The ultimate productivity tip [Matt's Idea Blog]

I’ve been tagged twice today with the “Ultimate Guide to Productivity” meme; Ian McKenzie (the voice behind Ian’s Messy Desk) and Brett Kelly (host of The Cranking Widgets Blog) came after me. I don’t like responding to the “ego” memes (e.g., “five things about myself”), but I’d like to have some fun with this one, in which the Instigator Blog has challenged the initial round of bloggers to “pick your single best productivity tip.” My answer:

There is no single best productivity tip

Am I cheating? No.

I’ve found that everyone needs something different, and - like clichés - a tip that you find less-than-compelling will knock the socks off someone else. For example, I had one client who loved the A-Z filing system. Absolutely the best thing she’d ever heard. The next client? Convinced that the tickler was the thing.

And naturally I’m pleased when a piece (either an organizing tool or a concept, i.e., how to break stuff into actions) helps someone - value is value. But I’m happiest when the entire system clicks for a client. I guess that’s the piece that hit me the hardest, and is what separates a buffet approach (”bag of tips/tricks”) from a comprehensive and integrated framework.

So maybe the ultimate tip is to figure out what you currently need to make a jump (or leap) in your self management, and adopt it. Then repeat, until you’re six feet under. Hey, you might even find a new profession!

Original post here: Matthew Cornell

14 May 2007 | GTD, meme, productivity_coaching | Comments

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