O P I N I O N
Get it done
W e’re getting busier, but are we getting more done? Endless cycles of email followed by meetings and telephone calls consume whole days and even weeks. The cycle costs us the ability to feel we are moving forward productively. It causes us stress. So, why are some people able to be more productive than their peers and to consistently make their days more valuable to them and their companies? What are the circumstances that produce really productive periods of work? First, make the decision not only to do more, but to do more good. Implementing a few simple ideas can transform our overall productivity. By putting energy into the power of habit, deep work, productivity tools, and daily scheduling, you will see immediate and lasting productivity gains. Ted Ryan
❚ ❚ The power of habit. Forming new habits and breaking old ones takes energy, yet the power of habit is a critical tool for consistently performing at a high level. As Duhigg explains, a habit loop consists of a cue, routine, and reward. One habit I knew I wanted to break was time wasted on thoughtless social media surfing. I noticed that any time I had a short wait time, I’d open my social media. One consistent theme was during my ferry-boat commute. The routine was to spend the 25-minute boat ride surfing social media. I’d pull up social media as soon as I sat down – sitting was
Three books have been the catalyst I needed to greatly improve the productivity in my daily, weekly, and monthly routines: Do More Better by Tim Challies, Deep Work by Cal Newport, and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. The changes I’ve made have resulted in enduring and significant shifts in my professional and personal life. By harnessing the power of habit, deep work, productivity tools, and daily scheduling, I’ve learned to direct my talents to maximum effect. I saw immediate results and turned them into lifelong productivity gains.
See TED RYAN, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER March 30, 2020, ISSUE 1338
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