Extreme Productivity by Robert C. Pozen- A summary (Part 2)

Let all beings be happy; Let all beings be peaceful; Let all beings be blissful

Focus on the final product

• Formulate a set of tentative conclusions to guide your work
• Start at the end
• Think hard at the start of a project about where it is going, what are the critical issues, and how are they likely to be resolved?
• Write the conclusions in form of rebuttable hypothesis that can be revised as the project progresses

 Mid-flight check

Pause and reflect midway through the project and adjust hypothesis by incorporating new information

Stop procrastinating today

Identify procrastination

• Work on low priority tasks
• Engaging in more pleasant tasks
• Unproductive activities

Focus on results, not hours

Ensure your attention is focused on results and not time spent on the task. Organizations should align incentives with right goals independent of facetime at work (primarily applicable to lawyers and consultants).

Knowledge workers have the potential to create value independent of time spent on job. You can’t measure a professional’s value simply by counting how many hours he or she spends sitting at a desk. Organizations must promote an environment that does not reinforce ‘facetime’.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

OHIO-only handle it once-Tackling your low priority items immediately when you receive them, if possible. If you let a backlog develop, you will waste a lot of time and increase your anxiety level.

Pareto Principle- The 80/20 rule

The Pareto principle states that for many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. This observation highlights the uneven distribution of cause and effect. Some examples of Pareto principle in action:

• 20% of clients contribute to 80% of a company’s revenue
• 20% of a country’s population controls 80% of nation’s wealth
• 20% of patients account for 80% of healthcare spending  

Applying Pareto Principle:

• Identify goals that will have maximum impact, the ‘vital few’
• Focus on daily tasks that are most important, avoid the ‘trivial many’
• Guide for resource allocation