The idea for this transformation came to me after much soul-searching and prayer late last year. I reflected on what truly motivated me and realized that my lifelong fascination with productivity, combined with a desire to help others work more efficiently, was the natural next step.
After working 16 years as a marketer and copywriter, and five years as a book writing coach and ghostwriter, it was time for a change. The copywriting profession has been hit especially hard by AI-generated copy, and the economy remained rough throughout 2024.
As I considered my options, I took a closer look at the interests that excited me. One area kept coming up: productivity.
Over the past forty years, I have been fascinated with anything that could make completing a task more efficient. I started in my twenties with the Franklin Planner. From there, I read books like Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and David Allen’s Getting Things Done.
The job that benefited most from my productivity efforts was when I served as the Pastoral Advisor for the MorningStar School of Ministry in 1998. I wore many hats: Academic Advisor, Correspondence School Advisor, housing coordinator for ministry students, and organizer of small Bible study groups, school events, and prayer teams for conferences throughout the year.
When I left the school in 2000 and moved back to my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, I called MorningStar to update my address. A former student who was now on staff congratulated me on my marriage and said with a smile, “People are talking about you, you know.”
“Really?” I said in surprise. “Why?”
“Well, after you left, they gave your job to three people. Everyone was wondering how you got so much done!”
I laughed and said, “Easy. I was single. I didn’t have a life.”
While there was some truth to that, the real secret was my systems. I created efficient processes to tackle tasks and then stayed focused until I finished them.
To me, productivity isn’t just about getting things done. It’s about getting the right things done. It’s easy to react to the day’s events and put out fires. But that’s not being productive. That’s being reactionary.
How to Get the Right Things Done
Productivity starts with goal-setting. For instance, when I set a goal to write my first book, I broke it down into daily word count targets and tracked my progress each day. This approach kept me focused and motivated, ultimately helping me finish the manuscript ahead of schedule. You need a destination before heading out on the road. Once you identify your goals and understand why they matter, selecting the right tasks becomes much easier.
Setting goals requires introspection and clarity. What truly matters to you? What do you want to achieve? After answering these questions, you can prioritize tasks more effectively.
Ask yourself:
- Which tasks are urgent?
- Which tasks must be completed before others?
- Are there tasks that depend on one another?
- What relationships exist between different tasks?
Every decision you make has consequences. Some are minor, while others can cause a domino effect. Let me illustrate this with a lighthearted example:
Imagine you work in an office with free coffee in the breakroom. This seemingly minor perk might feel irrelevant to productivity—until the supply runs out and a caffeine-deprived employee makes a critical mistake. Just like prioritizing task dependencies, maintaining a reliable coffee stash can prevent larger problems down the line. One day, someone notices the supply is running low but forgets to tell anyone. No one orders more coffee.
The next morning, Bob stumbles into work, bleary-eyed from his newborn’s sleepless night, only to discover there’s no coffee. He tries to power through the quarterly report but makes a critical typo in a key financial figure. Later, the CFO reads the report, nearly spits out his coffee, and starts drafting a grim email about Q2 losses and possible layoffs.
Who will get blamed for the panic? Bob? Or the person who forgot to order the coffee?
While this scenario is fictitious, the ripple effect of seemingly minor tasks is very real. Every decision matters. The trick is knowing which ones require immediate attention and which can wait.
Use Flowcharts… or Whatever Works for You
To stay on top of tasks and their relationships, try using flowcharts, mind maps, or any other tool that helps you visualize your work.
I like to sketch these out by hand with a pencil and eraser. Here’s a simple process to try:
- Take an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of paper and write your main goal at the top.
- List every task you can think of to reach that goal. Don’t edit yourself; just get it all down.
- Grab a second sheet, turn it sideways (landscape format), and group similar tasks together. Identify any dependencies: Does Task A need to happen before Task B? Draw arrows to show these relationships.
- Prioritize. Which tasks are time-sensitive? Which ones are foundational for others? Number these tasks to create a clear roadmap.
This exercise provides a visual overview of your workflow, making it easier to tackle tasks in the right order.
But Wait, There’s More!
When it comes to productivity, there’s always more to explore. This article is just an introduction to my website’s new direction. In the weeks ahead, I’ll dive into techniques like “eating the frog,” brain dumps, and the power of three.
All of these methods aim to help you take control of your day, accomplish meaningful work, and move closer to your biggest goals.
Tracking your goals, whether with a digital app or a paper journal, is crucial. I love flipping through my old planners each December to reflect on what I achieved, and which strategies worked best. If you don’t already use a journal, I recommend experimenting with one. Journals aren’t just for recording your thoughts. You can use them to track goals, capture ideas, document experiments, and record results. Keeping everything in one place makes your review process faster and more effective.
Thank you for joining me on this journey! If you have productivity hacks to share, connect with me on LinkedIn. We’re all looking for ways to streamline our workflow. Let’s do this!