you have been uniquely created to be.
If this become an issue then Key #6: Know Your Self could be the game
changer you have been looking for as you embrace who you are and work with
yourself rather than against yourself.
* Running on Empty. If one day you remember
your good intentions to live a Productive Life but you find yourself thinking:
“I just don’t have the energy to
show up and deliver anything today” then it would be time to revisit Key
#7: Renew Your Energy and do things that will generate the physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual energy you need to live a Productive Life.
I trust that you have benefited from this series and have either
invested in a copy of my book or have an intention to do so! As I mentioned in
a previous message, if you honestly can’t afford to purchase a copy, then send
me a direct message and I will send you a digital copy for free!
Here are some places where you can purchase a copy if you are able to:
