Hey Reader

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been on a bit of a productivity mission both here and on the podcast.

First, we talked about intensity and why working harder, faster and with your hair permanently on fire isn’t the same as having impact.

Then we talked about Peak & Flow, the fact that not every hour of you is worth the same and with an ever growing to do list how to spot where you can add the greatest value.

This week, I want to take on another sacred cow of productivity.

The to-do list.

We love a list, a notebook (we have lots of them) and journalling. Caro has even started enjoying using the checklist on her notes app - the joy of seeing that little dot change colour is most satisfying...so she says :-)

Let's face it, there are few things more satisfying than putting a big fat tick next to something. Actually, that’s a lie, there is one thing more satisfying.

Adding something you’ve already done to the list specifically so you can tick it off.

Don’t pretend you haven’t done it, you know you have!

But here’s the problem; your to-do list is lying to you.

Because it presents everything as though it matters equally.

• Reply to Sarah.
• Book train.
• Finish business case.
• Order dog food.
• Think through next year’s strategy.
• Send invoice.
• Prepare for stakeholder meeting.
• Buy toothpaste.

Eight little boxes waiting to be ticked. But those things are not remotely equal.

And our brains don’t necessarily choose the most important one. Infact if we're honest, they quite like the easiest one.

Which means you can have an incredibly productive day… and achieve almost nothing that matters.

Completion is not contribution.

A full day is not evidence of a valuable day. And a beautifully completed to-do list can sometimes be nothing more than very organised avoidance.

We’ve all done it. When there’s a difficult piece of thinking waiting for us, we can suddenly become extremely interested in things that haven’t mattered for three weeks. Emails get answered promptly, your desktop gets cleaned with files renamed and new folders created. Even the need to clean the kitchen becomes strangely compelling. You might even decide that now would be an excellent time to investigate why the printer has been making that noise since February.

Because ticking things off feels good AND thinking is so much harder.

And here are the stats:

So try something different.

Before you start working through your list, ask yourself one question:

If I could only move ONE thing forward today, which thing would make the biggest difference?

Not: What is shouting loudest?

Not: What can I finish fastest?

And definitely not: What will make my inbox look prettier?

What will make the biggest difference?

Then look at when you’re going to do it because this is where the last few weeks come together; if it matters, don’t just put it on your list.

Give it your best window. By doing this not only are you offering greater value, but you will find work more satisfying too.

Here’s your little move for this week.

Tomorrow morning, look at your to-do list.

Don’t start ticking, instead pick your ONE thing. (The thing that creates progress rather than simply activity).

Then give it some protected time (ideally during one of the Peak windows you’ve started identifying).

Everything else can wait its turn because perhaps the goal isn’t to end every day saying:

“Look how much I got done.”

Perhaps the better question is:

“Did I move something that made a difference here?”

That is a very different definition of productivity.

And, I suspect, a much more useful one.