Productivity is always an ‘in’ thing regardless of what business you may be in. Whether you’re working for Donald Trump, or for a startup distributor, or you’re sorting mail in the mailroom, one’s performance is based on how you maximize the use of your time for maximum productivity.
Even when you work for yourself, where you own your time, you’re still bound to discover that efficient time management can boost your productivity and give you more time to do the things you love to do.
Before I go further, a word of warning. I’m not talking as an expert here. I’m talking from the standpoint of someone who has the same need for constant reminders about the advantages of sticking to a productive routine in order to meet expections – mine or others – or perhaps even to do better.
I found that the usual way I do things is not necessarily a bad routine. Normally, I don’t really lay out a complete plan before embarking on some things. I also still have not mastered myself inspite of my desire to improve my focus. But I saw that some folks who are or can be considered successful in their present life practice the same things I do and have the same weaknesses I have.
Jeff Goins’ Productivity by Deception
Well at least that’s what Jeff Goins of jeffgoins.com is doing. He’s a published writer and is deeply involved with the ‘Adventures in Missions’ non-profit group. After reading his chapter in an ebook from Problogger.com called Blog Wise, I found that I’m not alone after all in my hither-thither approach to things.
Besides having to force himself to follow established productivity methods like time chunking (e.g. Working in 30-minute increments), Goins proposed a method of productivity he calls Productivity by Deception which makes sense as far as I’m concerned. There’s still hope for people like me after all.
In his own words:
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“Another thing I do is I create an enjoyable context,” he reveals. “Like last night I downloaded the Mumford and Sons album, and I made myself a carafe of really good coffee, and I was like ‘I have to do something I don’t want to do, so I’m going to create the most enjoyable context possible. I’m going to listen to music. I’m gonna drink coffee. And I’m gonna sit down and I’m gonna do it. And I’m gonna set aside this much time to do it.’
“And for me, the CD, which is like 45 minutes, was my egg timer, and when that was up I was done – whether or not I was actually done with it. I was done.”
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The way I understand it is that the trick is to trick yourself into thinking that a particular job is enjoyable. If not, then at least make the environment comfortable and less work-like. I am definitely adding this to my list of techniques for overcoming self-sabotage.
That, in my case, should work pretty nicely.
The enemy that blocks me from doing cool stuff and being productive is me myself. Tricking the enemy into cooperating by bribing it with what it loves is the best measure it seems.
I’ve got to make sure to personally thank Jeff Goins the next time I meet him for sharing this simple trick. Ooops, I forgot I live on the other side of the globe. But, who knows? I just might get to bump into Jeff one of these days.
Now, I’m off to read the other chapters of the Blog Wise e-book. Goins’ chapter is not the first chapter but I somehow found myself going there directly and discovered that he’s one cool guy. Now, off to the other cool folks’ chapters.