#52 Productivity is not pretty

The most impactful idea I heard this week was ‘productivity is not pretty’ by Mathew Dicks, author of ‘Someday is Today’, about propelling one’s creative life. He makes two suggestions for higher overall output:

1. Start now, anywhere: Instead of waiting for the perfect time or environment, just get started and utilise small time gaps to make progress.

2. ‘Lily pad’ method: Jump around producing content based on what feels most compelling in the moment instead of forcing yourself to work linearly.

Many of us are guilty of trying to get the timing and environment ‘right’ before starting a task and working in a logical, linear order, i.e., starting at the beginning and finishing at the end.

My new approach this week

I produce a lot of written content daily and implemented the two suggestions. This meant writing in small gaps that appeared over and above the blocks I’d carved out for writing (e.g. writing a couple of lines in a meeting room whilst waiting for someone to join) and, most importantly, embracing an unstructured approach. While I’d start an article at the beginning, if I felt like switching to writing a later section, I’d do so, something I’d never allowed myself in the past.

This departure from the norm initially felt uncomfortable, partly due to behaviours instilled since childhood; at school, we are always told to do our class and homework exercises in order. It also felt very messy. I’m used to writing sequentially, so jumping between sections made the document look messy, and it felt ‘wrong’. I also felt like I was cheating to some extent when I moved away from a section I was finding challenging or fatiguing to one that I felt would be easier.

But then I remembered studying for my MPhil in Economics at Cambridge. In some of the more difficult modules, it was a given that we would find some sections of an exam paper extremely difficult, and our tutorial teacher advised us to start the exams by solving the questions we were more confident about. It was a way to maximise the amount of the paper we could get through in the time. Similarly, with writing this week, I maximised my overall output by avoiding prolonged struggles with challenging segments.

The science behind unstructured progress

Contrary to the conventional belief in linear work, scientific evidence supports the efficacy of an unstructured approach:

1. Ultradian rhythms: Research in chronobiology reveals our brains are wired to work in cycles of focus and rest, known as ultradian rhythms. Instead of forcing ourselves to power on when a task starts to feel difficult - which may be due to these natural rhythms - and instead shifting our focus to other tasks when our attention wanes, we can optimise our productivity.

2. Structured procrastination: Focusing on tasks that interest us can increase motivation and overall progress, even if it means temporarily avoiding a challenging task.

3. Intrinsic motivation: Aligning tasks with personal interests enhances motivation and focus, potentially making it easier to enter a state of "flow" where productivity and creativity peak.

Implementation idea

When struggling to progress on a task, consider whether following a more unstructured process can unlock productivity. Focus on making progress, however messy and limited, rather than waiting for the perfect conditions and time to start. Remember the 1% rule; even small marginal gains can compound significantly over time. Embrace the mess and prioritise progress over perfection.

Best, Alex Joshi.

On my bedside table:

• Blog post: Wild Minds by Morgan Housel (link)

• Podcast: Reece Wabara on building fashion brand Manière De Voir (link)

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