Doubling Productivity: It Ain't the Tools

One of the best, simplest, most helpful sets of advice I've seen recently is Jacob Shriar’s 6 Shockingly Simple Ways To Double Your Productivity At Work .





Yes, one of his six is about tools. And his 12 recommended tools are all great: Evernote, Workflowy, Trello, Sqwiggle, Google Hangouts, Google Docs, Grooveshark (music), Pomodoro.me, Greenshot, Feedly, Yammer, Officevibe. If you aren't already using these, you most definitely should try them out! (Also check out OmniFocus)



But here's what's most important about his six shockingly simple ways to double your productivity...

1. Manage Time in Small Blocks

2. Learn How to Say No

3. Find the Right Environment (Workspace)

4. Create More Alone Time

5. Use the Right Tools

6. Delegate Simple Tasks

...Five of the six have nothing to do with technology, apps or tools.

Five of the six are all about your attitude, your beliefs.

Five of the six are about the choices you make.

Five of the six are about you deciding to take more control when it comes to all the stuff coming at you.



Five of six is 83%. That's about right.

Super-simplified: Here's how to double your productivity...



Follow the 80/20 Rule

80% is about the choices you make and how you think.

20% is about using the best tools/enablers/support.



For 80% of being productive, when anybody says "there's an app for that"... 

The app is you!


Let's try that again, this time with a different list...


11 Expert Tips to Help You Help You Be More Productive in 2014

FastCo's author of this list said she uses a kitchen timer (tool) and occasionally blocked her Internet service and email (choice to avoid tools) to force herself to stay focused, then shared this list:

1. Focus on One Big Task at a Time (choice)

2. Organize Your Day Into Time Blocks (choice)

3. Do Things You Don't Want to Do (choice)

4. Don't Get Paralyzed By Perfection (choice)

5. Stay in the Moment (choice)

6. Put Your Brain on Autopilot for the Small Stuff (choice)

7. Write an Old-Fashioned To Do List (tool)

8. Get an Accountability Partner (support)

9. Don't Check Facebook (choice)

10. Deal With It Only Once (choice)

11. Escape Into Single-Tasking (Be in the Moment) (choice)

9 of 11 = 82% choices

Or, including her intro: 10 of 13: 77% choices




No matter how you look at it, the 80/20 Rule applies:

80% of your personal productivity is about the choices you make and how you think.