Making the Most of Your "Personal Productivity"

The phrase "personal productivity" used to be accompanied by a lot of hype and fanfare. Usually it was nested in an advertisement or infomercial for a book or set of CD-ROMs promising to fix everything wrong with your life.

The term has taken on a more commonplace and practical sense in recent years and in fact, has become almost ubiquitous. We all have tools and applications we use to enhance our personal productivity. Whether we use the Task and Calendar tools in software applications like Microsoft Outlook, filing and task management systems like David Allen's Getting Things Done, or use a good old reliable Day Planner, most of us see the value in organizing our work in the interests of being more efficient.

The downside of all of this is that usually all that optimizing energy is focused on our jobs. All the upside value reaped from getting more done in less time accrues to our employer, with little to no benefit to our personal lives. What is the real value if we streamline our work activities so we can get eight to ten hours of work done in four of five hours if we still work the eight to ten hours? (Obviously, if you're an hourly, "non-exempt" employee there is a clear correlation. This is more relevant to salaried, "exempt" employees.)

Most employers capitalize on the fact that most employees are stuck in an "hourly" paradigm: I am being paid for forty hours of work. Of course, that goes out the window the minute there is a large project or an urgent deadline. Then, all of a sudden, the "exempt" concept kicks in an you are working fifty or sixty hours for that same salary. Although I rarely see people practice it, the concept should apply in both directions.

So, how does this relate to personal productivity? Quite directly and simply. If you work smart and hard and get more work done in less time, reward yourself. Use some of those hours to accomplish something that benefits your "personal" life. Whether you use the time to work on a hobby, pursue that little side business you're starting, read a book, or ditch work early to spend some time with your significant other, you should personally benefit from being efficient.

You can even take this one step further. At the beginning of the week, make lists and set goals for what you need to accomplish at work. What needs to be done by Friday at five o'clock in order to give your employer their money's worth? Now, what can you do to get that done by Friday at Noon, or even Thursday afternoon?

Now do it, and make the most of your personal productivity!

Back on the Wagon

Without getting too involved in the details, I will openly admit that I have been very distracted for the last few months. Unfortunately, I have not followed my own advice and have allowed a soul-sucking, poorly managed business drain my emotional and intellectual resources, leaving me little energy for anything of real value to myself or anyone else. I've neglected this blog, as I have neglected other satisfying personal pursuits.

It's a lot like being in a drunken stupor. You drink until you're in a confused haze and only sober up enough to open another bottle. You know coming out of it is going to involve an excruciating headache and probably some nausea (if you're lucky, just nausea). So, for awhile it's easier to stay inebriated.

Fortunately, I finally stopped drinking that swill, tossed out the bottle and braced myself for the hangover. Although it's been a rough couple of months, by tapping into some well maintained relationships, I've been able to navigate a transition into a position with more focus and more flexibility, and the opportunity to pursue my actual interests. While I still have a bit of a haul until I'm "living the dream," it's a measurable step in the right direction.

Sitting here in the southern California sun, working at something that at least has some social and environmental value, I have a positive feeling I haven't had in awhile. I'm still dealing with an organization that's a bit fractured and dysfunctional. However, I at least have the satisfaction of working with a leadership team that seeks input and is willing and able to make positive changes.

We'll see where this goes over the next few months. But, I am determined to stay on the wagon and focused on my goals.