Top 6 BIG, BAD Productivity Myths

TOP 6
BIG, BAD
PRODUCTIVITY
MYTHS How to steer clear of harmful
conventional wisdom.
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Take on the most menial
tasks at the beginning of
the day.

BIG, BAD PRODUCTIVITY MYTH # 1:
TACKLE THE MOST MENIAL TASKS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY.
There is a myth that just "getting the worst tasks out of the way" is a good
thing. This concept couldn't be any more misguiding. We arrive at
work with 100% energy in the morning. If we put that energy into tasks
that are completely draining -- and lead to little money-making results in
the end -- then we have little to no energy to put into projects that actually
utilize our talents and add to the bottom-line.
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WHAT’S A BETTER WAY?
A much better strategy is to take on the most profitable tasks first, and
leave the "must do" tasks until the end of the day, when you are already
drained. That way, you won't overwork yourself on tasks that don't suit
your strengths.

Everyone should be
good at multi-tasking.

BIG, BAD PRODUCTIVITY MYTH #2:
EVERYONE SHOULD BE GOOD AT MULTI-TASKING.
Somehow multi-tasking developed into an esteemed practice. Some
even consider it the hallmark of efficiency and practicality. But that is simply
not true for everyone. Yes, some people have a talent - and a need - to
develop shortcuts and to perform several tasks simultaneously. These
people are actually less effective if forced to concentrate on only one thing;
they lose interest, become bored, and often quit before finishing.
But an equal amount of the population is just the opposite - they are at their
best when focusing on one task, working through it completely, and then --
only then -- moving on to the next project. These individuals need
accomplishment, an ability to "check it off the list," and space and time to
focus.

EVERYONE SHOULD BE GOOD AT MULTI-TASKING…CONTINUED
I find that administrative personnel are particularly wired for this single-
tasking approach. Yet, they are most often expected to work several
tasks at once…answering the phones, greeting visitors/clients,
responding to the rest of the team…all while completing their normal
administrative duties. This expectation runs completely opposite their
natural talents, and ultimately negatively impacts both the
administrator's and the overall team's productivity.

WHAT IF I’M NATURALLY A SINGLE-TASKER?
If you are a "single-tasker," come into work an hour before or stay an
hour later than everyone else. That will give you a quiet, uninterrupted
time to focus and get things done. During the day, look for patterns in
the occurrence of interruptions (for example, most calls may come in at
lunchtime), and plan to work on a low-priority, simple activity at that
time.

WHAT IF I’M NATURALLY A MULTI-TASKER?
If you are a natural multi-tasker, respect that not everyone is wired like
you. Just as you need the freedom to jump from task to task, understand
that others need the time to focus. Your colleague may not attend
to your request until much later in the day, because he first needs
to finish the current task at hand. A second pointer is to get into the habit
of asking, "Is this a good time?" And finally, be sure to set appropriate
deadlines on your requests of others. Rather than expecting everything
to be completed right away, clearly communicate those things that are of
lower priority, and can be dealt with...in time.

Attend a time
management class.

ATTEND A TIME MANAGEMENT CLASS.
I have heard it said that "If you want to waste time, go to a time
management class." Though some people can and do benefit from time
management instruction, there is an equal (and possibly larger) group of
people that do not benefit...to the extent that time management
courses can even be counterproductive.

WHY ARE TIME MANAGEMENT CLASSES HELPFUL TO
SOME AND NOT AT ALL HELPFUL TO OTHERS?
The answer is simple: because there is no one right way to manage
your time. You do not have to follow a particular time-blocking chart or
module scheduling to be successful. The key to being responsible with
your time is to find the method that works best for you. Maybe multi-
tasking and dealing with interruptions/crises as they come is your most
efficient method. Maybe taking on tasks one-by-one and scheduling
each component of your day is more comfortable for you. Either way, it's
your best way of managing time that matters...not someone else's.

If I work hard enough,
I can become good at it.

IF I WORK HARD ENOUGH, I CAN BECOME GOOD AT IT.
One popular strategy for self-improvement is to identify your strengths and
weaknesses, then work very hard to improve on the weaknesses. The result
always seems to be a person with a set of strengths, and a set of
somewhat-improved weaknesses.
To be clear, I am a strong believer in determination and self-belief. But, if
you are running in the wrong direction, running faster does not correct your
course. We each have a finite amount of energy to put in our work -- why not
target your efforts toward those things that you do best? If a certain
approach does not come naturally to you (and there are other acceptable
approaches that do), then change course!

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
You have probably heard the phrase, "Work smarter, not harder."
Though it has become a bit cliché, the message is still a powerful one.
Don't throw more effort and energy into something that isn't
working...especially if your only goal is to "become good at it."
Step back. Take a new approach, one that utilizes -- rather than drains --
your talents.

Some people are more
creative than others.

SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE CREATIVE THAN OTHERS.
Creativity is, in fact, equally gifted to each person. Bob is no more
creative than Jen, who is no more creative than Sam. The difference is
the way in which each person expresses her creativity. And that is where
the confusion begins. We stereotypically think of creative people as
those who come up with big, inventive ideas or wow us with their original
works of art. Yes, those are incredible examples of creativity. However,
we cannot forget that someone who designs a streamlined
organizational system for an office space is equally creative. We also
cannot diminish the creativity of someone who craftily infuses data and
statistics into a business proposal.
Copyright 2017 Launch. Any effort to reproduce or publish this document without explicit and written consent is strictly prohibited.

HOW SHOULD WE DEFINE CREATIVITY?
A British science fiction writer, Brian Aldiss, wrote, "Whatever creativity
is, it is in part a solution to a problem." I think Aldiss has a good handle
on the concept. Anytime a person strives toward solving a problem or
seizing an opportunity, his creative instincts are at play. No matter what
form the solutions takes or how "far out" the idea, the process of arriving
at a solution is inherently creative.
Thus, whether we are observing a marketing executive pull together an
advertising campaign or an administrative assistant derive an office
schedule, we are witnessing two beautiful, and equally creative
instances.
Copyright 2017 Launch. Any effort to reproduce or publish this document without explicit and written consent is strictly prohibited.

Hire opposites.

BIG, BAD PRODUCTIVITY MYTH # 6:
HIRE OPPOSITES.
Opposites may attract in love, but not in the workplace. We often think
that our professional foil will be the perfect balance to our deficiencies.
In theory, that may be true. Someone with opposite talents does bring
entirely different capabilities to the table. However, it is nearly impossible
to have a successful, long-term working relationship with an individual
who possesses an opposing instinctual method.

IF OPPOSITES FAIL, WHO SUCCEEDS?
It is far better to seek out someone who offers complementary talents.
This combination creates a healthy challenge to your comfortable ways,
while avoiding outright conflict. You'll find that your effort, when
combined with a complement, grows exponentially. I'd say that's a much
better option than having your effort canceled out by an opposite.

WANT MORE PRODUCTIVITY JOLTING ADVICE?
Visit www.PreparingForLaunch.com
MEET EMILY MELIOUS
Emily is a consultant, speaker and writer on the
topics of productivity, performance, hiring and
team synergy.

Top 6 BIG, BAD Productivity Myths

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Top 6 BIG, BAD Productivity Myths