In the first Issue of The Efficiency Edge, I talked about the 3 Forces—the megatrends—that have radically reshaped the professional workday…
- The Collapse of the Structured Workday
- The AI-Productivity Paradox
- The Workload Management Crisis
…together creating what I call The Great Productivity Gap™.
It’s the ever-growing gap between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it consistently every day.
And in case you missed it, here’s the illustration so you can see what creates the gap…
As I mentioned previously, ignoring these forces won’t make them disappear.
But understanding them will help you navigate the modern workday more effectively so you can adapt to what’s changing and advance when everyone else will still be spinning their wheels… or worse, falling way behind.
Now we arrive at the BIG question I promised to address…
What can we do to start closing the gap?
First, that requires recognizing what works and what doesn’t work—and why.
Those topics will be addressed in future issues of The Efficiency Edge, but for today…
I want to tell you about the ways to WIN amid the chaos created by these 3 Forces.
Productivity Myths and Bad Advice: What to Ignore
The Collapse of the Structured Workday has triggered a flurry of searches to make the workday easier, less stressful, and more productive…
What frustrates me most is the rise of sweeping, blanket statements of advice—often delivered with absolute certainty.
A guru tries something, it doesn’t work for them, and they immediately declare that it doesn’t work for anyone.
This is where things start to break down.
Productivity solutions are not one-size-fits-all. The details matter.
The type of work you do, your role, the business setting, the complexity of your work—all of it matters when considering something as big as a system or as small as a time management tip.
When those nuances are ignored, people are sent down a lot of long, frustrating paths of trial and error.
It becomes a constant guessing game. And it’s exhausting.
I see the same myths and bad advice repeated again and again, and every time I hear them, I cringe.
Not just because they’re inaccurate, but because they pull people farther away from solutions that could actually help them.
So, here’s my list of what to ignore. This is The Dirty Dozen…
I will address each of those topics in future issues of The Efficiency Edge, because they all deserve attention and I want to give you the reasons why they’re NOT the answers…
But today, let’s focus on the biggest myth. The one that ties in perfectly to Force #2: the AI-Productivity Paradox.
The Tech Industry Poses TECH as the Answer to All of Your Productivity Problems.
Got a workday productivity problem?
Big Tech—and much of the productivity industry—wants you to think tech is the answer.
Back in 2008/2009, when Apple launched an ad campaign to promote their newest phone and it’s growing app store, everyone started to jokingly say…
“There’s an app for that.”
And now there are SO many apps on the market, it’s overwhelming.
Now, with AI being the new kid on the block, that message has only intensified.
You’ve been conditioned to believe that tech is the answer to every productivity problem…
…for managing things to do, for planning and prioritizing, for dealing with email, for making decisions about how to spend time, for deciding what to do and when, and more.
But an app is not the answer. Neither is AI.
Now, using AI to take care of specific tasks is helpful! I do that, too.
But what I’m talking about today is how to manage the work behind the work.
This is about how to manage tasks, email, information, and time.
And I hold a particular stance on this matter… a rather unpopular view…
…that work should be managed by YOU.
Crazy, I know.
Not managed by tech. And NOT managed by AI.
YOU.
AI cannot replace human judgment.
Only you understand the nuances of your day, your responsibilities, your relationships, and the constant changes that can occur.
Think about what it would take to load all of that into AI continuously—and expect it to stay accurate in real time.
It’s not realistic. And it’s counter-productive.
Now, I know this view goes against the grain… and I don’t mind being the black sheep in the productivity consulting space. 😉
But here’s the reality…
Business is only going to move faster. Technology is evolving constantly. Apps change quickly.
And keeping up is nearly impossible.
So while everyone is saying, “There’s an app for that…” or “Use AI…”
And people are trying to get technology or AI to think for them, make decisions for them, fix broken processes, or fill in for missing systems…
A proven method for managing your work will last beyond all of that.
Now, I know it’s uncommon to ZIG when everyone else ZAGS…
But this offers a major competitive advantage for YOU.
Because that which is needed and rare… becomes valuable.
And it can make YOU unstoppable.
Why Successful Professionals DON’T Take Short Cuts.
The Workload Management Crisis has driven professionals to go on a string of “Productivity Fad Diets” to find a way to make their workday easier, more streamlined, more productive, and less stressful.
And I don’t blame you. I’m sure you long to find the ONE thing that’s going to solve your productivity challenges, right?
And gurus prey on those who want to discover a “simple” solution, an “easy” fix, or a quick “hack.”
They know that people love hearing about a “magic bullet.”
But the truth is that there are no short cuts when you want TRUE productivity…
Real… lasting… effective… dependable… predictable productivity.
Same goes for real success—in life or in business. There are no short cuts.
Take the common “health” goal…
Outside of using the latest, quick-acting prescription drug—of which they’re just now discovering the myriad, damaging side effects… (See? No short cuts… )
We all know we should eat whole foods, eat fewer processed foods, get more exercise, stay away from sugar, and get enough quality sleep.
We do we do those things always? No.
And that’s because taking those steps can involve hard choices… hard work… hard decisions.
But those are the ones that pay off.
When it comes to your workday, you probably know a lot of things you could do and should do, but…
Do you do take those steps? No.
Again, because those steps can involve hard choices… hard work… hard decisions.
And when you go down the “trial and error” path, trying all of the tips, tools, and tactics… short cuts, apps, and hacks… but without success…
You come to the same conclusion my clients expressed when we first met…
“I’ve tried everything under the sun.”
Like being in a cycle of “Productivity Fad Diets.”
You try something new, invest time in it, encounter friction, and then abandon it for something else.
Consider this illustration of the “Six Characteristics of a Fad Diet” from the Maine Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Each one of those characteristics is relatable in “productivity fad diets,” too…
…an app helps with one part of your work, but not others
…an app promises ONE thing, but doesn’t cover everything you need.
…you have the app, but no method or daily process for how to USE it.
…an app might be “light” for what you need with barely the features or functionality you need to accomplish your goal.
…without a guide or any support to answer your questions, sustainability is hard. It’s too easy to slide back into old, comfortable habits.
…and while “scientific” evidence isn’t necessary for productivity apps and tools, evidence of success of some kind is essential.
And all of these leave you with an implementation challenge and big gaps in your productivity, progress, and results.
Basically, the results are the same whether for health or productivity, if you’re jumping from one fad diet to another…
You don’t actually SOLVE the original problem.
Because you never stay with one approach long enough to succeed.
And the cycle repeats.
Do you really have time for that?
Meanwhile, you’ve cobbled together a discombobulated selection of tools and apps that were never meant to connect or work together, and that’s no picnic either…
So, here’s the deal…
If you buy the lies, you will forever be experimenting.
You’ll spin your wheels, trying to make each tip, tool, or tactic work.
And you’ll stay stuck. Right where you are.
As a result, you’ll continue to feel frustrated, discouraged, and overwhelmed.
You’ll be aggravated by all the wasted time.
You’ll become more de-motivated every single day.
And you’ll still be working at night or on the weekends to catch up… or at least try not to fall too far behind.
So I want to talk with you about something that will pull you out of the fire…
Something that has immediate practical application.
(Potentially for YOU.)
It’s something that’s worked for a couple of decades…
And it will help you to design your workday processes so they work.
A Fundamentally Different Approach to Managing Your Work.
Take a look at this image.
All four of the major processes in your workday are represented as the “pillars” that support your efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity at work.
In turn, those processes—when carried out in optimal ways—will give you more time and freedom, as well as more progress during the workday, which will ultimately help you to enjoy more of LIFE.
And when I talk about having more TIME, I mean for doing more of what you want to do during the workday AND enjoying more time in the evenings and weekends which is outside of work—all with fewer worries, less stress, and more peace of mind.
You’ll enjoy more time for…
…advancing special projects or initiatives
…working with your team
…improving the quality of your work
…preparing for upcoming meetings and opportunities
…friends, spouses, and kids
…health, fitness, and sports
…hobbies, volunteering, or spirituality
…fun, adventures, and vacations
…more sleep
…and so much more.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be SO effective at work that you can leave the office behind at the end of the day?
Yep. That’s the point. Life is too short to spend too much time at work.
Enter Taskology® The Science of Getting Things Done
Taskology® is a system that includes all 4 Process Pillars in your workday.
It’s different than anything else out there on the market, because my view is this…
Any single tool, tactic, or app that only addresses ONE process or only speaks to ONE part of your work will FAIL you.
It totally misses the big picture and it will fall short of success.
The focus must be getting to the truth of what it really means to be efficient and productive at work.
Take for example, the first Process Pillar: Task Management.
Research shows that progress comes from task management, not project management.
To support this, Taskology® is task-centric. Even email management is task management in disguise.
When you take really small action steps, you’ll get the steady forward movement you’re looking for each day.
Conventional wisdom tells you to get to-dos out of your head and onto paper or into some kind of tool.
But the key to success is knowing where to put tasks and how to structure the system so you can easily manage them every day.
In Taskology, everytask gets pulled from its source (email, voicemail, texts, IMs, DMs, CRMs, meetings, hallway conversations, etc.) and put into one central, digital, complete task list.
This affords total clarity, the ability to prioritize accurately, and the power to plan and achieve faster and easier.
Here’s an example of what this kind of list would look like in Outlook, but it can be built in any software…
When the list is compressed, you get relief from having to look at EVERYTHING so you can simply focus on TODAY.
The bottom line?
When you take care of your tasks, your projects will take care of themselves.
Another example would be Process Pillar #3 for email management.
In Taskology, clients get to zero in the Inbox—and not just for the sake of getting to zero.
The benefits include knowing you’ve seen every email, you’ve made decisions on every email, and you’ve moved all of them to better locations of either reference or action, or they’re gone—archived or deleted.
Imagine this for a minute…
Consider a completely overloaded email Inbox and what that means to you.
(Whether you use Google, Apple, Outlook, or something else, the illustration reflects a similar stressful state.)
Now consider an Inbox that’s completely clear and empty…
You can see the difference, yes, but more importantly, you can feel the difference…
Between the chaos and the endless questioning if something was missed… And the calm… knowing that you took care of everything.
I’ll address all 4 Process Pillars in depth in future editions of The Efficiency Edge, but for now, it’s important to understand…
You don’t need more techto get you through the day.
You need a method for mastering the work behind the work.
And the magic is in the method.
Taskology® is a complete, A-Z, step-by-step method for increasing efficiency and productivity.
It’s not software. And it’s definitely not AI.
It is a method of thinking, decision making, and execution that can be used for the entirety of a career.
It’s NOT going to change overnight. It’s not going to change in a year or in 5 years.
Because it’s immune to the tech, tool, and AI churn cycle.
And it will allow you to streamline the management of your work by…
…eliminating all the tools currently used for keeping track of things to do
…centralizing what needs to be done in a “Mission Control” type of dashboard
…establishing the connection between all daily processes
…reducing or eliminating wasted time and duplicate efforts
…simplifying the processes used for managing tasks, email, and information
…and so much more.
Taskology® becomes the equalizer for each of The 3 Forces That Have Radically Reshaped the Professional Workday.
That means your most important work doesn’t keep getting pushed to tomorrow.
Or worse, pushed to tonight or to the weekend.
It means you can get work accomplished faster and easier, and with a lot less stress.
It means getting clarity and relief.
It means more focusand empowerment.
You’re Not Just Busy. You’re Losing Time.
Time is lost every day managing the work behind the work…
Searching…switching… tracking… jumping… double-checking… reacting… pulling out the fire hose…
Instead, a SYSTEM that encompasses and streamlines ALL processes in the workday means you can…
Regain time, use time effectively, make progress, finish projects, reach targets, master email, and reduce stress.
And I’m happy to take you on this journey.
The solution is unique and so am I. And that’s OK. I’m not trying to win any popularity contests…
I’m here to help you get results.
And I don’t mind ruffling a few feathers in the process…
At the end of the day, we both want the same things: to make progress, to feel accomplished, to enjoy fruits of our labor, and to enjoy more of LIFE.
And believe it or not, the REAL solution is even simpler than many would have you believe.
The industry is training you to chase technology. What actually works is mastering a methodology.
And that’s the truth.
When you believe the lies, things get complex and I know that’s NOT what you want.
So, you get to choose…
Keep believing the lies and stay stuck?
Or take a simpler, faster path to success so you can make a greater impact?
Because the closer you get to making the impact you really want to make…
The closer you’ll get to reaching the levels of success you want in business and in life…
And the faster you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
I invite you to hit Reply on this email and let me know…
What have you tried recently to solve the productivity challenges in your workday?
And are you ready for the simple solution?
Let me know. I read and respond to every email.
Until next time…
Remember to make the most of your minutes.
Protect time for what matters.
And make memories you’ll cherish.
Greater productivity doesn’t mean packing MORE work into your workday.
It’s about getting work done from start to finish faster and easier so you can gain more time to enjoy life.
Leslie
P.S. In the next issue of The Efficiency Edge, I’ll dive deep into my “critical combo”, but for today, hit Reply and let me know what you’re experimenting with in your workday. What’s working? What’s not working? I’d love to hear!
P.P.S If you’re TRULY ready for the simple solution, it all starts with tasks. If you want some help getting your tasks together (so you can stop taxing your brain), I’ve got a bite-sized video course for you so you can fast track the process.
And it’s only $149.
