Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening my axe.

—Abe Lincoln

Productive people get things done. They work on projects, finish tasks, obtain results, and reach goals. In that sense, we are all productive to some degree. Many of us, however, aim to become more productive or manage our workloads and stress more effectively so that we have more time for loved ones and hobbies. We may wish to complete larger, more complex projects; experience fewer distractions or obstacles in our day-to-day lives; or simply experience a flow.. Read More

Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening my axe.

—Abe Lincoln

Productive people get things done. They work on projects, finish tasks, obtain results, and reach goals. In that sense, we are all productive to some degree. Many of us, however, aim to become more productive or manage our workloads and stress more effectively so that we have more time for loved ones and hobbies. We may wish to complete larger, more complex projects; experience fewer distractions or obstacles in our day-to-day lives; or simply experience a flow state—when we are absorbed in a challenging yet achievable task—more often. To this end, we must learn better time management skills, more organized thought processes, increased efficiency, and improved decision-making processes. The tools in this chapter are aimed at helping you improve in all these areas and more.

The purpose of these tools is not only to help you do more in less time but also to help you do more in the right direction, meaning that you actually move toward achieving meaningful life or business goals and doing things that strongly relate to your values. These productivity tools are not about doing busy work faster but rather about leading you toward a more purposeful and fulfilling life.

Some of these tools may seem minor, tempting you to brush them off in the belief that they can’t possibly make a big difference in your life. The individual impact may be small, but the incremental effect can be quite large. If used over time, each one can have a powerful result. As an example, consider your phone notifications. Have you ever tried to have a conversation with someone over coffee when their (or your) phone was on the table? Even if you both ignore all the beeps, dings, and flashing banners, every small disturbance occupies some space and processing power in your brain, resources that could otherwise be used to stay focused and engage with the person in front of you or to have an innovative idea.

You may think yourself immune from these small distractions, but according to research by Florida State University,[1] they are disruptive even when we consciously choose to ignore them. Despite our best efforts, they cause us to lose focus. When they occur while we’re completing a task, they make us more prone to errors. Imagine that you’re attempting to focus deeply on something and receive several of these notifications over the course of an hour. Over days, weeks, and years, how much might this time impact your focus, creativity, or work performance or even your ability to have a meaningful conversation?

Many of us believe that we need to be constantly available, but what we seem to gain by responding rapidly to messages can actually be a net loss as we require extra time to repeat actions, repair errors, or explain unclear communication. Extrapolate all that over the long term, and it’s easy to see how eliminating microdistractions from our phones could give us back significant chunks of time and lower our stress levels.

Of course, this is only one example. There are many other ways by which we can increase focuse and lower stress, enabling us to do more with less time and effort. This is the ultimate goal of improving our productivity. The Pillar Tool in this chapter, 1.7: Getting Things Done, represents a comprehensive system not only for productivity but also for reducing the stress that often accompanies our efforts to be productive. Let’s take a look at it, along with some other tools that will help us to do just that.