In the business world, this means being pulled along by low-value tasks and confusing busywork with productivity. By shifting our thinking and taking an active approach, we can cultivate a productivity mindset across our business to focus on what’s crucial. “It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease
Cut out the inessential
Taking on too many responsibilities dilutes our overall impact
- Research shows that knowledge workers spend a good chunk of their time on discretionary activities that offer little in the way of personal satisfaction and could easily be delegated
- Low-level work bogs down our days and prevents us from using valuable resources on projects that will produce better outcomes
Design an action plan
Categorize your work by importance and know when to take things off your plate
- Find your “sweet spot” – whether it aligns with your purpose and what’s most important to your organization’s larger goals
- Play to your strengths
- Automate – use automation tools for low-level work
Make room for what matters
Define your peak times and set them aside for your most meaningful work
- Knowing how your focus, creativity and interest change at different hours can help you better engage in the key projects you do take on
- Striking the balance between necessary tasks and what’s crucial means experimenting with different techniques and finding what works best for your business
