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Productivity

Productivity Issues

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Product Issues

Product Issues

“Piled Higher and Deeper” by Jorge Cham, www.phdcomics.com

We spend an enormous amount of time trying to get the world to align with the vision we have for what will make us happy or successful. Whatever “it” is, figuring out how to deal with the noise in your head is probably faster and cheaper than changing the outside world. Not easier, though, merely important.

— Seth Godin makes his usual sense in his post It’s Not All in Your Head.

Sometimes the stuff in your head is exactly what Seth says — noise. Don’t psych yourself out with the should’ve-would’ve-could’ve. You’re already your better you to get out there and do.

Productivity for a Good Day’s Work

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Look at the progress of the day towards the end and ask yourself: ‘Have I done a good day’s work?’

Answering that question is liberating….

It feels good to be productive. If yesterday was a good day’s work, chances are you’ll keep the roll. And if you can keep the roll, everything else will probably take care of itself.

37signals’s David Heinemeier Hansson writes in his post, A good day’s work, about the frustration from those ever-continuous waves of work that lap up against our mind’s shore.

David’s helpful suggestion to deal with that worried and anxious mind is to simply reflect on the day that’s just passed. Oftentimes, you’ve done a great day’s work. Leave your work knowing that you’re ready and primed to have a great day of accomplishments tomorrow.

So ask yourself: “Have I done a good day’s work?” and keep that roll going!

The Power of Daydreaming

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We always assume that you get more done when you’re consciously paying attention to a problem. That’s what it means, after all, to be ‘working on something.’ But this is often a mistake. If you’re trying to solve a complex problem, then you need to give yourself a real break, to let the mind incubate the problem all by itself. We shouldn’t be so afraid to actually take some time off.

Jonathan Schooler explains his forthcoming paper on the power of daydreaming in Jonah Lehrer’s blog post, “The Virtues of Daydreaming”. According to Schooler and Benjamin Baird’s research, questions need time to marinate and incubate in your brain in order for you to come up with better and more creative solutions.

Like doodling, daydreaming is put down as a waste of time, when in fact you’re getting stuff done. Your unconscious is still hard at work while you can let your mind wander and take a break without the guilt trip!

Creative daydreaming

Image: Hikingartist.com