This post is by Productivityist team member Jim Woods. He is a writer, content editor, and Productivityist Coaching Practitioner. You can connect with him @jimwoodswrites on Twitter or his website jimwoodswrites.com
It’s really easy to get lost in the sea of productivity apps.
Don’t get me wrong; there are some AMAZING apps out there.
But no app can ever replace your instincts.
You know when something isn’t working.
You know when you’re REALLY procrastinating.
You know what to do next.
Even if you don’t know what to do next right now, you know what steps you can take to figure out the problem.
The real productivity problem many of us have is surprisingly simple…we are not totally honest with ourselves.
This problem manifests itself in many ways.
Let’s say a notification pops up on a screen in front of you.
You ignore the notification at first because you know there’s no chance you’ll be doing that item today.
So you hide (or continue to ignore) the notification.
Then it pops up again.
And then more notifications pop up.
Maybe you even mark the notification(s) off as “done” so it goes away.
But the task is not done, right?
Uh-oh.
There’s another problem here.
Your to-do list is too long and not realistic.
As you know, your to-do list likes to grow as the day goes on, right?
You go to a meeting and now your to-do list is even longer.
And you keep hoping things will get better, but they don’t.
Personal productivity goes haywire when you’re not honest with yourself.
That’s why it is critical to focus on “personal productivity” not just “productivity.”
You know if you are completely honest with yourself.
Use your intuition.
Listen to that voice in your head.
We all have a constant inner dialogue going on in our heads.
What is your inner voice telling you?
I’m tired of being overwhelmed. I need to get some help.
I need to talk to my boss about reducing the number of meetings we have.
I’m looking for a new app because…I’m really procrastinating.
I think I’m afraid of this task. I think I’ll mess it up.
I’m on Facebook because I’m bored and tired. I should just go to bed.
Personal productivity problems are best handled when you get to the root of the problem.
Be willing to say, “I’m on Twitter now because I’m feeling lonely and a bit disconnected from others right now.”
This kind of honesty doesn’t come overnight. But if you journal, it often helps.
Journaling is a great way to start emptying out your thoughts.
No productivity method or app can replace you.
You’re the one that is in charge.
There is no perfect app out there that will solve all of your problems.
But here’s the great news: you can solve your problems.
Maybe it’s time to remove some items from your to-do list, hire an assistant, book a productivity coaching session or reassess your priorities.
You know what to do.
The more honest you are with yourself, the better decisions you’ll make.
Focus on doing the right things, not just more things.
Can you relate to this? I’d love for you to share your thoughts in the comments.
