To Be Really Productive - Understand the End Game

"People are working harder than ever, but because they lack clarity and vision, they aren't getting very far. They, in essence, are pushing a rope with all of their might."DR. STEPHEN R. COVEY

Do you know what you want to accomplish?That may seem like an unusual question, but it is a more common problem than many of us believe. I can think of countless occasions when I have been busy working away at something only to realize after some time that I wasn’t sure what I was trying to accomplish.

Know the End Game

This is very similar to Dr. Covey’s Habit #2 from Seven Habits of Highly Effective People which states that you need to envision what you want in the future so you can plan and work towards that results. Knowing what you want to accomplish is the first step in effective productivity. Understanding why is a close second. Those two work hand in hand to bring clarity.Whenever I have clarity around what outcome I want, I am far more productive when I am working to that end. I continue to be amazed at the difference that makes in what I accomplish and how much I accomplish. Using an example of this blog post - at a high level I know I need to write the article, that much is simple. However, the hardest part of writing is beginning with a blank page in front of you. I defined a plan for when I was going to write this article and also determined that I would need to complete some additional research for it. That permitted me not just to write, but spend time on gathering outside thoughts and information.When I decided this was a subject I wanted to write on, I wrote down my initial thoughts for what I wanted to convey. That ensures that I didn’t start with a completely blank page - that helps tremendously. That can be the equivalent of providing a quick note to your future self when you capture a task you want to complete.

Clarity. Planning. Intention

It's not just about the act of being organized or planning all of those things will always be in motion and require updating. It's the clarity that comes from the planning and the organization that allows your mind to be free to work in the moment and what's most important then. That is what clarity is. That is what organization and planning brings to you.Purpose and Planning = Intention Clarity will help to define the purpose of your work. Planning helps in identifying how you will get the work done. When you combine the two of those, you create intentionality. This will be a tremendous boost to your productivity. It also helps to create that mental picture of the final outcome, something you can continue to come back to if you split your work into multiple sessions.Define why you want to accomplish something - what is the value of the output you are about to invest time in. Everything you do should be seen as an investment of time. Does that investment pay off in the bigger picture? Everything you do throughout your day has a time value assigned to it. It would help if you understood what you get from that block of time. Give yourself permission to have time for yourself - sometimes that is the greatest investment you can make. Even downtime has value, so yes, watching Netflix, has a purpose and value - it is just a matter of controlling how much.This can apply to almost any situation. As a retail leader, we face multiple distractions at any given time. Knowing what you need to achieve and why you need to achieve it can make it much easier to come back to the project when a distraction has occurred. So when the unexpected delivery shows up, you’ll have a map to get back to what you need to accomplish once that receiving process has been completed.

Intentionality Can Help You Say ‘No’

Saying no, doesn’t always have to be a verbal event. Saying no can also mean not answering the phone. It can mean shutting down your email software or turning off your phone altogether. Closing your door and putting headphones in is a way to say no for short periods of time. What you are really saying is that this period of time is mine, it is set aside for what I choose to accomplish. This can be an excellent way to ensure that you have blocks of time for your work - intentionally.Another component of saying no is delegating or setting up a ‘not me’ system with your team. In the earlier example of the unexpected delivery, having a pre-established agreement with one of the other leaders to take on any manager interventions for the next hour will ensure you are free to complete what you have set out to achieve in that time frame.

Build Habits to Get Into A Flow

Habits are the foundation for success and help support and maintain intentional productivity. Habits keep you on track to how you want to be productive. Habits and systems go together - do you have a way to capture what you want to do, what you need to do, and when it needs to be done? Having a method and a time to capture your tasks is a critical early step in intentional productivity. These ultimately become the end game you are looking to achieve. Having a habit around this process ensures that your body will default to your process of capturing the information.Productivity is not about how much stuff you get done; it is about getting the right things accomplished and the right time. Understanding what you expected outcome is, helps to define the clarity you need for effective productivity to occur. Are you doing your work with intentionality? That may be the best question to ask to determine if you are just busy or being productive.What are you doing to ensure you are intentionally productive? What is your end game? Share your thoughts in the comments section.Some additional reading on the subject:

• Productivity Isn’t About Luck, It’s About Being Intentional
• WHAT IS MINDFUL LEADERSHIP — AND WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
• Begin with the end in mind: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People explained

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