Over the past month, I’ve had some in-depth conversations related to productivity. I’ve also had some productivity experiences in my life that caused me upheaval and angst.
During one of these conversations, I was encouraged to write a blog post about it. As I considered the blog post, it became not only one post, but a series focused on the Rhythms of Productivity.
The discussion that prompted this productivity focused series grew out of the change in rhythm a friend was experiencing. As human beings, we experience the world in rhythms. All of life has rhythms and seasons: the seasons of the year, waves on the shore, phases of the moon and seedtime and harvest, just to name a few.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore five different aspects of productivity.
Bandwidth – What is bandwidth? How much is enough? Are you managing your time or are you overworked? How do you decide how much is enough?
White Space – White Space is critical to creativity. Without White Space, our capacity to produce quality work drops. White Space in our calendar often goes by the wayside when we need to complete a project, yet that white space is exactly what we need for increased problem-solving capacity.
Seasonality – Just as with seedtime and harvest, our productivity is often seasonal. If you know you’re going into a busy season at work or a holiday season where time for accomplishing major goals is crowded out by celebrations and special events, you can set productivity expectations accordingly.
The Importance of Rest and Renewal – White space promotes creativity and new answers to problems. Rest and renewal re-energize us for our work. Each of us defines rest and renewal differently. For some it’s a round of golf, for others time with a friend or reading a book. A doctor who treated Mark during the recovery from his accident became an expert glass-blower, using this hobby to exercise his mind in a very different way than practicing medicine.
The 15 Hour Week – This concept uses focused attention for a limited period of time to accomplish your goals. Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Work You Love, lays out a plan to launch a new business in (only) fifteen hours per week. We’ll explore how this concept can work for your Rhythms of Productivity, regardless of the goal you want to achieve.
Productivity is a multi-faceted concept. Your Masterpiece Work will certainly include rhythms of productivity. Life is filled with them. I’m excited to explore it with you over the next few weeks.
What questions do you have about productivity? Share them here and I’ll work to address them during this blog series.
