What's the real secret to productivity

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Time management techniques often don't work because you are missing one simple thing.

You've probably already seen life lessons from some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs. The problem is that they are usually seen as incorrect causal relationships. The fact that Elon Musk works 120 hours a week does not mean that you will achieve the same success by injecting the same amount. Whether it is worth envying his life at all is a separate question.

Musk works on such a crazy schedule because he wants to. One can argue about the psychological background of such a desire. For example, whether it comes from a noble desire to help humanity or is explained by pathological workaholism and the need to assert yourself. Anyway, Musk likes it to a certain extent. If you tried to work on the same schedule, you would have to force yourself.

It's the same with less extreme advice, like recommending writing every day. It won't work if you don't want to write. And you won't be able to stick to a training regimen if you don't get at least a little pleasure from what you are doing.

This became apparent to me when I read about the hyper-productive German sociologist Niklas Luhmann. He maintained a complex system of cards to organize all of his knowledge. During his life, he published 58 books and hundreds of articles, and also left several manuscripts that were published after his death in 1998. Makes you wonder what the secret of his productivity is.

I never force myself to do what I don't like. Stuck in one thing, I switch to something else.

Niklas Luhmann German sociologist

Sounds like outrageous self-indulgence. On the other hand, it is quite logical that such a number of works were born not despite the fact that Luhmann did not force himself to do unpleasant things, but precisely because of this fact.

I've tried a lot of time management techniques, and the results of these experiments lead me to agree: getting things done most often depends on how enjoyable they are. The secret to productivity is simple: do what you enjoy doing.

Surely you have objections. It seems that by allowing yourself to do what you like, you will waste even more time sitting on social networks or eating Nutella from a can. And there is some truth in this.

When starting a difficult business, you often have to push yourself. But after that, the motivation is fueled by the pleasure of the work, not the productivity technique.

On the contrary, they can only do harm. If you absolutely have to spend 4 hours a day on a specific project, it is likely that the job that once brought you pleasure will turn into an intolerable responsibility.

Plus, most people can't afford the luxury of having fun and meaningful work. And they are unlikely to be able to organize their day by focusing only on what they like. However, the problem is not with this approach to productivity, but with society. And it cannot be solved with conventional efficiency tricks.