This morning I came across an article that offered some unusual and seemingly contradictory advice: how to be more productive by doing nothing. While most articles on productivity offer an assortment of suggestions on how to be more productive with your time, this article took a contrary stance in order to help us take a step back from the usual way we approach the idea of productivity.
Borrowing on this idea of achieving more by doing less, let’s consider the how and the why of doing less.
Why do less?
The first question is why we should strive to do less. In a word, the answer is burnout. Trying to do too much at any one point in time is overwhelming and impossible—which leads to fatigue and frustration (short-term burnout). When you get to this point, it’s time to slow down.
What is even worse is trying to do too much on a sustained basis. Some people have the energy to maintain this kind of pace for years—but eventually, they will hit the wall. The analogy is fitting, because when you hit the wall, you don’t slow down—you come to sudden and painful stop. This is the point of burnout where the damage may be irreversible and the only solution is to walk away and never come back.
How to do less?
The next question addresses how to do less. Perhaps like me, you’ve fallen prey to the “yes” syndrome of taking on too many things at one time. While it’s hard to say no—especially when we’re asked to help with a worthy cause—the simple fact is that we can never do everything we might be asked to do. And the tendency to say “yes” all the time—coupled with a high level of competence in your work—only tends to attract more noble causes to your door. The solution to your “yes” problem is twofold: (1) know your limits; and, (2) prioritize your time and energy. Not everything can be equally important, so make a point to order your commitments according to what’s most important—and then know your limitations so you can say “no” when you reach that point.
What does it mean to be “productive”?
Finally, consider the important question of what it means to be productive. At this point, it is important not to confuse activity with work. Sometimes your most important work involves the least amount of activity—for example, when you take time to think about the future of your business, or you work through the mental process of creating a new concept or solving a difficult problem.
When I was in the corporate world, one of the worst things you could do was have the boss walk by your office and discover that you were doing “nothing”—which is to say, nothing visible. In this kind of work environment, the emphasis is on looking busy even when doing nothing of value. By contrast, your most important value may be the time you are not busy with tasks like reading, writing, talking, or listening.
Less work and more focus
The value of doing less is apparent when we can begin to focus more time and energy (especially the best part of our day) on doing fewer things—and doing them better. This is particularly true for creative kinds of work which are easily stifled by the effects of frustration and fatigue.
Make time for nothing
While there are times when circumstances require an intense effort, it’s important to pull back and rest on a regular basis. Taking time to do nothing will help you bring a new level of energy and creativity to your work.
J.R. Dickens
© 2014 Woodland Park Research Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Woodland Park Research Group, LLC 