Ever feel like you’re on a hamster wheel at work, and that for every one thing you get done two more pop up in its place? Are the never-ending demands of your job running you ragged? Does your calendar actually look like a solid brick wall?
Georgetown University computer science professor Cal Newport has a theory about slowing down and getting off that hamster wheel, and it just might be the thing for you!
Here are Five Fast Facts about slow productivity:
- 💨 Misplaced Priorities - The problem our culture faces is work overload. We take on too many things and try to get them done too fast. There are too many distractions, and frenetic activity has become the goal rather than getting real work done. Microsoft recently shared that most knowledge workers spend two days each week on meetings and email alone! That’s not a win for anyone.
- 💻 Life Savers - We’ve kicked around how AI might be impacting the workforce many times before. The reality is that one of the first things it’s coming for is simple administrative tasks like managing email and calendars. If that’s our expertise, then we’ll be replaced by AI faster than an abacus can calculate 1+1.
- 👍 Quality Over Quantity - The goal of slow productivity is quality and trust. You’re not chucking a bucket load of half-assed work items over the cube wall! You’re doing the most important things, and taking the time to do them right.
- 🦸 Mastery, Not Jackery - The key to making this work is mastery of what you do. You have to actually be good at your job, or at least the critical parts of it. And, you have to be completely reliable to get done what you say you will, on time. Nail that, and you’ve got a shot.
- ✔️ Best Practices - It can be tricky to say no to work. Be positive and frame your response as ensuring you are doing the highest quality work you can, and being as effective as possible while you’re doing it. Don’t make it seem like a burden or that you’re just avoiding it. You’re doing your absolute best to benefit the company – and your boss – by delivering your best work on time, every time. If necessary, work with your boss to keep a list of priorities so both of you know where your focus is at all times.
🔥Bottom line: Slow productivity can be tricky to implement, but it could lead to a revolution in your energy level, happiness at work, and your ability to deliver your best work over the long term. We’re not machines, and we weren’t meant to run at 110% all day every day. It’s time we got real, showed our mastery, and proved how much value we can bring to our job…without burning out or crashing.
What do you think of slow productivity?
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