{"id":9894,"date":"2020-06-20T20:03:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-21T00:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=9894"},"modified":"2020-06-28T21:37:25","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T01:37:25","slug":"the-art-of-stress-free-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-art-of-stress-free-productivity\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Master the Art of Stress-Free Productivity Today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is the art of stress-free productivity? And how can you achieve it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The art of stress-free productivity is addressed in the Getting Things Done system. A modern way of organizing, the Getting Things Done system not only helps you stay organized, but teaches the art of stress-free productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Psychological Capital and the Art of Stress-Free Productivity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you’re trying to achieve the art of stress-free productivity, there’s a lot to take into consideration. It involves your well-being as well as that of your employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychological capital<\/a> (PsyCap) is a framework for measuring workers\u2019 effectiveness and psychological well-being. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are four components of PsyCap, and the GTD system<\/a> promotes each of them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Self-efficacy<\/strong> (as we mentioned above) is the confidence that you can tackle and succeed at a task.

The GTD practice of capturing and clarifying all your open loops creates a complete picture of your commitments and next actions. Seeing all this in front of you gives you confidence that you know what you need to do and how to do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Optimism <\/strong>is your positive feeling about your ability to succeed now and in the future.

The GTD system helps you track your progress<\/a> on projects and actions, and every step forward you make gives you a psychological \u201cwin\u201d that boosts your motivation and confidence in your future success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Hope <\/strong>is your ability to work toward your goals, even when it means redirecting your paths to get there.

The GTD program<\/a> emphasizes front-end decision-making<\/a> by forcing you to identify projects and clarify next actions. This practice involves setting goals (identifying projects) and determining the paths to achieving them (clarifying next actions). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4) Resilience <\/strong>is your ability to bounce back and persevere after encountering problems. 

The GTD system aims to give you a sense of stress-free control over your life, and when you feel like you have a handle on everything in front of you you\u2019ll be able to face challenges with more calm and clarity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engag<\/strong>ing in Stress-Free Productivity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the moment of truth: You have a half-hour free in your schedule. What do you do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The simple answer is to trust your intuition<\/a>. But with so many tasks pulling at you from different areas of your life, that\u2019s easier said than done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive deeper into the three frameworks for prioritizing affects the art of stress-free productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Four Criteria Model for Narrowing Down Your Options<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Begin by narrowing down your options using the following four criteria. This will guide you to the best way to spend your time while working on the art of stress-free productivity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criteria #1: Context<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Consider the context. If you\u2019ve divided your next actions into categories\u2014such as Calls to Make and Computer Tasks\u2014then you can easily pull up the list that applies to where you are and what tools you have available. Categorized lists save you the time and brain power it takes to scan through a master Next Actions list<\/a> and determine which tasks you can tackle in a given context. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can be creative with the categories of your action lists, such as creating a \u201cBrain Gone\u201d list for mindless tasks and a \u201cLess Than 5-Minute\u201d list for quick tasks. You can also make time-sensitive lists and group everything you need to accomplish before a certain deadline\u2014for example, before you leave for a trip\u2014into one list. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might not need to get this specific when you\u2019re starting out with the Getting Things Done system, but as time goes on create new lists based on what works for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criteria #2: Time<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

How much time do you have? If you have only 15 minutes before your next appointment, don\u2019t dive into something that\u2019s going to take an hour to accomplish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Narrowing your options to fit the time you have maximizes your productivity by making use of odd windows of time in your day<\/strong>, for instance while you\u2019re on hold on the phone, waiting for a meeting to start, or sitting in the waiting room at your doctor\u2019s office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criteria #3: Energy <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

You have only so much physical energy and brainpower, so be realistic about your energy level and choose an action that matches.<\/strong> If you\u2019re working on something mentally demanding, you\u2019ll eventually reach a point of diminishing returns<\/a>; although you might be able to push through, you\u2019re not going to get the most productivity for your time and effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, switch to a task that requires less effort, like calling your sister about her visit or changing your flight reservation (pull out your \u201cBrain Gone\u201d list). This is a great way to continue being productive while still giving your brain a rest\u2014you\u2019ll feel more accomplished (and perhaps energized) than if you\u2019d stepped away from everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criteria #4: Priority<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve narrowed down your options, the big question is: What\u2019s the biggest priority? There\u2019s no objective answer to this question because it factors in your various roles, responsibilities, goals, and values. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to prioritize, consider what category of work a task falls into, which we\u2019ll explore in the next model, as well as your six horizons, which we\u2019ll talk about in the following model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Threefold Model for Evaluating Your Work<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both this model and the one mentioned above will help you learn the art of stress-free productivity. Think of everything you have to do in both the personal and professional areas of your life as \u201cwork.\u201d Given that context, you face three different types of work on any given day: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Predefined work<\/strong>: This is the actions you\u2019ve already captured, clarified, and organized onto your action lists and calendar. You\u2019ve already deemed these important, so make them a high priority. <\/li>
  2. Work that shows up<\/strong>: This is the work that comes up unexpectedly throughout the day\u2014when your boss walks into your office and asks for a few minutes to chat or you get in your car and see the oil change light is on. Prioritize these tasks when they\u2019re more important than your predefined work; otherwise, put them in your in-tray. <\/li>
  3. Defining your work<\/strong>: This is the time you spend clarifying and processing everything in your in-tray and organizing it into the appropriate places. Prioritize time to do this during your Weekly Review. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    People often prioritize work that shows up by default, just doing what\u2019s in front of them and seemingly urgent. But that approach leaves them feeling behind<\/strong>, not in control, and bothered by every interruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By contrast, if you regularly invest time in defining your work and have an organized system of predefined work, you can make well-informed choices about which task to engage in at any time. This benefit plays out in a few ways: <\/p>\n\n\n\n