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[vc_row 0=””][vc_column][vc_column_text 0=””]What does it take to lead a successful and productive life? Dive in to some thought-provoking perspectives that get to the heart of productivity in the modern age.

 

5 Completely Counterintuitive Ideas That Will Transform The Way You Think About Productivity

To most people, productivity is about working more. Resting less. Prioritising efficiency in everything you do. But what if you could be every bit as productive doing the exact opposite? Working less. Resting more. And giving yourself the time and space you need to produce your most valuable work. Here are 5 compelling reasons why there is more to productivity than morning routines, productivity hacks, and relentless hustle.

 

  1. The Psychological Importance of Wasting Time

image via qz.com

Downtime isn’t something to feel guilty about – on the contrary, it is a necessary ingredient of a productive life. Discover why hours in don’t necessarily equate to results out, and how you can embrace downtime to work efficiently and effectively.

 

2. You’re too busy. You need a “Shultz Hour”

image via nytimes.com

Coined by U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz in the 1980s, a “Shultz Hour” is an hour of deliberate solitude and quiet reflection. We have already seen how embracing downtime increases your effectiveness when you go back to work; this takes it one step further by arguing that it is precisely in our downtime that we see the bigger picture and find the inspiration for our most valuable work.

 

3. Albert Einstein’s Unique Approach to Thinking

image via evernote.com

In case you’re wondering exactly how this habit of stepping back and giving yourself time works in practice, here is a fascinating case study of how some of the finest minds in history have done just that to produce life-changing work. Hey, if it’s good enough for Einstein, it’s good enough for me!

 

4. Why Deep Work Matters in a Distracted World

image via evernote.com

All well and good, I hear you say, but if we spent all our time sitting back we’d never get anything done. This is very true, but we should be wary of falling into the trap of thinking that productivity correlates with the time we devote to it. In fact, there is increasing evidence to suggest that productivity has much more to do with the focus and intensity we devote to our work, a phenomenon known as “deep work”, than simply the time we spend sitting at our desks. Not surprisingly, 2 hours of complete concentration yields much more than an 8-hour stint scrolling through Facebook and gossiping around the water cooler. This article goes in depth into how you can trade hours of shallow distraction for deep, meaningful work.

 

5. My Company Implemented a 5-Hour Workday – And The Results Have Been Outstanding

image via pixabay.com

We round off our consideration of productivity with this case study of how a company has successfully put the concept of focused work into practice by implementing a 5-hour workday. In 1930, John Keynes predicted that his grandchildren would work only 15 hours a week – and this is heartening proof that long, stressful working weeks do not have to be an accepted part of working life.

 

What do you reckon? Is this the way we should all be approaching productivity? Share this post if you agree, and let’s get the word out![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” css=”.vc_custom_1501342957633{margin-top: 20px !important;margin-bottom: -20px !important;}”][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md”][vc_single_image image=”4047″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” image_hovers=”false” link=”https://www.thethinkinggentleman.com/inner-circle/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=”vc_default” css=”.vc_custom_1497352007676{margin-top: 35px !important;}”][vc_column offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_cta h2=”” style=”outline”]Like what you read? Show your support and get all my articles delivered straight to your inbox together with my special subscriber news!
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