How to Get Things Done, Stay Focused, and Be More Productive

The article discusses how digital technology influences modern busyness and detracts from focus, necessitating a reevaluation of productivity metrics to allow for more purposeful living.

Digital Technology Drives Today's Overwhelming Busyness, Stress, and Lack of Focus

Distraction and Overcommitment: A Culture of Constant Activity

Digital technology has significantly increased the number of work-related requests individuals receive via emails, text messages, and Slack, leading to overcommitment. The low friction of digital communication encourages the ease of making requests, which accumulates into a culture of constant activity. These digital tools are not only a gateway for more tasks but also a source of distraction that contributes to attention fragmentation. These distractions, which come from various mediums in short bursts, make it even harder to maintain focus on a single task.

The constant stream of unfinished tasks, such as unread emails, creates a perpetual feeling of busyness and the anxiety of potentially forgetting something important. This is further exacerbated by the strong emotional reactions elicited by the charged content consumed on digital devices, which generates a background of distraction disrupting the ability to remain present.

Traditional Productivity Metrics Don't Fit Modern Knowledge and Creative Work

Shift To Measuring Activity Over Meaningful Output Fuels Busyness, Stress, and Guilt Cycle

Mel Robbins discusses the stress, demotivation, and sense of being overwhelmed that comes from never-ending to-do lists. Cal Newport furthers this point by describing how workers in the digital age dislike the feeling of busyness, yet they feel obliged to say yes to more commitments due to easy communication, which leads to further stress and overload.

Cal Newport explains that productivity used to be measured by physical outputs in sectors like agriculture and manufacturing, but modern knowledge work offers no such tangible products. Therefore, businesses fall back on measuring visible activity as a proxy for productivity, promoting a culture of busyness rather than true value creation. This leads to a pseudo-productivity culture, where being busy is seen as good and not being busy as bad.

According to Newport, organizations measure busyness because it is straightforward to assess compared to the real value produced, especially in cerebral occupations. This faulty measure promotes the idea that more is better and results in unnecessary bu ...

Slow productivity emerges as a concept arguing for a more thoughtful, focused, and sustainable approach to work. It is presented as a response to the contemporary culture of constant busyness and the nervousness or fear associated with the idea of slowing down.

Doing Fewer Things At a Time

Streamlined Priorities Ease Cognitive Load, Boosting Engagement and Progress

Cal Newport warns against doing too many things simultaneously, as it can actually slow progress due to administrative overhead such as meetings, emails, and conversations related to those commitments. As these overhead tasks fill the day, actual work progress plummets. By focusing on fewer tasks, stress is reduced, and more time can be spent on actual work, which can increase overall pace and task completion.

Mel Robbins echoes this sentiment, indicating that streamlining priorities by saying no can ease cognitive load, allowing for better engagement and progress on meaningful work. Newport suggests that managing fewer tasks simultaneously allows for a more creative and effective approach, which in the long run will reflect in higher-quality outcomes and a deeper life.

Working At a Natural Pace

Accepting Longer Timelines for Sustainable, High-Quality Work

The discussion also tackles the benefits of working at a natural pace. Robbins cites a passage from Newport's book, which suggests that the relentless grind fueled by our anxieties can lead to unrealistic timelines and poor work management. Cal Newport reassures that in the long run, the completion of a task is remembered, not the time it took. By accepting longer timelines, historical figures like Newton and Austen achieved significant progress.

Mel Robbins shares a personal anecdote about her husband's seven-year journey through his MBA, supporting the view that pace should align with personal circumstances. Newport advises building trust so that informed ...

Experts discuss strategies to implement slow productivity by focusing on time blocking, minimizing distractions, and realistic project management.

Time Blocking and Schedule Planning

Dedicating Time Blocks for Focused Work Creates Mental Space and Discipline for Deep Work

Robbins touches on the idea of time blocking, emphasizing the need to shift from a reactive work pattern to prioritizing meaningful tasks. Newport advocates for a blocked plan for the day, separating time for focused work and administrative tasks. He suggests practicing focus with interval training, starting with 20-minutes of dedicated work and increasing the duration over time. Newport explains that once comfortable, increase the interval by 10 minutes until reaching the goal of 90 minutes.

By systematically increasing the duration of focus intervals, individuals develop the discipline and mental space required for deep work.

Newport advises that organization and adherence to a careful schedule can build trust and allow for effective time-blocking, leading to more control over when and how work gets done. Applying time blocking strictly to work hours and not personal time is essential as maintaining such a schedule in personal life is too challenging.

Minimizing Distractions and Staying Present

"Boundaries on Tech Boost Concentration and Productivity"

The conversation implies that setting technology boundaries is crucial for minimizing distractions, thus improving concentration and productivity. Recognizing the need to reclaim control from devices and limiting charged content on phones are essential to maintain focus. Newport and Robbins suggest setting strict boundaries during deep work intervals to avoid checking emails, using a phone, or browsing the news.

Newport stresses the benefits of no distractions during dedicated work time blocks. He also suggests having designated times for checking email to schedule technology use and avoid constant interruption. Robbins highlights the ubiquity of tech distractions, questioning her ability to focus, and underscoring the significance of enforced boundaries.

The culture of constant activity can be addressed by setting technology boundaries, thus enhancing concentration and productivity.

Realistic Goal-Setting and Project Management

Assessing Task Time and Effort to Prevent Burnout and Improve Output

The conversation includes strategies for realistic goal setting, which involves reviewing all desired activities and assessing if they fit within one’s schedule, a concept Newport refers to as facing the "product ...

Mel Robbins and Cal Newport discuss the concept of slow productivity as a route to a deeper, more purposeful life.

Slow Productivity Allows For More Impactful Work

Newport highlights the importance of reducing one’s cognitive burden to engage in more meaningful and impactful work through slow productivity.

Slow Productivity Reduces Cognitive Burden, Enabling Focus on Impactful Work

Robbins mentions creating a wishlist for managing tasks as critical to freeing up mental space, leading to deep work and slow productivity. Newport affirms this approach, stressing the importance of having everything that needs to be done written down to focus on more significant tasks. He aims to remove the busyness and stress to allow individuals to work impactfully without feeling overloaded.

This exploration into slow productivity arose from a personal need to manage job success while allocating significant time for family. By reducing one’s cognitive load, it’s possible to engage better in more impactful work. Robbins and Newport suggest prioritizing fewer, more impactful activities to enable greater focus. Being trustworthy and organized allows individuals to reduce the cognitive burden, focusing on impactful work and leading to a deeper life.

Slow Productivity Fosters Autonomy and Control Over Time

The conversation also covers how skilled individuals can shape their schedules to align with their values and priorities, thanks to slow productivity.

Skilled Individuals Shape Schedules to Align With Values and Priorities

Newport and Robbins discuss making deliberate choices about activities, giving an example of extending an MBA timeline to fit life circumstances, which allows for aligning schedules with personal values. They also point to a culture that often rewards busyness, suggesting a need for individuals to take control of their time.

By not rushing through tasks, people can align their work with their personal values and priorities. Building a reputation as someone reliable and organized affords the flexibility to shape one's schedule and dictate terms aligned with their values. Effective time management can prevent stress and allow for enjoyment of preferred activities. Ultimately, doing what matters leads to a life focused on what's important.

Slow Productivity Facilitates Self-Awareness and Personal Growth

The authors suggest that slower productivity nurtures self-awareness and facilitates personal growth by enabling individuals to deepen their understanding o ...