If you’re like most people, there are times when you reach the end of your workday, you sink back in your chair, you look at your still-cluttered desk, and you wish you’d been able to accomplish more (sometimes a lot more).

 

Whether “the end of your workday” is defined by the clock (“Wow, it’s already 6:30pm?”), the completion of a project (“Yay— all I have left to do is hit ‘send’ on this report and I’m outta here”), or the absolute limits of your energy levels (“Talk about exhaustion…I barely have enough strength left to find my car in the parking lot”), sooner or later, it’s time to quit working and head home for the night.

 

Once at home, as you hit the hay and attempt to shut down your brain, you’re hoping for one final little reward: it’s that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when your head-voice softly tells you, “Congratulations. You were really, reeeally productive today…” And don’t you wish you could hear that message a little more often?

 

Here’s a not-very-shocking behavioral fact: we’re all different from one another. We work differently, we process information differently, and we respond differently (either favorably or unfavorably) to different types of motivators and de-motivators. So it’s no surprise that when we tackle the topic of “productivity,” there are no “one size fits all” solutions. Each of us must figure out what works best for our particular, individual style.

 

So let’s examine a few “productivity pointers” that just might turn out to be productivity myths—you’ve undoubtedly heard them all before, and perhaps you’ve even taken them to heart. But maybe it’s time to ask yourself which ones actually work for you, and which ones you might be better off without:

 

The myth of multitasking — in both directions.

 

If you check the literature, you’ll find almost countless articles describing why multitasking is a myth, explaining that our brains can’t really focus (at least effectively) on more than one task at a time. Horsefeathers! Our brains have evolved to be very clever, and the success or failure of multitasking actually depends upon the types of tasks we ask our brains to simultaneously engage in. Have you ever washed the dishes while visiting with your teenager? Or driven to work while (accurately) singing the lyrics to a song on the radio? In both cases, you’re multitasking, and you’re not even breaking a sweat. Multitasking is actually a marvelous way to accomplish more, but here’s the rub: don’t attempt to accomplish multiple tasks that are too similar in nature and require the same skill set to complete—like answering your emails while sitting in a meeting, or conducting a job interview while reading your texts. Stick to dissimilar tasks and you’ll be just fine.

 

Interestingly enough, the converse is equally false. To suggest that multitasking is “the greatest productivity invention since sliced bread” is also a myth. Multitasking will work only if two conditions are present: first, you must be the type of person person who’s naturally inclined toward successful multitasking (and you probably know who you are); and second, you must choose tasks that are compatible with one another for multitasking (the washing dishes and talking, or driving and singing examples). But if multitasking jangles your brain and ultimately makes you less productive, why fight it? Just stick to one task at a time.

 

 

The myth of “Ready, fire, aim!” (Sorry, Tom Peters.*)

 

This one’s one of my favs. I’m fairly certain that this idea has sunk a few ships (possibly even literally!). To run off and “just do it” without having a fairly well-developed plan is very risky, and will often result in scrapped projects, wasted energy, time, and resources, not to mention pointless running in circles. There’s no substitute for intelligent preparation and planning. It’ll save you time in the long run—that is, providing you don’t take too long to develop your course of action.

 

*I want to mention that I actually know and like Tom Peters, and he’s a very smart man. Tom’s “ready, fire, aim” suggestion was original and groundbreaking when he first introduced it in the monumental book, “In Search of Excellence.” A “bias for action,” as he calls it, most certainly serves to motivate people who suffer from “analysis paralysis,” and there are definitely times when this method works beautifully.

 

The myth of “tackle the hard things first.”

 

That’s great, if you’re the type of person who actually wants to tackle the hard things first, but just like the other myths I’m listing, this one should never be touted as a broad, generalized way of becoming more productive. Some people simply aren’t built to begin their workday by facing their least favorite task — and that’s perfectly OK. Easing into the harder stuff can work equally well for many people, so if you’re the type who prefers to return a few phone calls to happy customers before you face your un-happy boss, go for it.

 

 

The myth of “I work better under pressure.”

 

This myth is usually promoted by the same people who waited until midnight on the day before their term papers were due to sit down at their PCs! Not all people need rigid deadlines or crisis-prompted completion schedules in order to crank out their work assignments. In fact, many people respond very poorly, and experience a decrease in cognitive functioning (and specifically, creativity) when placed under pressure. Again, it all depends upon the individual and their natural response to stress. If crazy deadlines give you the motivating kick in the pants you need to get the job done, then be my guest. But if you can feel your chest tighten and your pulse race when someone screams, “We need it NOW!”, then you’ll probably be more productive in a calmer environment.

 

 

The myth of “morning people rule the world.”

 

I have a background in sleep research, and I can assure you that each of us has an inherent circadian rhythm that we’d be hard-pressed to change in any major way — and happily, it’s not even necessary. While it’s true that many successful CEOs and business celebrities describe themselves as “larks” (social psychology’s playful name for morning people), there’s really no evidence that larks are more effective, happier, smarter, or—back to the topic—more productive. (Check out this fun and fascinating article from my friends at Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/3046391/morning-people-vs-night-people-9-insights-backed-by-science.) In fact, attempting to morph yourself into a morning person while your mind and body are fighting you every inch of the way could make you more tired, more depressed, more cranky, and less productive. Instead, do what my father (the quintessential “night owl”) did: work during the day if your particular job requires it (he was a jeweler, so he had no choice), but reserve your evening time to accomplish your more challenging tasks (he did his most creative—not to mention most lucrative—jewelry designing after all of us were asleep). Rather than fight it, go with it.

 

Now remember, if any of these productivity myths are actually working for you, then they’re not myths! They’re productivity truths. Here’s the bottom line: if you want to become your most productive self, set yourself up for success by doing what works—and by jettisoning what doesn’t.

 

Please send me your questions, comments, and suggestions for future topics! I do my best to personally answer everyone who writes to me, and to include as many topic suggestions as possible in future blogs and articles. I really do love hearing from you, so thanks for reaching out.