The Ebb and Flow of Productivity

As a disclaimer, I’m not sure if everyone operates this way, but I’d like to share some of my personal experiences in regards to productivity. I’ve given a lot of thought to the matter of being productive as possible, and read quite a number of publications and books on the subject. On one hand I see the value of being a productive worker, of creating value where there once was nothing, and taking pride in the service that I provide in exchange for my paycheck. I think finding ways to properly organize your daily tasks and doing things more efficiently is helpful and allows you to fulfill your daily duties in an acceptable manner.

On the other hand, I can’t help but feel like like a lot of these organization systems tend to make you feel more like a Robot. You do your tasks in the shortest amount of time possible as quickly but completely as possible and when you’re done, move on to the next task. I like flexibility, however, not a rigid training regime of my daily to-do’s.

Some bloggers modify existing system to fit their own personal needs, a great example of this is Zen to Done. In that vein I’ve been working to create my own system that allows me to get the things I need to done while still providing a comfortable level of flexibility.

Obviously, your best bet is to do what works for you. Find out what your ideals are when it comes to work and play. For me, I tend to have bouts of productivity, times where I feel really gung-ho about getting things done. I also have times where I’d really just prefer to unwind and relax, and recharge my batteries. Unfortunately these forces tend to hit at various times, so I can’t exactly sit at my desk in my office and take a nap because I’m not in the productive mood. Perhaps I should aim for employment that allows me to do that? Maybe..