“Each minute is a little thing, and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret of success” - Joseph Wirthlin
I often get asked the question “will productivity help me?” If you’ve heard me talk before you’ll realise I’m an advocate of productivity. However, let me step you through 4 scenarios.
Scenario 1: The person has tried every popular technique but nothing has stuck and therefore worked
This is a classic case of productivity failing because experts have tried to deploy it as an antiquated 1 size fits all mentality. There’ are benefits from standardisation but my research shows the 1 size fits all approach only feels right for 70% of people. That’s fine if you’re part of the 70% but what about those are part of the 30% who need a more customised approach to align to their rhythm? Productivity consultants will say they didn’t apply the techniques but the issue is 1 of tailoring productivity to the individual.
Scenario 2: The person is quite disorganised
That’s easy to fix with an easy to maintain system to stay organised. The key is to keep it simple, otherwise if it’s too complicated it won’t be sustainable.
Scenario 3: The person doesn’t know where to start
That’s where a coach can help
Scenario 4: The person lacks discipline
This is the hardest 1 to address because productivity requires a level of discipline. If the person isn’t accountable then results will be inconsistent. In these situations you have to connect to the driving force – the what’s in it for me for the person to want to be disciplined.
When I’m asked will productivity help me I ask the person what their preferences are. With Working Rhythm it’s then a case of applying principles and customising accordingly for the individual to:
- Maximise their strengths and minimise their weaknesses
- Feel more natural
- Just make sense
Will productivity help me? Working Rhythm will.