The simple fact is everyone has 168 hours available each week. Why are some people able to accomplish so much more at work and in their personal life week after week? Are they naturally good at getting stuff done or did they have to learn how to? For many it presents a dilemma - you either have it or you need to get it. However, not everyone takes action to improve their situation.
The irony is the people and businesses who need help are sometimes those who resist. Productivity isn’t about cramming in as much work as possible each day. There’s no point being fast focussed on unimportant work that doesn’t make a difference. Instead, productivity is about actioning the important activities that achieve targeted results within the required timeframes. The difference may seem subtle but the impact is substantial for the individual and the company.
In my line of work, I think I’ve heard every reason why “we can’t consider productivity now.” The top 5 are:
- We’re too busy
- It’s not a priority
- We don’t have budget
- It won’t work here
- I’ll see if our team are interested
The reality is there’s never a perfect time because there will always be some kind of conflicting challenges for time and resources. But if you need to achieve more then a productivity initiative is the way to go. Also, consider how 65% of executives say the overwhelmed employee is an urgent problem. Yet, 44% say they’re not prepared to deal with it.
Therefore, the bigger questions are:
- How serious are we about supporting people to unleash their potential?
- What’s the cost of inertia?
Achieving outcomes has a bottom line financial impact. Productivity’s not soft skills. It’s the techniques and culture necessary to be effective. Are you not taking action to improve productivity because you’re already world class or are you just making excuses?