My good friend and colleague, Nev Vujosevic, recently posted an article entitled “6 Secrets to Masterful Productivity no one talks about”. I thought it was powerful enough to share here:

1) Secret #1 to Quality Productivity: Understand YOUR Preferences & Barriers.

Nev tells us that the thousands of tips, tricks and trends out there that are supposed to help us organize ourselves and achieve our desired results only work if they actually align with the who are and the way we like to do things. Otherwise, they become another source of pressure and hassle.

She recommends thinking about and writing down answers to these questions:

• What type of work is easiest for you? (ex: meetings, creative, emails, etc.)
• What type of work is hardest for you?
• When are your best times for each type of work? (days of the week & hours).
• What do you need to OPTIMALLY execute each type of work?
• What people/situation/activities distract you negatively?

These are starter questions.   With more extensive analysis, I can help you better understand your optimum energy, concentration, flows, and best practices.

2) Secret #2 to Great Productivity: Build your life AROUND your Ideal Preferences.

While much of our lives are beyond our control, we can make them better by being willing to express and clarify our needs and preferences in relationships, situations, organizations and daily activities.

Then, we can communicate them and watch how our overall wellbeing improves.

3) Secret #3 to Brilliant Productivity: Understand – and PRACTICE – the Rule of 80/20.

Most of us spend about 80% of our time and effort on activities than only contribute 20% to the results we’re seeking. But the other 20% of our actions, are contributing an AMAZING 80% to those results.

Nev cites the example of a new entrepreneur spending excessive hours fine-tuning every detail in their new website, instead of more challenging (but essential) activities like researching and connecting with potential clients.  I can’t count the number of advisors I’ve worked with who have done the same thing—or something like it.

The key, she tells us, is to thoroughly analyze which tasks are producing the greatest results and readjust our calendars, priorities and daily actions that bring those powerful results.

Often these core 20% activities are ones that push us out of our comfort zone, require some new insight or training, or challenge our deep-set limiting beliefs.

But if we can get past those, our results SHINE.

4) Secret #4 to Excellent Productivity: The Rule of 3.

While I coach advisors on a similar system, Nev talks about the system she learned from etrepeneur, Marie Forleo (Marie TV), who cites extensive research with regard to howour minds often favor the concept of 3 core things.

Nev asks, “What are the 3 most important things I need to get done?”

While most of us have many more to dos on our plate, if we get clear on the 3 true priorities for today, this week, this month, this quarter, and this season, we are much more likely to meet deadlines, focus on the most important activities, and give our best where it matters most.

These may be the most urgent, simply important, or things that are TAKING UP OUR HEAD SPACE, which we need to clear so we can breathe easier, and create much needed opportunity for other, more meaningful actions.

5) Secret #5 to Strategic Productivity: Understand and optimize “Efficiency vs. Effectiveness”.

Effectiveness is how successfully you achieve your desired objectives. Efficiency is achieving them with the fewest resources possible (time, money, effort, people, etc.).

Sometimes they complement each other. Other times they don’t.

For example: I am aware that the individual coaching I provide is inefficient, a very inefficient process because I’m only working with one person at a time, and it takes time.

But it’s massively effective because both Client and Coach are deeply invested in the process, which allows us to create powerful transformation over a relatively short period of time.

Being thoughtful and strategic about when taking more time, effort, money, etc. is the solution to more quality results, and when you’re choosing efficiency over effectiveness, will help you grow your business.

6) Secret #6 to Masterful Productivity: Sometimes BEING is better than DOING.

Many of us find that what we’re DOING isn’t working because success comes out of who we’re BEING when we’re doing it.

Getting into sync with who we are and who we want to be avoids excessive exhaustion, stress and anxiety.

Instead of focusing on the things you need to do that may not suit you, let yourself just BE—without purpose, expectation or pressure.  The right thing to DO and the right way to do it will flow from the learning, creativity and vision you open up.

“Not to mention,” Nev tells us, “That it feels damn good, when you get used to just letting yourself BE…just as you are.”

My thanks to Nev for sharing this.

Don’t try to be a copy of someone else. Be the best version of yourself. I coach advisors to accelerate their business using strategies like these.  If you think I can help you, contact me and we’ll arrange a time to talk.

And always, keep REACHING…