The Secret to Getting More Done

There are myriad tools, techniques, and methodologies to help you become more productive. But what is the RIGHT one?

Maybe you’re a fan of David Allen. His methods of capturing and clarifying certainly have some appeal. Or perhaps the Franklin Covey ABC-123 method has helped your productivity for years.

How about the Pomodoro method? Working in short bursts with scheduled breaks might be your thing. Or maybe you prefer the personal Kanban board to keep you on track.

Dr. Travis Bradberry, in Why the Eight-Hour Workday Doesn’t Work, references a study on employee work habits. Using software that tracked output, the study found that the most productive were those that structured their day into small work chunks and took many short breaks. The study went on to conclude that, “the ideal work-to-break ratio was 52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest.”

I found the conclusion oddly specific: 52 and 17 minutes of each – a very strict prescription for being productive.

But that was for EVERYONE on average. Some people might resonate with shorter bursts, and others prefer extended work sessions. Rarely do the averages work for everybody.

None of these systems, tools, and techniques are wrong. They help a lot of people get more done.

The perfect system is the one you use and resonate with.

If you’re continually fighting your system, then you’re not as productive as you could be.

The secret to getting more done is simple: do what works FOR YOU. There is no one system, technique, or toolset that works for everyone – and the ones that you’re more attracted to are the ones that will make the most significant difference in your work.

Find the system and techniques that work best for you, and you’ll unlock YOUR secret to getting more done.

  • March 25, 2019