Comments on: How to Find Your Productivity Achilles’ Heel http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:53:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: David http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376998 David Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:20:30 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376998 Procrastination has been a huge thing for me this past week and a half. I told myself I would have finished an ebook by the end of February. That was on the 11th of January, and I still haven't started. I know that it will push me to the edge of my competence, but I haven't done it yet. Major projects like these didn't get a lot of focus in this post, but it did help with one thing: definition of the problem. Scott, If I had to label it, it would be a motivation thing, and if it werent for your post I might not have defined it that well. Thanks! Procrastination has been a huge thing for me this past week and a half. I told myself I would have finished an ebook by the end of February. That was on the 11th of January, and I still haven’t started.

I know that it will push me to the edge of my competence, but I haven’t done it yet.

Major projects like these didn’t get a lot of focus in this post, but it did help with one thing: definition of the problem.

Scott, If I had to label it, it would be a motivation thing, and if it werent for your post I might not have defined it that well. Thanks!

]]> By: Jonny | thelifething.com http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376418 Jonny | thelifething.com Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:27:22 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376418 Great post. I am an avid promoter of systems, especially ones which are used to structure the repetitive tasks in your life allowing you to appear more care free and spontaneous on the surface. For example, I always check email, blogs, social and stats once a day in the morning. Always backup work once before shutting down in the evening. Leave Saturdays unplanned to finish off any outstanding work and Sundays for organising, improving systems and washing etc. It mat sound anal, but if you asked anyone who knew me they would be more than enthusiastic in how rarely I seem to plan things and act in very spontaneous ways. It is all down to how I structure the day to day running of my life so that I can focus on the unexpected turns of the journey. After al, that is where the real fun happens. Great post. I am an avid promoter of systems, especially ones which are used to structure the repetitive tasks in your life allowing you to appear more care free and spontaneous on the surface.

For example, I always check email, blogs, social and stats once a day in the morning. Always backup work once before shutting down in the evening. Leave Saturdays unplanned to finish off any outstanding work and Sundays for organising, improving systems and washing etc.

It mat sound anal, but if you asked anyone who knew me they would be more than enthusiastic in how rarely I seem to plan things and act in very spontaneous ways. It is all down to how I structure the day to day running of my life so that I can focus on the unexpected turns of the journey. After al, that is where the real fun happens.

]]> By: Julian Summerhayes http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376323 Julian Summerhayes Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:27:52 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376323 Glad to see this is still generating some discussion. Glad to see this is still generating some discussion.

]]> By: Titluciole http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376202 Titluciole Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:29:30 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376202 Sorry to my bad english, unlike you, I’m more comfortable in french language. Interresting post ! I’m not passionate with cleaning, tidying and I’m used to procrastinate it on my to-do-list. What help me was to link this tasks with usual tasks or pleasant tasks. I do a kind of « holistic housework » lol. Like Pavlov’s dog and its « dring », when I take my shower, I clean my bathroom, when I drink tea on my sofa, I clean my low table, when I go to the toilets (which are near my washing machine) I ask me « where is my washing ? » and I do the next step to take care of it, when I leave a room, I look at the things which are in the bad place and I take it to the good place or to the garbage. I know that Christmas feasts are associated to the annual sorting of my make-up. I don’t have to think about it, or plan it, it’s a reflex. On my to-do-lists, the phone calls was always put off or forgotten. For me, it’s like park between two cars, I hate it and I manage to not having to do it (even if I live in a big town where it’s banal). I’ve decided to work on that and force me to do it, each day for 30 days with the help of this site, and it became more natural . Today, I don’t need to put off it anymore. The good news is we can work on it even if we all have our little weaknesses. Sorry to my bad english, unlike you, I’m more comfortable in french language.

Interresting post ! I’m not passionate with cleaning, tidying and I’m used to procrastinate it on my to-do-list. What help me was to link this tasks with usual tasks or pleasant tasks. I do a kind of « holistic housework » lol. Like Pavlov’s dog and its « dring », when I take my shower, I clean my bathroom, when I drink tea on my sofa, I clean my low table, when I go to the toilets (which are near my washing machine) I ask me « where is my washing ? » and I do the next step to take care of it, when I leave a room, I look at the things which are in the bad place and I take it to the good place or to the garbage. I know that Christmas feasts are associated to the annual sorting of my make-up. I don’t have to think about it, or plan it, it’s a reflex.

On my to-do-lists, the phone calls was always put off or forgotten. For me, it’s like park between two cars, I hate it and I manage to not having to do it (even if I live in a big town where it’s banal). I’ve decided to work on that and force me to do it, each day for 30 days with the help of this site, and it became more natural . Today, I don’t need to put off it anymore.

The good news is we can work on it even if we all have our little weaknesses.

]]> By: Chris http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376021 Chris Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:21:42 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376021 That is okay, Scott. Just use what works for you. For me personally, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that EVERYTHING (as in: literally EVERYTHING) is in the system is well worth it. Otherwise the worrying about all the things that I am missing is killing more drive then could be gained by applying a leaner system. I admit to being a bit control-freakish. I have been running a somewhat-like GTD stystem for years when I had not yet actually read the book. After I read it, I implemented more or less everything that is in GTD and never looked back. The best part of it is that I now have a much more complete life because I now actually can have projects in all important areas of my life without feeling overwhelmed. The confidence that the system can handle it all is so great, it is incredible. That is okay, Scott. Just use what works for you. For me personally, the peace of mind that comes from knowing that EVERYTHING (as in: literally EVERYTHING) is in the system is well worth it. Otherwise the worrying about all the things that I am missing is killing more drive then could be gained by applying a leaner system. I admit to being a bit control-freakish. I have been running a somewhat-like GTD stystem for years when I had not yet actually read the book. After I read it, I implemented more or less everything that is in GTD and never looked back. The best part of it is that I now have a much more complete life because I now actually can have projects in all important areas of my life without feeling overwhelmed. The confidence that the system can handle it all is so great, it is incredible.

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-376003 Scott Young Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:16:35 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-376003 Chris, I'm inclined to disagree. Maybe not in *every* case, but I have explored productivity systems thoroughly, especially GTD. The main weakness of GTD isn't that it's design has holes, but that it is overly complicated for most people. There are *too many* solutions, and as a result the system requires over-maintenance without the drive generated by a ruthlessly simple system. -Scott Chris,

I’m inclined to disagree. Maybe not in *every* case, but I have explored productivity systems thoroughly, especially GTD. The main weakness of GTD isn’t that it’s design has holes, but that it is overly complicated for most people. There are *too many* solutions, and as a result the system requires over-maintenance without the drive generated by a ruthlessly simple system.

-Scott

]]> By: Richard Shelmerdine http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-375979 Richard Shelmerdine Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:27:35 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-375979 Nice technique. I'll give it a go sometime. Nice technique. I’ll give it a go sometime.

]]> By: Craig Thomas http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-375977 Craig Thomas Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:59:52 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-375977 I've recently found my Achilles heel. :) It turned out it was simply the fact I was comfortably sitting at my computer. Now I'm standing and the effect it's had is simply amazing. My productivity/motivation have raised massively. I've only been testing for 4 days but so far I haven't procrastinated once. I’ve recently found my Achilles heel. :) It turned out it was simply the fact I was comfortably sitting at my computer. Now I’m standing and the effect it’s had is simply amazing. My productivity/motivation have raised massively. I’ve only been testing for 4 days but so far I haven’t procrastinated once.

]]> By: Chris http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-375974 Chris Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:34:34 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-375974 Actually, if you have these problems it means that you did not implement GTD perfectly. Weekly goals are as such not a part of GTD and for good reason: they support this kind of procrastination Instead, as I am sure you are well aware, there are tasks that are organized according to where you can do them. Using this instead of weekly goals will immediately solve the procrastination for errand-type tasks. Well, that is, if you actually go for errands. This, I find, is best accomplished by an addition to GTD that I find valuable: a weekly program. The weekly program is filled by on the one hand tasks that return every week, like doing laundary, and that do not need to be put anywhere else but on the weekly program. And, on the other hand, with names of task lists that I look at exactly at that piont of the week. For instance, I always check my errands list first thing after lunch on Saturdays. Not going for at least one errand at that time can only be excused if the list is empty or if I have another appointment at that time. What then needs to be done is that every task list needs to get enough time in the weekly program such that tasks are not on it for too long. Tweaking the weekly program for that purpose takes some attention but it is definitely worth it. Actually, if you have these problems it means that you did not implement GTD perfectly. Weekly goals are as such not a part of GTD and for good reason: they support this kind of procrastination Instead, as I am sure you are well aware, there are tasks that are organized according to where you can do them. Using this instead of weekly goals will immediately solve the procrastination for errand-type tasks. Well, that is, if you actually go for errands. This, I find, is best accomplished by an addition to GTD that I find valuable: a weekly program. The weekly program is filled by on the one hand tasks that return every week, like doing laundary, and that do not need to be put anywhere else but on the weekly program. And, on the other hand, with names of task lists that I look at exactly at that piont of the week. For instance, I always check my errands list first thing after lunch on Saturdays. Not going for at least one errand at that time can only be excused if the list is empty or if I have another appointment at that time. What then needs to be done is that every task list needs to get enough time in the weekly program such that tasks are not on it for too long. Tweaking the weekly program for that purpose takes some attention but it is definitely worth it.

]]> By: SallyBeam | Self Help Friend .com http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2010/01/20/how-to-find-your-productivity-achilles-heel/comment-page-1/#comment-375969 SallyBeam | Self Help Friend .com Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:43:26 +0000 http://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/?p=1390#comment-375969 I have my Productivity Achilles’ Heel also. And after reviewing your post, rewarding is a key ingredient. I've found writing success journal everyday is a great way to rewarding yourself also. I have my Productivity Achilles’ Heel also. And after reviewing your post, rewarding is a key ingredient.

I’ve found writing success journal everyday is a great way to rewarding yourself also.

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