What exactly is Productivity?
Updated: Feb 13, 2019
pro·duc·tiv·i·ty /ˌprōˌdəkˈtivədē,ˌprädəkˈtivədē/
There are three key definitions of productivity better explained in three contexts:
The Core, The Economic Context, The Personal Context.
The Core Context
Productivity is a way to measure efficiency.
The Economic Context
Productivity is how to measure the output that comes from units of input. Farming makes for a good example: One acre of land that produces 10 pumpkins? That’s not very productive. But one acre of land that produces 2,000 pumpkins? That’s a much better return.
The Personal Context
productivity as “making certain choices in certain ways” that moves us from being “merely busy” to “genuinely productive” (Charles Duhigg).
Productivity focuses on ways people can systematize and better manage their lives so they have more time to do what they want. (Tony Robbins).
What Productivity Means to You
It’s getting the results you want with less time and effort. When you’re trying to understand how to be productive, what you’re really seeking is a way to achieve your goals while having time to spend on what matters. In other words, work smarter, not harder.
No matter the meaning of productivity or context in which you see it, productivity should matter to all us. Why? because we’d all like to succeed with less effort.
Your first step is to find some models of what productivity means and what it doesn’t mean to you personally. As Tony says, success leaves clues. Failure does, too.
What sounds better: modelling your success after your colleague who’s always drowning in to-do lists, constantly pushing back deadlines and seems on the point of breakdown? Or looking to your colleague who’s got a clear vision for their day, sets limits on their time and even gets projects done early for advice?
Increasing your productivity will resonate for your life, both at work and at home.
Check out the next post on how you can be more productive
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