Today was a crazy day. We’re launching a new eBook with another site on dPS tonight so there was lots of planning, writing of copy for emails, sales pages and blog posts, setting up of shopping carts and much much more.
I thought that the day would be a write off when it came to my other activities, yet I still managed to get a lot done – perhaps even more than a normal day. I wrote 4 blogs posts (actually this one makes it 5), edited 4 others from other writers, managed to keep my inbox down to the same level it was at yesterday and did a bit of preparation for a sermon I’m writing for my church next Sunday… not to mention normal family stuff.
How was it that today was more productive than a normal day?
Today wasn’t a freak day where I worked any longer hours than normal, dosed up on cold and flu tablets, or drank 6 coffees instead of my normal 2. Over the years I’ve noticed these kinds of days before – and there’s one common thread among them….
I can sum it up with this chart:
I find that on the days that I fill up with tasks and deadlines that I tend to get a lot more done than the days that I have open.
When I don’t set out to achieve anything – I tend not to get anything done while on the days I wonder if I’ll get anything completed because I have too much to do I tend to exceed my expectations and get more than I planned to do done.
Of course there comes a point on the ‘busyness’ spectrum where things can get overwhelming to the detriment of productiveness (I’ve had days where I’ve been completely paralysed by the overwhelming nature of it all) but in general I’d say that I’m at my best when I’m busy.
I think this partially explains why as a student at university I was a pretty pathetic student and could never seem to get an assignment in on time. I had 10 contact hours and only had to show up to classes for 2 part days a week. I had 3 full days off to get everything I needed to do done, but never seemed to achieve it while my friend with 35 contact hours a week seemed to get everything done.
I always saw myself as undisciplined. Perhaps there was some truth in that but ever since I started blogging I’ve always wondered why that ‘undisciplined streak’ has never really come back. I thought for a while I might have just grown out of it, but I suspect it’s had more to do with the fact that I’ve been keeping myself busy.
When I started blogging I had numerous part time jobs and was finishing my studies in Theology and blogged ‘on the side’ (nights mainly). As I let go of the part time jobs I started multiple blogs and other projects as I had capacity – but have always stretched myself and taken on a little more than I could easily do. As a result I’ve always felt a little stretched, but have have always had to focus and set myself priorities in order to get what I set out to achieve done.
Is it just me who is wired this way or do others find their productivity increases as their busyness does?
PS: I’d issue one word of warning on this. Over the 8 years that I’ve been working this way there have been a couple of times I stretched myself too far. You’ll notice that the chart has a tipping point where busyness can lead to less productivity. Don’t burn yourself out!
Hi Darren,
I’m amazed to hear to that out of everything you do here and on your other blogs, you still chisel out time for Sermons. I don’t know why this is the first time I’m learning you studied theology – very impressive.
Anyway, I think I’m the same way – I need a certain level of pressure – of deadlines to get things done. I often amaze myself with what I can accomplish when I focus on them – but I also fall into same trap when there are “open” days. I have a tendency to laze around when there are no set goals for a particular day.
Then of course, there are days when I stretch myself too thin and my brain freezes up and I’m unable to focus on any one thing.
I’ve gradually learned to focus on less, and instead complete high priority tasks. They make the greatest impact – I like to have something to show for the time I spend working – sometimes a few big things make a greater impact than 1000 little things.
Anyway, keep up the awesome work!
I think it has nothing to do with business. I guess since blogging is what you love from the bottom of heart, you are naturally focused and hence, get more out of door every day. At least, that’s the case with me. As a student, I was poor in planning and executing my plans for studies, but the things which I love to do get executed without any hassle. I guess the force here is the inner motivation which push you to do the things which you are perfectly capable of.
Thanks for sharing!
sorry, I meant busyness ;)
Darren, Spot on! There is a tendency (I think) in most people to be more productive when focused (which is what those tasks and deadlines do for us) than when we are more nebulous about getting things done. I’ve experienced exactly the same results as well as those days where I had so much to do that paralysis set in.
When I get to those paralyzing days I just try to remember to tell myself to take one thing at a time (harder than in sounds in the days of multi-tasking) and chip away at it. Inevitably, just getting one major thing off my plate can take the anxiety out of it all and lead to a very productive day again.
If I have all day to do something, I tend to get nothing done.
Busy or not, I need a schedule, a clear idea of what I need to get done, and usually a timer to help keep my focus too.
You described me to a tee in this post. I only recently discovered how important it is to really have a daily schedule. Not just a todo list but a methodology on how to get it all accomplished.
Without it I am extremely unproductive or the opposite end of the spectrum stretching myself way too thin. I truly believe that blogging has helped me in this regard because to juggle family and other personal responsibilities plus blogging and article writing.. I needed structure.
I have experienced increased productivity when feeling busy too. It sorts of foucs our minds on the task at hand..when the deadline is impending…
By the way, I find it hard to associate an undisciplined habit with you when you churn out blog posts almost daily and have been keeping at it for years.
http://seventoten.com
Darren – I feel exactly the same as your do. When I am borderline overwhelmed with things to do, I am incredibly productive. I think it has something to do with the fact that you NEED to be productive in order to get through the day, so you’re inherently motivated to work more efficiently.
On days where I have plenty of things I *could* do, but nothing that I *need* to do, I am wildly unproductive and generally end the day feeling like I wasted valuable hours.
This is absolutely true for me too!
It happened just yesterday!
Monday is the most busiest day for me in the whole week. I got more done yesterday, than today (Tuesday), in which I have not much to do!!
I was very busy yesterday, but I got so much done yesterday. While I have so much time today, but I have not nearly done the tasks which I did yesterday, even though I have more time!!
Every Monday I get more done than any other day, even though I have very little time and I am very busy on Monday!
Strange!!
Hey Darren,
I’m not sure if it has anything to do with being busy or just putting priority on the things you enjoy doing. When my plate is full of task that I enjoy doing. They get done completely. Now, if I have a task that I’m dreading I’m going to put it off as long as I can and do everything else that I enjoy.
Chat with you later…
Josh
I definitely work MUCH better this way. For me, I think it’s all about the challenge of getting it all done in such a tight window. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge. I’m not sure if that’s the real reason, but it seems to make sense.
On days that I leave open to just “think” and take it slow, I don’t really get anything accomplished.
Strange how that works.
My experience has definitely been similar. When I have an enormous amount to produce it creates urgency so that I take action and take it consistently. I have found though that I tend to surge and then struggle to get anything done after the surge. So, I have some disciplines that I am using now that level my work a bit and I am now consistently producing more. Specifically,
1) I use a timer ALOT during the day. I set aside units of time to work on things and then step away whether I am done or not. I am very right brain dominate and can easily get sucked into trying to complete the big picture of something whether it is realistic or not, even to the detriment of other things that need attention. So, I am learning to invest consistent time into tasks.
2) I map out 4 or 5 priorities that I want done by noon each day and focus on specifically those. I put off distractions and rabbit trails until those things are accomplished.
3) I create a mind map for the week on Mondays.
4) I stopped creating a bottomless to do less that was self defeating and usually work in terms of to do lists that are only 5 or 7 items at a time, regardless of what may need to get done.
All of these things help me stay more focus with out generating some kind of crisis to get productive.
This has always been the case with me. Give me a full schedule and I’ll exceed all expectations. Give me a free day and I can’t seem to get a thing done.
A discovery I’ve made is that I get a LOT more done when I start the day with a clean desk. A completely clean desk–no paperwork on it. Just my computer monitor and keyboard, phone, and calculator. I would say it increases my productivity four-fold.
“Is it just me who is wired this way or do others find their productivity increases as their busyness does?”
Actually a very good question to ask everyone, in fact most should ask themselves this to see where they are. I would have to say it depends how you approach your overall busyness. For instance if you have no plan or goal it may be tough to get it done because you first of all haven’t come up with a goal, and second if you haven’t come up with it you can’t really hit your expectations if there aren’t any.
So this may leave you a little overwhelmed, which may turn into giving up certain things because of this. Really breaking it down and having a plan can really help many, noticed I said MANY, because some of us are just insane and can get it done :-).
I work best when I have a list of things I need to do for that day. I love crossing them off once they’re done and then moving onto the next one. It makes me happy to be productive, especially on those items that I don’t really want to do, but need to get done.
When you get overwhelmed, look around at what you are doing and eliminate something from your life. It might be a hard choice, but it’s so necessary.
I’m with you on this one, and its one of the reasons my blog hasn’t seen a post in over a month. I’ll say I’ve been busy, internships, school, etc, but I’ve really just been browsing Reddit and messing with Facebook.
But, when I have deadlines, I go into overdrive mode. I get everything and anything done. I guess its time to get productive and unbusy.
I understand fully because I was the same and still is. I realize it when I read about it in the book the “40 hours work week” written by Tim Ferriss. It seem like making short term goals tend to get things done rather than long ones. In other words, being busy at what you are targeting can get things done in a fast manner. The longer one’s stretches the less efficient & effective he/she it. Just focus! It’s always the way.
The key for me is clear deadlines. If I have a lot of ambiguous, amorphous projects floating around, it’s difficult for me to find motivation. There’s no clear beginning, no clear completion date, and no deadline I need to meet.
This makes it important for me to define milestones: accomplishments for which I can set deadlines, and which will give me something to look at and say, “I did that. I finished it.” With something ongoing like running a business or blogging, milestones are what keep me going.
You’re so right. When we have a plan , we do stuff , otherwise we daydream :-) . Thanks for the reminder that having a to do list in line with our goals is such an important thing. God bless
My experience is almost difference from those above commenters, whenever I decide to do more and more work before deadline – given by myself to me, It’s ruins me mentally and physically, so now, I have decided to do work without deadline and it increase my productivity, That was my personal experience.
Funny how that works. You are working, but still feel like you’re not getting anything done.
“deadlines are inspirational”
also……re “undisciplined”
woody allen once said of stand-up comedy –
“you never bomb as bad as you think you do.”
Darren,
My Dad told me once that ‘work expands to the time allotted’. I believe this is very true for me.
For example, when I was in university I worked part time (and sometimes full time) as I studied. Over the years the only time my grades went down was when I did not have a part time job since ‘I taught I had all the time in the world’ I did and I never keep focused.
Today when I coach people I help people make the habit of focus so they focus like they have only a small period of time each time they work (even if they have more). This technique works to help them get their work done and have more time to do other stuff.
Thanks for reminding me of this. I will put a reminder of this in one of my blog postings and put your posting as a link back.
Cheers,
David
Well, being a student it’s really hard to find and to manage time for Blogging, College and other Projects…
But with time when you start setting your own goals, then you start getting things done on time and that’s where you attract all the “Positive Energy” towards you and create a positive change in your life!
Motivation is really important, wake up early in the morning and Jog! I find this really helpful! :)
Darren,
When I have lots of thing to get done I seem to get things done faster and better but when I down to two things or so I seem to think I can take my time but find myself falling behind deadline.I think the more I have on my plate the better I am.
It’s the momentum that keeps you going… Over the past two years I have some weeks where I have no stuff to complete and others where I have to send around 50 e-mails in a day!…
If only it could be split to 5 e-mails a day!…
:]
Hi Darren,
Here is the article I mentioned I would write in my comment above with the link back to your article.
http://thewondertechnique.com/focus-and-productivity/
Thank you for the inspiration to get this article done.
David
As someone who found himself at the far bottom right of your graph and ended up burnt out for a decade, I tend to be very careful about how many deadlines I make myself in a day (or a week). One important task done a day makes me very happy these days :)
Cutting out the needless “busyness” is the key of course. Working out what’s important and doing that. Otherwise I can still be very busy, but not at all productive (and my graph would resemble a steep ski-slope rather than your nice bell shaped curve).
This is definitely true for me, and this post has probably made me realise it. When I think back to my most productive days they are the days that I am at University all day. I come home and type days in advance and then with my days off I can’t seem to get anything prioritised.
Great Post, thanks
I’ve found myself more disciplined when I am not busy, I just seem to get lots done, so it’s rather the reverse effect of your way of how things get done, it’s a strange thing to be not busy and just be motivated to do lots of work that might not get done the other way around.
I suppose it’s different for every person and every situation. Some days however I do get lots done when I’m busy but these days are few and far between….maybe I’ll just settle for getting the work done whenever I feel like, just so long as I get on with it…..
Interesting post! almost made me lose my concentration…..
Very interesting post…
I think that you choose to make other types of work on those days. For example, I tend to be able to write many blog posts on days, where I have a lot of things to get done.
On the other hand, I get a lot of work on IsMyWebsite done when I’ve a lot of time.
Also, research is one of the things that I get done on those days. – Not for one specific blog post, but it can for example be that I read a bit more blogs like this one.
I know exactly what you mean. Before I became “busy,” I was always struggling to finish things on time. Now that I work 50 hour weeks, volunteer 10-15 hours every week, and blog I find that I’m much better able to set priorities and accomplish things quickly.
Being stretched, as you put it, seems to force you to work smarter.
Yep, I work the same way.
I would get an enormous amount of ‘work’ done too, if all I had to do was write blog posts and work on a Sermon.
Try doing some ‘real’ work.
I think the human brain functions in a way that when you have more to think about, you try and rush, thus completing more.
For example, if you were a chef and had to make 1,000 pizzas, versus 100 pizzas, what are you going to work harder at? As a result of your hard work, you will finish more.
I am impressed how you try to squeeze in everything with your schedule. I think I will follow your steps soon. My housemaid didn’t return and will be giving her another week to go back to us however if she wont be able to make it on Saturday, I need to think how I will manage working at home, looking after my son and doing some chores too. But you inspired me how you do things and I will start to do time management now :) Thanks again.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience, Darren. Maybe I should look into it and see for myself if it works. I have been feeling rather undisciplined lately and it could be what you just said. Too little to accomplish therefore, no sense of urgency to achieve anything.
I think this is the most common problem marketers face I hate having a whole day to accomplish things then realize late at night I have really gotten nothing done!! Fail to plan plan to fail cliche but so true.
Steve Shoemaker
Couldn’t agree more, recently I went on holidays and had masses of things I had to get done before I left, as a result had the most productive week ever, but also very long hours during that time.
Since I got back I am really struggling as nothing is really urgent, but I need to knuckle down so they don’t become urgent….
I need some ‘fake’ deadlines but they just don’t have the same clout
“If you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
I guess your model testifies to this. I’ve often made the same observation about the way I work, too.
Great post, thanks.
Most definitely when I’ve got goals and tasks set for the day, I’m much more productive than when I just start a day ‘blind’ with nothing concrete on the agenda. Keeping busy keeps me on track, but I’ve definitely been guilty of keeping myself too busy to the point I’m ready to cry and crawl in bed because I’ve simply overloaded myself. Luckily I have fewer and fewer of those times, as I’ve learned exactly what I’m capable of doing and exactly what I’m not capable of.
I have to agree with you on that Darren.
My logic on this is that on days when you have a lot to do, you have a list of things that you know you need to check off and get done. And you go about quickly getting them done.
However if you have a non-busy day, you tend to procrastinate more. My mind wonders off when I’m working and I tend to follow up on those and spend quite a bit of time surfing on the net. Such as the other day when I was preparing to teach a scuba diving class and not long after, I started surfing the internet for potentially diving holidays destinations. What was suppose to take an hour to accomplish didn’t end up getting done.
When I first saw the subject of your blog post, I thought you were going to talk about how you used GTD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_Things_Done) to get yourself disciplined and getting things done.
Time after time I have proven that I am at my BEST when I am BUSIEST. Whilst productivity excels, I do feel that my creativity and social life are compromised. It’s all about balance.
Great post
This reminds me of the saying: If you want something done, give it to a busy person.
It is true for me, as well. It’s one of the benefits of having a day job while I get my coaching business up and running. Having 8 hours taken away from my available time forces me to use the time I do have wisely.
I find that my most productive days are filled with a perfect amount of tasks which you explained in your blog. The main factor for me is mixing in one or two social events that I’m excited about. Most of the time it is a meeting with someone new, reconnecting with an old friend, or going to a new place with my girlfriend.
I find that there needs to be a balance for being able to relax and being productive as well. Like you mentioned in your last post, sometimes it’s good to take a break.
But it’s also important to know what our limit is and when we are most productive. I feel most productive when there is a clear goal in mind, I’m by myself and that I ensure I’m healthy. This is when I’m in the zone.
I never really thought of it like this, but I think you’re absolutely right (for me anyway). Looking back, my productivity has always been higher when I have a lot set out to do vs. the days my schedule is open.
I think all the openness in a schedule leads me to feeling lazy and taking advantage of all the extra time, thus not getting as much done.
Thanks for another thought-provoking post Darren.
being busy is easy. Now being productive takes focus and attention.
This is why the Agile wall can come in very handy. By defining real tasks that have value in a visual way you always have targets to work to.
By keeping the tasks to the smallest deliverable that provides genuine value you can tackle and complete them one at a time whilst all the time enjoying that feeling of progress.
The visualisation gives you a sense of perspective and a sense of progress.
For example:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2513682441_b2beea0d6b.jpg