Am I Productive?

Am I Productive?  Not really!  I have an infinity to get things done.  I set out to create my version of a planner for more productive days. I made a prototype, had samples shipped from China, and ended up with some really nice notebooks. I sent samples to friends that I thought would use it hoping for some feedback, and crickets. No response tells me they did not want to hurt my feelings. I decided to stick with my planner and I was over it 3 months later.  I went back, tried other planners and notebooks yet nothing was sustainable.  [Throw money out the window here].  At this point I had a full time job, teaching with a full class load, a side hustle, and a start-up. Not to mention, a spouse who has a career of her own and 5 active children. I decided to print out my planner again and fill it out each night. It helped me stay organized for a bit but the custom sheets were always changing. My days were filled with appointments, meetings, and tasks to be done.  Spread out on the kitchen table preparing to organize my week ahead I realized I am routinely doing double work. I was making to-do lists of to-do lists.  I was busy being busy.  Enter the digital age. Notebooks gave way to Evernote. Zoom brought in virtual meetings. Gmail and Outlook kept me connected.  Sprinkle in the Google messaging app, Google Keep, Signal, WhatsApp and I’m digital.  I made sure I had separate emails for work, teaching, side hustle, start-up, and personal endeavors. I was officially digital and moving into “productivity-ville”!  I added an iPad with the same suite of apps and an ApplePen.  Writing helps me remember and what’s the big deal carrying another device. After all, I love carrying a laptop, iPad, headphones, and chargers galore.  As time went by, more apps were introduced. I was compelled to try out the latest app or productivity hack.  As more time passed, many apps went unused. I became fatigued from using particular apps.  More so, I become more concerned about finding the next best tool.  Nothing was consistent. So why was this happening again?

What I learned was that these paper or digital systems are only good if you’re looking to organize busy.  Not for productivity.  I decided to focus on workflows not systems; progress not tasks.  I first had to define what being productive means.  Leveraging, networking, developing, studying, and moving projects forward closer to the finish line is what matters to me.  To start, I turned off all email notifications and changed my settings to “pull” which means I had to physically go in and check my emails. No more getting sidetracked by email. I committed to responding to voicemails by text message.  Personal meetings gave way to virtual meetings and I limited lunch meetings.  I adopted the strategy O.H.I.O. which stands for “only handle it once” for my emails.  Handle it, delegate it, delete it, or flag it to be worked later. This kept each email inbox clear every night. I canceled my subscription to Evernote.  I ditched the preprinted sheets and only carried a notebook with a pen and highlighter.  Electronically, I committed to Google Workspace. With Workspace, I have a single calendar with all my appointments. I can easily toggle between email accounts, chat when I need to, and texting is easy. I use my Google assistant for help and reminders, convert important emails to tasks and schedule them, and use Google Keep for notes.  My busy is now organized. So…Was I productive?  Not yet. 

The most impactful realization I had through this whole process was that time is finite.  It’s a limited commodity.  I can’t make more of it and no planner or app will help me.  This forced me to focus on my own workflows leading me to  incorporate structure in my schedule.  I try to keep Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for meetings and engaging with people. Tuesday and Thursday are reserved for focused work. Specifically I set up block time for specific projects where a block of time is dedicated to one project with zero distractions. I would check emails or respond to texts during scheduled intermittent breaks in between blocks.  The proverbial switching gears without multitasking.  By no coincidence, switching gears allows for what’s top of mind to move to your subconscious where your brain keeps processing while you turn your attention to the new project.  It’s a fascinating phenomenon that explains why answers to questions or ideas randomly pop into your head.  (Book Alert! The Systems Thinker: Essential Thinking Skills For Solving Problems, Managing Chaos, and Creating Lasting Solutions in a Complex World by Albert Rutherford).  

Focusing on my workflows has resulted in the longest “productivity” system I’ve used.  I have my reasons for choosing Google’s Workspace but the basics are not leaving anytime soon and I have not experienced any “app fatigue”.  Email, messages, notes, calendar, tasks and contacts is all one really needs.  Technology will always evolve (is ChatGPT going to predict my schedule?) and the latest productivity apps are only as good for as long as they stay in business.  You yourself evolve over time (new schools and jobs and kids!).  Having an established workflow is the only “system” that can evolve and stay with you.  If you really want to accomplish something, eliminate all the noise and get rid of the clutter.  Seneca famously said that “without order nothing can exist, without chaos nothing can evolve.  Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”  Find the minimum tools you need and focus on goals not tasks. Adopt ways to work that make the most sense for you so you can find value in your time and no longer pay the price of being busy.