stress-free productivity – is it a pipe dream?
Quite by apparent chance, I was drawn to an old Zen Habits guest post earlier today, on the topic of productivity (and associated matters). The article is called How To Be Insanely Productive and Still Keep Smiling
It raised the question in my mind – is it really possible be highly productive, remain stress-free and love what you’re doing? Furthermore, is it possible to do this using Leo’s “no goals” approach.
I’ve touched on the subject before in this post - however with my resolution this week (to become better organised) it seems that these two worlds (organisation and chaos) are on a collision course once more.
the quest for organised chaos
One thing’s for sure, if you dwell in the world of chaos, spontaneity and flexibility, the systems, tools and techniques suggested or created by meticulous planners can seem, at best, alien.
Surely the gap between absolute chaos and precision planning is filled with a spectrum of choices rather than a vacuum? Nothing is ever as simple as “black or white”, so there must be infinite flavours of “organised chaos” and “chaotic organisation” in between the two extremes.
If we assume they exist then it’s just a simple case of looking for and finding the appropriate blend (of chaos and organisation) to suit our own needs.
you can’t control what you don’t control
One of the reasons I can’t see a completely plan-less existence working is the fact that we often have things imposed on our schedule.
OK, we usually get a degree of flexibility on the when and where (and sometimes the option to say “no”), however… once a meeting, booking or appointment has been made, it places a requirement on us to be at a specific place at a specific time.
That’s just life and it’s unlikely to disappear just because you’ve decide to have a completely unplanned existence!
“large rocks” and other desirable boulders
In addition to the things that are imposed on us, there’s also going to be a set of “things” associated with whatever overall aims we may have. In Leo’s case I’m sure these will have become ingrained over time, so that they are no longer conscious “goals” per se; they simply merge into the underlying passion and desire that drives what Leo does.
That’s fantastic for people who have got to that stage, however there are many of us who have not attained that level yet. Just as Leo has gone through a series of developments over the years, so we mere mortals potentially need the overall framework of the bigger, “headline” goals.
Eventually these “training wheels” will no longer be required – that’s when you are actually living your dream and enjoying a life based on what actually makes you tick.
creating a master plan
At this point in time I realise there is a need to find the right balance between chaos and order; one that works for me personally. Likewise, you will need to find your own balance and blend of techniques, tools and systems.
The exact mix that works will vary from person to person (hey, no big surprise there!)
My personal plan currently looks a little like this:
- declutter (especially the home office space)
- note all appointments, events and deadlines in Google calendar
- get back to using the minimal ztd system to manage “stuff that needs to be done”
The decluttering is necessary as it will remove distractions and provide a cleaner working space- it will also save time looking for stuff under piles of crap.
Putting appointments etc. in the Google calendar app is an obvious step – I have access to the Google Calendar via smart phone, netbook and laptop…
The minimal implementation of ztd is a great system that I have allowed to fade away recently – essentially it’s a case of doing a brain dump of things that need to be done, then actually doing them (the critical part of the process!) Dumping things out onto a master list declutters the brain and avoids wasting mental energy on simply remembering stuff.
so, is it a pipe dream or not?
I’m going to say “not” at this stage – however the proof (as always) is in the pudding. The key thing is to find the right balance – the right blend of organisation and disorganisation that works for your particular needs and psychological makeup.
That’s the hard part – crack that and you’ll be well on the way to attaining the sort of effortless, unplanned productivity that is exemplified by people like Leo!
