Productivity is a measure of economic performance that compares the amount of goods and services produced (output) with the amount of time, cost, manpower, etc. (inputs) used to produce those goods and services. In the traditional sense, productivity is about maximizing outputs, increasing profit, or both by keeping the input the same or less. But in the modern sense, when we say productivity, we often mean ‘personal productivity’ or efficiency. Personal Productivity is ultimately about achieving goals within stipulated time and cost.
However, productivity is, above all, an attitude of mind that drives us to continually improve. It is based on the belief that one can always do better than before. There is always a better way of doing things than the existing way. It is a mentality of constant improvement and also a conviction that no matter how good or bad things or situations may be, they are going to get better, and one can help to make it happen.
As we have entered into the third decade of the 21st Century, personal productivity has become more critical. During the last few decades, major technological developments have taken place and been deployed in the workplaces, which have impacted drastically on lifestyle in general and workplaces in particular. But a new problem has arisen: we are using 21st-century technologies but still using 20th-century methodologies. Our mindset has not evolved as fast as the technologies. As a result, we are not able to get the desired outcome.
So, it is high time everyone adopts the Attitude of Productivity to get the real benefits of all the technological developments that have taken place in recent years. We need to adopt an attitude for continued improvement. Some of the characteristics of the Productive attitude are:
- Be Positive. Be a 'Good' finder in everything.
- Be Enthusiastic.
- Accept Responsibility.
- Be accountable.
- Believe in Self and Others.
- Focus on what we CAN instead of what we CANNOT.
- Focus on what IS WORKING instead of what is not working.
- Remember Good Days instead of Bad.
- Believe that there is always a better way.
- Believe that 'Impossible' means 'it has never been done before.'
Once we develop this attitude, it will be much easier for us to 'Be Productive' rather than just doing productive work. Below are some tools we can use to be productive at all times, which will help us ingrain the mentality of Productivity in us:
- Keeping the right priorities: Focusing on the important, not just the urgent.
- Time management: Being good at time management involves conscious planning and thoughtful decision-making. It also involves staying focused and sticking to your prioritized tasks rather than getting derailed by unimportant distractions.
- Problem-solving: Ability to identify the root cause of an issue, coming up with solutions, implementing those solutions, and evaluating their effectiveness.
- Decision-making: Ability to select the best possible option from the alternatives available.
- Thinking Out of the Box / Possibility thinking: Ability and willingness to explore ideas that are creative and unusual and that are not limited or controlled by rules or tradition.
- Teamwork and collaboration: Individuals with different expertise coming together to solve a problem or create something new.
- Effective delegation: Creating time for high-value tasks by transferring the authority and routine tasks to team members.
- Effective communication: Delivering messages clearly, keeping no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict and loss of valuable time.
- Application of latest technologies in every step: Turning over recurring and monotonous tasks to automation, which will reduce time and also human error.
Last but not least, the most important tool to be productive and successful in one’s life is the ability to adapt to the changes that have been taking place rapidly and constantly. As Charles Darwin, the famous 19th-century biologist said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.”
However, productivity is, above all, an attitude of mind that drives us to continually improve. It is based on the belief that one can always do better than before. There is always a better way of doing things than the existing way. It is a mentality of constant improvement and also a conviction that no matter how good or bad things or situations may be, they are going to get better, and one can help to make it happen.
As we have entered into the third decade of the 21st Century, personal productivity has become more critical. During the last few decades, major technological developments have taken place and been deployed in the workplaces, which have impacted drastically on lifestyle in general and workplaces in particular. But a new problem has arisen: we are using 21st-century technologies but still using 20th-century methodologies. Our mindset has not evolved as fast as the technologies. As a result, we are not able to get the desired outcome.
So, it is high time everyone adopts the Attitude of Productivity to get the real benefits of all the technological developments that have taken place in recent years. We need to adopt an attitude for continued improvement. Some of the characteristics of the Productive attitude are:
- Be Positive. Be a 'Good' finder in everything.
- Be Enthusiastic.
- Accept Responsibility.
- Be accountable.
- Believe in Self and Others.
- Focus on what we CAN instead of what we CANNOT.
- Focus on what IS WORKING instead of what is not working.
- Remember Good Days instead of Bad.
- Believe that there is always a better way.
- Believe that 'Impossible' means 'it has never been done before.'
Once we develop this attitude, it will be much easier for us to 'Be Productive' rather than just doing productive work. Below are some tools we can use to be productive at all times, which will help us ingrain the mentality of Productivity in us:
- Keeping the right priorities: Focusing on the important, not just the urgent.
- Time management: Being good at time management involves conscious planning and thoughtful decision-making. It also involves staying focused and sticking to your prioritized tasks rather than getting derailed by unimportant distractions.
- Problem-solving: Ability to identify the root cause of an issue, coming up with solutions, implementing those solutions, and evaluating their effectiveness.
- Decision-making: Ability to select the best possible option from the alternatives available.
- Thinking Out of the Box / Possibility thinking: Ability and willingness to explore ideas that are creative and unusual and that are not limited or controlled by rules or tradition.
- Teamwork and collaboration: Individuals with different expertise coming together to solve a problem or create something new.
- Effective delegation: Creating time for high-value tasks by transferring the authority and routine tasks to team members.
- Effective communication: Delivering messages clearly, keeping no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict and loss of valuable time.
- Application of latest technologies in every step: Turning over recurring and monotonous tasks to automation, which will reduce time and also human error.
Last but not least, the most important tool to be productive and successful in one’s life is the ability to adapt to the changes that have been taking place rapidly and constantly. As Charles Darwin, the famous 19th-century biologist said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.”
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