What is the true cost of productivity

We are constantly being told that we need to extract the maximum benefit from every minute. After all, whatever you say, productivity - feature of most successful people.

We have 24 hours in a day, and about 16 of them - to be productive. If we consider the basic work, there remains anywhere from two to six hours, we are eliminating the personal affairs.

But is not it too much? Productivity - it's great, but it can get expensive. I've already paid for it and want to share their experiences to help you avoid the same fate.

My path to productivity

About a year ago I focused on improving my time management. I did the same as any other person who wants to be productive: downloaded dozens applications and I read dozens of articles. I was determined to devote all his spare time to the development blog. So I started to get up at five in the morning and write down all your goals the night before.

The first few months, it inspired me. I have become more organized, worked sprints, I began to use the calendar. But there was a problem: I felt like a squeezed lemon.

Anyone who has seen my bags under the eyes, constantly asking if everything in my order - and I was completely broken.

Despite its efficiency, I rarely took time drawing up a clear plan. This resulted in the execution of a set of "important" tasks and complete misunderstanding of the purpose. For example, most of the time I spent on the search for ways to drive traffic to the site, but not on content creation. I narrowly conceived and chose the wrong path.

Everything has its price

A few months, I did not even realize where it will lead. I recorded all my time using ATracker - application with which you can keep track of time in acting categories. For example, how much you spend on reading, eating, and even recreation.

I like to assess your progress every evening. I used to spend two o'clock reading for three hours at work on the blog, and it was damn cool. But such efficiency has cost me dearly.

I have little time devoted to family and friends: I thought that my communication hinders efficiency. This led to the fact that I have become less and less inviting somewhere and the more I talked only to himself.

I felt like a robot programmed only to perform tasks, and was miserable.

Because of its efficiency, I missed a lot of important dates and lost a lot of expensive people. I became so obsessed with building a successful blogThat he forgot about the other important things. The saddest thing is that I am no longer working on this blog.

Although most of my hard work in the end turned out to be a very valuable experience, I doubt that it is more expensive of the friendship that I lost.

Understanding productivity changed

Today the word a slightly different meaning.

Be productive - it means to deal with the major challenges without sacrificing the important moments in life.

This means that you need to often accept invitations to meet with friends and family. Have one full day off work. Listen to your body when it is tired of the problems and relax. Do not bathe if sometimes it is impossible to complete all planned.

I realized that three hours - my personal limit. They are in addition to the eight that I spend for their main activities. If I ever even exceed this time, it is only because he has finished the other tasks before.

I admire people who can work more than 10 hours a day and feel great. Yes, you can blame yourself for something that does not work as much. But we are all different - and everyone has a limit.

It is important to find a personal limit

I firmly believe that for everything in life you have to pay. If you spend too much time on their business, there is little vidishsya with his family. You give too much time mother - run the risk of ruining your business.

Sometimes I wonder whether the goal should build a successful business in order to give it its golden years. In the end, because there is no guarantee that I will succeed. Although an excess of dialogue, I am sure, too, I will not bring me happiness.

Ask yourself the question, what does productivity mean for you personally? Is it better to complete the important means for business tasks? Or, maybe more to go? Must not only be more productive - you need to understand why.

Whatever you put in this concept, the main thing - to make you happy. Leave the schedule only the most important things - the ones that inspire you.

Try to imagine you have finished all the basic tasks and nothing you do not oppresses. You managed to build a thriving business, to devote enough time favorite and find time for yourself.

Like what you presented? If so - get to work. And if not - drop everything and give yourself time to think about what to put in their own notion of productivity.

Do not count the days. Live so that every day was going to score.

Mohammed Ali, American boxer

see also

• How to find the time to make the highest productivity and the right schedule →
• 33 short life hacking to improve productivity →
• Secrets of the King productivity geeks Nikola Tesla →