Productivity is a good thing, right? That wonderful sense of accomplishment we get from getting more done in less time can be a genuine source of joy and satisfaction.
I think most of us are on the lookout for ways to ramp up our productivity. At the same time, it’s easy to get so caught up in the push that we forget why we are striving to be more productive.
What’s really behind our drive for increased productivity?
Isn’t the real reason we want to accomplish more in less time because we have other things we want to do besides work? Aren’t we all trying to create more time for all those “other” enjoyable activities that we keep putting off?
If you had the money and you had the time, what would you do? I’m guessing that listing everything that fits into that category would provide you with a good sized list, right? In fact, chances are just thinking about it brings a smile to your face.
The endless pursuit of happiness!
Anything we would attach to: “As soon as I have the time and the money I’m going to…” is something we really want to do. Consequently, there is a lot of good feelings linked to that list. But in reality isn’t it happiness postponed rather than realized?
So what do we do? We convince ourselves that increased productivity will ultimately result in a happier life because it will allow us to do all those wonderful things on our list.
Is that the way it’s worked out for you?
Here’s the downside to that kind of logic. It is way too easy to lose track of the big picture and become obsessed with just being more and more efficient for the sake of productivity. Instead of spending the free time we have created with our families or friends, we use it to get more done. We get locked into the mindset of doing more for the sake of increased productivity.
Why does that happen? Is it because we all want to work our lives away without taking time to stop and smell the roses? Probably not!
Making happiness conditional
The real problem is that somewhere along the way we managed to confuse accomplishment with happiness. Those happy feelings attached to our list can become so closely associated with being productive that we start to think they are the same.
Happiness started as the inspiration for achievement, but somehow things got reversed. Happiness became conditional. When being happy gets anchored in achievement, we can easily fall into the trap of projecting that happiness into the future. We put conditions on when we will allow ourselves to be happy.
I’ll take some time off just as soon as:
- I pay off that last debt.
- I solve this one problem.
- I close this next deal.
- I get a little more money saved.
- I have a slowdown at work.
Being more productive is great. Getting more done in less time really is a good thing. But those are not legitimate reasons for missing out on happiness now.
Happy and productive
There is no inherent conflict between being happy and being productive. Actually, the two go together very nicely. The only danger lies in getting out of balance and obsessing over productivity. So what is the take away here?
Don’t lose your balance and allow the desire to accomplish more become an obsession. If this is what’s been happening in your life, take some time to think about your priorities. Make sure that you maintain a healthy sense of equilibrium between living in the present and planning for the future.
Don’t allow yourself to get so caught up in compulsive accomplishment that you forget who and what are really important to you right NOW. Make sure to take some time to enjoy your life in the present instead of waiting for someday, because all too often, someday never comes.
Has productivity ever become an obsession for you?
How do you stay balanced and productive at the same time?
The lines are open!
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Jonathan: This is a powerful insight and statement: “The real problem is that somewhere along the way we managed to confuse accomplishment with happiness.”
This is such an important topic for exploration given all the focus on productivity these days. It is sensible to apply productivity tips wisely. But in the end, I find that I really needed to set more realistic expectations. I don’t want to multi-task while eating meals, for example. I think that’s insane and bound to cause problems in the long run.
Thanks for writing so brilliantly on this topic.
Sandra Lee recently posted..Sunday reflection- like a flash of ligtening in the sky
Hi Sandra, you said “more realistic expectations” and that’s really an important thing to keep in mind. We’ve all heard the term “too much of a good thing.” I think this is one area of life where it can be pretty easy to get out of balance if we don’t review our priorities on a regular basis.
Hello Jonathan,
Thanks for shining a light on where happiness and where it isn’t. If achievement could bring happiness there would be many happy people in the world, but the trouble with this approach is that no matter how much we achieve it’s somehow never quite enough…
How much more wise to give up this crazy pursuit and dare to be naked and surrendered and “still” in the moment — and see what happens…
Hi Christopher, There is great value in living our life in the present. After all, that’s where life happens. Still, moving toward new goals also adds a lot to our journey. Balance seems to be the most challenging part. That’s why it’s good to step back and analyze things so we don’t get obsessed with one area of life and neglect other areas. Balance is always the key.
I love this post so much Jonathan. I do my best not to get caught up in wanting everything to fall in line, thus keeping happiness on a type of contingency agreement. I do slip sometimes, but I’m getting better at bringing myself back to reality. For me, the easiest way to keep things in perspective is to remind myself that today could very well be my last day.
Nea | Self Improvement Saga recently posted..75 Ways to Show Love in Relationships
Wow Nea, what a powerful way to keep things in perspective. When we “remind ourselves that today could very well be my last day” it really helps us keep our priorities straight. And we all “slip sometimes, ” but that is the nature of balance. It always requires adjustments!
I think it contributes to a person’s happiness, but it is not entirely up to it. Being productive allows you to accomplish tasks that will make your life more convenient and It also gives you more time to do other things that’s why it always associated with being happy.
Let me share with you an article on 7 Stepping Stones to a Life of Joy.> Hope this will inspire your readers to take a step to achieve happiness.
Nicely said Kirstine, accomplishment is a rewarding feeling that can contribute to our overall sense of happiness. So it has a relationship with happiness, but it isn’t happiness.
I have found GTD more successful than I would have thought, probably because it has the “whole life” approach instead of separating life into buckets.
Two “productivity hacks” that have helped me be happier are the Pomodoro technique (periods of focus on one thing, with breaks) and the concept of “unschedule” where you build in the fun things you WANT to do and fill the work obligations around that. It’s been really helpful for me to get more focused in the time I spend working.
The GTD list/project part helps me know what’s on the horizon, what I need to be handling, but on it’s own it didn’t boost my happiness until I combined it with some other things.
Sounds complicated, but it’s less complicated than a big mess in my brain…
Sarah @ Low Stress Weight Loss recently posted..“Settling In” To Weight Loss Mode
Hi Sarah and thanks for sharing your “productivity hacks” with us. I had not heard the term Pomodoro technique before, but I use something very similar called Applied Focus Sessions. I described the whole technique in an article called Using Applied Focus Sessions to Boost Productivity.
For those who are not familiar with GTD, it stands for Getting Things Done. Many people rave about this program although I have no experience with it.
Great topic, Jonathan! Thanks.
You are speaking about balancing goals and happiness. This is fine, as long as our happiness isn’t attached to some future goal that may or may not happen. Then we are setting ourselves up for potential disappointment.
Happiness only happens in the present. If we achieve a goal and feel happy about it, that experience is in the present, not the future. If we set a goal, then focus on achieving it and not on the process, we are ignoring treasures that are right here.
The key is not to have our happiness attached to a future outcome. I like to set goals, then be present with the process in the moment.
Gail Brenner (AFlourishingLife) recently posted..Lonely How to Navigate Your Way to Peace
Thanks you Gail, your explanation helps to emphasize the most important point I was trying to make here. You said it beautifully and I really appreciate the clarity!
There are two great findings from positive psychology that are as old as the earth, but it helps to remind ourselves of them: gratitude, and savoring. Gratitude at any time of the day helps me change my focus to what is great in my life. Savoring helps me to enjoy a sunset, a puppy, my child, my wife. It’s slowing down long enough to hear, smell, touch. Sometimes, it can be as simple as taking a photo of the person or scene we are savoring and then reviewing it on a day when we’re having a hard time being grateful.
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Discover My Top 11 Motivation Books of All Time
Thanks for those great reminders Steve. Your suggestions can contribute to the quality of anyone’s life. They certainly make a valuable contribution to mine. Well done!
Interesting points Jonathan and everyone else’s comments. Productivity is no different than anything we can obsess over if we let it come to that. Usually the obsession is what dives that pursuit of happiness though, not the act or thing we obsess over. So, to me, happiness stands on its own from other drives and desires since as others have said it is a choice to be happy regardless of what we might strive towards as well. They don’t really go hand in hand even though so many people put happiness on some kind of condition with other achievements, which is foolish if you ask me. It’s a lot more fun, a lot more relaxing and a lot more enjoyable to simple be happy!
Mike King recently posted..Risky Business- It’s One Way to Build a Breakthrough Team
Well put Mike! I found this statement to be particularly insightful: “Usually the obsession is what dives that pursuit of happiness though, not the act or thing we obsess over.” That is so true.
Mike, I can always count on you to broaden our view of just about any subject. Much appreciated.
Dear Jonathan,
This whole post is timely for me. And these lines just so powerful:
“Don’t allow yourself to get so caught up in compulsive accomplishment that you forget who and what are really important to you right NOW. Make sure to take some time to enjoy your life in the present instead of waiting for someday, because all too often, someday never comes.”
I don’t really care about accomplishment just for accomplishments sake, but I do want to be able to move from the city (as you know). So for now I do what I need to accomplish that. HOWEVER, at the same time I have to find within that goal, the space, peace and quiet for creative thinking and just “being”. RIGHT NOW. S and I really try to do this each day, but I want to do it even more.
Also in taking this time, there may be other ways I cab accomplish my dream more ease-fully, ways that I might not see if I don’t take time out.
Not really explaining this very well. But I just feel it’s important to always keep a part of me grounded and VERY awake, and to be aware of what I am doing and WHY I am doing it. So I am grateful for your wisdom here, dear friend.
Also, Jonathan, I know I’ve thanked you for this before, but thank you again for understanding that “wild” part of me. And you do this so well because of your own brave choices made when you were younger and even now.
Huge hugs of gratitude, just for who you are.
Robin
Robin Easton recently posted..Love and Survival
Hi Robin, I think that many of us are participating in the same balancing act. It takes conscious awareness (and reminders) to live fully in the moment while moving forward toward the completion of our goals. Keeping an eye on the big picture and remembering WHY we are pursuing certain things can go along way toward maintaining a balanced perspective.
I think all productive people wrestle with this challenge because it is so easy to allow one aspect of life overshadow everything else. One of my favorite sayings is: “Balance is the hardest thing.” It’s not impossible, but it does require constant attention.
Hi Jonathan. To deliver my spin on “productivity and happiness”, I’ll twist an old tree-cutting tale slightly. You may have heard the original. Here we go. In this story, an ad is placed in the paper for “ten good men to cut down trees with a sledge-hammer”. The job pays $350 an hour, so there are hundreds of applicants. Ten lucky guys get the job and are sent out to start. Now comes my twist. First day on the job, Mrs. boss notifies everyone of a “productivity bonus” measured in “hammer-whacks”. For every hundred extra whacks with a hammer per day, an extra five hundred bucks is paid. (Please note productivity isn’t measured in trees cut down….ain’t many happening in this story). Okay, so here’s my point. Productivity boosts happiness here just like it does in real life. If what we’re doing with our lives is akin to chopping trees with hammers, more chopping won’t help. On the other hand, for those who’ve figured out why they’re here and are hard at work doing exactly that….productivity is a wonderful thing. Ciao Jonathan. John Duffield
John Duffield recently posted..Procrastination of the Killer Kind
John, I always get excited about reading your story lessons. This was one of my favorites and the lesson is a powerful one. It is especially significant that productivity was not measured by results (trees cut down). Thanks for sharing this!
Productivity has nothing to do with happiness. If one thinks that productivity is going to make them happy they will end up as rat-race arch type. What will happen is they are always chasing happiness with the when I’s.
Great post I have to say. thank you.
Debbie