Source: Dumb Little Man
Everybody wants to be successful, sexy, and productive. However, in order to be productive, you should experience some painful mistakes.
In this post, I want to share a list of 7 productivity mistakes that I’ve made over the years.
First, I have to admit that every now and then I still repeat some of those mistakes.
It’s better that you accept that productivity and productive life is a journey — a never-ending one. Once you acknowledge that you are on a moving train, the journey becomes more pleasurable.Although this post is kind of a reflection or self-criticism, I sincerely hope that it will help you to avoid the mistakes I’ve made over the years.
#1 Not saying No
The inability to say no is the most painful mistake you can make, at least it was for me.
After reading a whole book dedicated to saying no, The Power of a Positive No by William Ury, I still struggle with it. I think it’s deeply encoded in us to escape uncomfortable situations.
But we pay the price downstream. Sometimes, the price is way more painful than saying no at the right moment.
Dr. Ury suggests that you encapsulate your positive no. First, say yes to your core values, then say no to the situation. Finally, say yes to the relationship.
This principle doesn’t apply to managers only but also to everybody. As a parent, friend, colleague, boss or subordinate, you are supposed to say yes all the time, all day, and all your life.
Isn’t it better that you say no instead of blaming yourself subsequently? Isn’t it better that you’re all in instead of procrastinating and making people who trust you feel disappointed?
A not-to-do list or some predefined phrases will help you to say no in unexpected situations. Keep them in your journal and revisit them regularly to ensure that you say no when it’s the only right answer.
#2 Not respecting your calendar
What gets scheduled gets done or not?
One of the most common productivity advice is that you schedule important tasks and goals to get them done by all means. This can be of help, but not if you don’t respect your calendar.
Treat the meeting with yourself as it was a meeting with a third party. It’s only you who can act on your most important tasks with priority.
More often than not, your priorities aren’t aligned with those of other people. You schedule a one-on-one meeting with yourself to address your priorities and then your agenda gets hijacked.
There’re other people’s priorities that are lurking in the shadow, waiting to fill your calendar. It has always been the way it is.
So make sure that you set up boundaries for yourself and for other people. Remember to communicate with them clearly.
Such a boundary can be that you leave your office at a certain time each day because…
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