Faux-Productivity

Looked for any productivity tips lately?

Watch out for faux-productivity, it’s a place to hide:

Taking your phone to the bathroom so you can clear your inbox and outbox at the same time isn’t a productivity hack. It’s a place for insecurity to hide. A few moments with your own thoughts has become uncomfortable for many these days!

Supposing that more hours at the computer = more work done isn’t a productivity hack. It’s a place for procrastination to hide. If time at the desk was reserved only for actually-productive (or creative) activities (rather than being sprinkled in with the 1-2 topical news sites you can’t go an hour without checking) think how much more you’d get done!

Upgrading your phone for speed gains isn’t a productivity hack. It’s a place for shiny object syndrome to hide. If your greatest limiting factor is how quickly your web browser or mail app opens or shuts down, we’d all love to learn your secrets!

Nothing wrong with work breaks, bathroom breaks and new toys.

But when we recognise them as faux-productivity hacks, that frees us up to engage more fully with genuinely productive tasks – and take breaks as needed – without confusing the two.