Productivity Dynamics – What Does That Even Mean?

Years ago, a book titled Fish created quite a stir. It was a fable of sorts, but it based many of its lessons on productivity from Pike’s Place Fish Market, an honest-to-God place where employees worked in a rather dirty, smelly environment and yet found joy in what they did. The secret? Working in a fun-filled place of laughter, enthusiasm, and camaraderie. As a result, they are highly productive.

The productivity dynamics at this Seattle legend are pretty clear. And it’s largely a “group think” dynamic. But most of us have an individual productivity dynamic that we have to nourish throughout our days and weeks as we tackle our workplace tasks, no matter where we are in the “pecking order” of an organization. 

So Many Variables

From stress-related personal issues to feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated at work, there are so many things that can impact individual productivity.

Your job is to identify those things that negatively impact your individual productivity dynamic and then to devise strategies and techniques to counter those things. 

While all of these will not work for everyone, you may be able to find some strategies based on your productivity challenges and use them to boost your own.

Issues and Solutions

Let’s unpack some of the most common productivity issues and potential solutions. You may find yourself among these!

Issue: Distractions

Lots of us have a bit of ADD. We receive notifications that someone has reacted or commented on a social media post; we get phone calls or texts from friends or family; we are political “junkies” and have to read the latest shenanigans or local, state, or national politicians; we need to keep abreast of the latest social and cultural issues, maybe those related to trans kids and athletes. 

And because we do all of this online, we are then inundated with post notifications about the latest uproar in Congress or an invitation to a trans dating app. Good Lord.

The Solution? This one should be easy. Install an app that blocks all of these notifications. And tell family members that, unless there is a lot of blood or someone is going to the emergency room, they are not to call or message you during your work time. Also, choose two times during the day when you will access your emails, and ignore them at all other times. This will be tough at first, but you must stick with this strategy. Without distractions, you’ll have nothing else to focus on but the tasks at hand.

Issue: Task Prioritization

Lots of people have several tasks they may be working on, but some are more important than others. So, which to attack and in what order?

The Solution: You have to make a list – there is no other option here. Prioritize these from most to least important. Often, this is a matter of when they must be completed or how many people are waiting for that completion before they can do their part. While the most important may be the most distasteful, bit the bullet and get it done. 

If you set up a reward for yourself once that critical but disliked one is finished, it may motivate you more.

Issue: Multi-tasking

My grandmother had a saying that she lived by: “You can only plant one potato at a time; you can only harvest one potato at a time” (Of course, this was before machinery took over). But the point is well-taken. 

While lots of people claim they can multi-task, in truth that’s a myth. The truth is this: when we multitask, our brain is actually switching from one thing to another, and this constant switching means that we actually slow down and become more stressed.

The Solution: It’s simple really. Once your list is prioritized, you take on the top task, and you do not move on to the next task until the first one is completed. In the meantime, you don’t respond to every interruption you may get. Take time in between tasks to respond to those interruptions you have ignored.

Issue: Stress

It’s not the stress. We all have stress. It’s all about how you choose to deal with stress. Do you know when stress is impacting your work? When you are unable to focus on the task at hand because you are experiencing worry or anxiety, then stress is the problem. You can probably identify what is causing the stress, but even that is not the real problem. The real issue is coping with it – it’s probably not going away.

The Solution: Stress management differs for everyone. But here are things you should try:

• Learn how to meditate, particularly for short periods of time. If you can take a minute or two and get into the “zone,” the conditions that cause your stress will not have gone away, but your mindset will have changed
• Take a walk, especially if it is a sunny day. Getting the sun’s Vitamin D right on your head will sharpen your brain and aid in cognition. Plus, the act of getting away from your desk will help to relax you.
• Put on some headphones and listen to some relaxing music during your lunch or a break

And stress doesn’t leave when you walk out of the door and go home. Stress lingers. There are things to do outside of work to lower stress, help your mindset, and increase your productivity during your workday. Try these:

• Take up a relaxing hobby 
• Get plenty of exercise
• Get plenty of sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, write down what is worrying you or make a list of what you plan to get done the next day at work. This will help to clear your mind.

What’s Your Albatross?

Maybe you even have more than one. And while these are the most common issues that impact productivity, you may have others. You may be a daydreamer, for example, and have a tough time pushing those dreams to the background while you work. Or perhaps there is tension among people in your workplace, making it difficult for everyone to be at optimum level.

There may be conditions beyond your control in your workplace. But there is an individual productivity dynamic that you can work to control. Make your best effort to do that.