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You are here: Home / Mind / Productivity / How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees

How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees

By on April 29, 2007 24

Okay, so that headline was a little over the top – but you’re here reading now, so why not make the best of it!

Apparently there is another group writing project going around the blogosphere that actually has some value, and after having been tagged by the MomGadget herself, as well as by Dawud at HealthyWebDesign, I thought it was worth my time and yours, so I’ve agreed to share some insight!

The idea was originally started by Ben at the Instigator Blog and he called it The Ultimate Guide to Productivity Group Writing Project. As good a name for a series about getting things done if ever there was one, and the concept is pretty basic.

Just list your best productivity habits, highlight your most effective one if you want to, and link back to Ben’s site, as well as to the people who tagged you for the project. In fact, if you email Ben after putting up your post, he’ll pop over 2 links back to your site. YAY – double the fun!

So, without further discussion, here we go with

In a word (or a phrase, in this case), I keep my eyes on the prize!

There are more websites and blog posts dedicated to productivity systems and concepts than you can shake a stick at. I regularly read Lifehack.org, The Ririan Project, and similar sites, however, in truth, I rarely implement most of those systems simply because I don’t believe that life should be systematized like that.

And yes, apparently systematized is a real word because my spell checker did not underline it in red just now when I typed it! 🙂

However, despite my “anti-systems” mentality, I am ALL about successful habits, and I believe that those habits start – and end – with remembering on a constant basis – why you are doing whatever it is that you are doing.

By keeping your eyes on the prize, you automatically stay focused on the “big picture” which keeps you from straying too far off the path of productivity.

For example, in my case, my long-term goal is complete time and financial freedom so that I can spend a ridiculous amount of time visiting my friends and family members. In order to accomplish that goal, I want to build up my Internet business to the point where most of my income is residual, and does not require me to work 12-hour days.

If I start to get off-track during the day by wanting to read less-than productive blogs or websites (even though they are fun!), or if I start to realize that I am not fully focused on my writing or my marketing efforts, all I have to do is remember that in order to accomplish my long-term goal, I have to work my butt off now so that I can play later.

Doing so always yanks me right back onto the path of productivity and focus!

So, keeping my eyes on the prize is the most important productivity secret that I have, although I do also have a close runner-up for 2nd place, and that is:

I always do the mission-critical tasks first!

My primary job is to write content – period. Yes, being a professional blogger also entails many marketing efforts such as reading and commenting on other people’s blogs, participating in community sites like MyBlogLog, Stumbleupon, Digg, and message boards, but Mission Task #1 every day is the writing.

Marketing does very little good if you are sending people to a site that has nothing for them when they get there!

So, my second most important productivity secret is to always do the most important things first.

Third, although I am not a big fan of multi-tasking, my personal computer and Internet set up at home is not as fast as I would like it to be, so I fill in potentially wasted time by doing “quick tasks” while waiting for web pages to load, large files to download, etc.

I keep my Google RSS reader open at all times in a Firefox Tab, and whenever I have 5 seconds to kill, I will pop over to that tab and skim a headline or two to see if I need to give that blog post more of my time later on.

When you subscribe to several hundred blogs like I do, skimming is the only way to even remotely stay up to date!

And finally, my last productivity secret is that I do work in “task blocks”. Several people have recommended the use of time blocks, which I also think is a good idea, but I have modified that concept to be what I call “task blocks”.

Since I am the most productive whenever I am 100% focused on any given task, I break down my entire day into task blocks. When I am working on any particular task block, that is ALL I am working on.

I can border on being supernaturally productive whenever I truly put my mind to something, so by doing my work in task blocks, I knock out the most possible amount of work in any given amount of time.

I do not limit the amount of time that I work on any task block because I feel that would stifle my creativity or my level of genuine interest in whatever I am doing. Rather than giving myself a time limit, I just refer back to my second productivity secret – doing mission-critical tasks first – and I simply prioritize which tasks are worthy of me spending my time on.

There are many potential things that a professional blogger needs to focus on, but here are the things that stand out the most in any given “work” day for me:

  • Writing (and research, as needed)
  • Reading & Commenting (done together)
  • Email & Comment moderation
  • Blog technical work (coding, graphics, advertisers, pulling my hair out)
  • Personal time (exercise, meditation/nap, food breaks, etc.)
  • Social Networking (Digg, Stumbleupon, message boards, etc.)

So, there you have it! Being the goal-oriented person that I am, I follow this pattern 5 solid days each week, most Saturdays, and also on Sunday when I don’t have actual social or family plans.

Does that make me a productivity junkie, a workaholic, or just a slightly insane person? Maybe.

However, when all is said and done I can:

  • Visit my friend Gayla way out in the (sticks?)
  • Spend a week in Key West with Andrea
  • Camp out in Panama City with Michael and Lisa
  • See the back hills of Texas with Craiger
  • Get back to my roots in New York, and
  • Honor my legacy in the Pacific Northwest

– all without affecting my paycheck – we’ll see who is crazy then, won’t we??? ;)~

OH – I almost forgot. TAG – you’re it! Everyone benefits from learning new and exciting (or insane) ways to be productive, so c’mon and share your ideas!

If you are reading this, you may consider yourself officially tagged to participate. Be sure to show the link love back to Ben , and include a linkback to this post as your inspiration, and then share your own productivity secrets with your readers.

C’mon – ya know you wanna!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. GO! Smell the flowers.. says

    April 29, 2007 at 1:25 pm

    WOW!WOW!

    You’re blog is something else – rarely do we leave messages in the often oversaturated realms of the blogosphere…well we are here. No sale, no nothing, Em and I have loved what we’ve seen (Ok to love? Group hug?) and…well..just well done…

    We’ve joined DIGG just to digg this..seriuosly, right this minute…we’d better GO! n lie down, not us but Em and I..anyway..simply great…your blog is visionary and more power to you..Sincerely, Jim n Em aka GO! Smell the flowers..you clearly already are.

    Reply
  2. Jonathan-C. Phillips says

    April 29, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    awesome idea this group writing project!

    “Since I am the most productive whenever I am 100% focused on any given task, I break down my entire day into task blocks. When I am working on any particular task block, that is ALL I am working on.”

    I can definitely relate to this part you wrote, i usually try to schedule, and focus on one thing at a time, or else there’s too many distractions, and i caan’t get anythig done, so working in “blocks” definitly helps.

    Reply
  3. aaron says

    April 29, 2007 at 1:51 pm

    Jonathan,

    As one of the most prolific writers and blog participants who presently stacks up my RSS reader, I can only imagine what will happen if you find a way to be even more productive than you already are!

    Have fun if you decide to participate!

    Reply
  4. aaron says

    April 29, 2007 at 1:45 pm

    Jim n Em,

    Okay, that’s it! You 2 get a big thumbs up for one of the most uplifting comments that anyone has ever left on this blog!

    And, that’s saying something because my regular readers always have wonderful things to say!

    Thank you so much for the positive feedback. It is truly wonderful to hear, and in the HUGE blogosphere, it does a blogger good to hear genuinely positive feedback that lets him or her know that the readers are truly benefiting from the writing.

    Thank you once again for the great feedback! You 2 rock!

    Reply
  5. GO! Smell the flowers.. says

    April 30, 2007 at 10:40 am

    The passion n pleasure was ours – excuse the spelling but that is the price of one fingered typing and enthusiasm. We’re learning from you and enjoy what you do so you’ve a couple of fans in Dubai….

    We assume your in the USA – Jim spent 18 months there, studying at Cal Pol in SLO town…

    anyway, we’ll subscribe to your feed now and tidy up our blog and get more buttons and social stuff on there. Cheers and keep it up…..

    Reply
  6. Manila Mom says

    April 30, 2007 at 3:24 pm

    I work from home writing freelance and am also learning how to make money online to reach the same goals you have, so it is serendipitous to have discovered your blog.

    Your productivity tips are really doable and I will incorporate them in my work style. Come to think of it, I also tend to work in task blocks but usually focus on what is most attractive to making me feel good. I will have to ensure now that these also coincide with the most “mission-critical” tasks.After all, focusing on reaching our goal does make us feel good.

    Thank you so much for sharing.

    I’d love to do the project, too, and will have to organize my thoughts and work habits pronto! 🙂

    Reply
  7. aaron says

    April 30, 2007 at 3:49 pm

    Manila Mom,

    I appreciate your comments and I’m glad that my ideas were helpful to you.

    It is hard to not do the “attractive” things first – especially when our “work” should always bring us joy. However, there are always things that take the higher priority, so by incorporating that idea into a productivity plan, you cover all of the really critical points.

    Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you come on board with the project and share your thoughts. Everyone learns from a group writing project like this! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Lexi Sundell says

    April 30, 2007 at 10:46 pm

    I have subscibed to your RSS feed as I find your posts interesting and informative, definitely at a higher level than the mass of regular blogs out there.

    I just posted my own methods of maintaining productivity and linked to both you and Ben, many thanks for the open invite!

    Lexi

    Reply
  9. aaron says

    May 1, 2007 at 7:26 am

    Lexi,

    Thank you very much for the positive feedback – it is greatly appreciated!

    Thanks as well for taking part in the productivity project. I’ll swing by your blog right now to check out your wisdom! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Dawud Miracle says

    May 1, 2007 at 1:50 pm

    Nice group of links. I’m all for planning for the big picture. For me the key is in focusing my efforts in getting tasks done toward that bigger picture.

    Reply
  11. aaron says

    May 1, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Dawud,

    You’re absolutely right – focus is key! I’ve often brought situations that people seem to think are very difficult down to the incredibly basic concept of deciding what you want, and then focusing on nothing but that.

    It’s amazing what you can accomplish that way!

    Reply
  12. Fabs says

    January 2, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    damn this blog was….

    Reply
  13. Fabs says

    January 3, 2010 at 2:09 am

    damn this blog was….

    Reply
  14. panamahotels says

    January 6, 2010 at 11:10 am

    Productivity for a blogger is to provide a useful information for the users. Participating in social networking sites is a good idea to get users and publicity. Your productivity tips are really useful and i will try to implement in my work style.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Secret To Being Productive : Instigator Blog says:
    April 30, 2007 at 6:39 am

    […] How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees by Aaron Potts […]

    Reply
  2. Maintaining Productivity in the Midst of Interruptions | Energies of Creation says:
    April 30, 2007 at 10:40 pm

    […] Aaron Potts over at Today is That Day posted about an interesting topic being used for a group blogging project, “The Ultimate Guide to Productivity, What’s Your Secret?” The project was originated by Ben at the Instigator Blog. This gave me pause as I thought about my own productivity strengths and weaknesses. […]

    Reply
  3. Maximising Productivity. - Blog Rumble says:
    May 3, 2007 at 12:43 am

    […] How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees by Aaron Potts […]

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  4. Ultimate Guide to Productivity for Adult ADD Sufferers - Life in the Fast Lane says:
    May 3, 2007 at 2:06 pm

    […] Ponn from Empower Women Now – her Business Coach An excellent post from Alister Cameron for Passion and Productivity Blog Rumble – Maximizing Productivity Janet Barclay – Ultimate Guide to Productivity Engtech – 14 Tips to Get More Done in Less Time Reflections on Balance – Work-Life Balance and Productivity Wendy Piersall – Ultimate Guide to Productivity Adam Kayce – How Productivity Comes from Clarity Dawud Miracle – How To Stay Focused For Greater Productivity Chris Garret – My Productivity Secret – The Joy of Flow State Gayla McCord – The Ultimate Guide to Productivity – MomGadget Style Tony Clark – Building a Home Business One Weekend at a Time Alex Fayle – Be Aware, Make Choices aaron Potts – How to become a Productivity Super Hero Tags:ADD ADDS ADHD Adult guide Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder multi tasking productive productivity project ultimate                 […]

    Reply
  5. Single Best Productivity Tip | zen habits says:
    May 16, 2007 at 5:12 am

    […] Today is That Day: Keep your eyes on the prize. […]

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  6. Houses of Healing says:
    May 17, 2007 at 9:05 am

    The ultimate guide to productivity – What’s your secret?

    I’m as attached as anybody to getting things done. I have endless ideas and projects popping up in my mind. Every day there are hundreds of things I would like to do. Some things I have to do. And more things I should do. There is an endless conveyor…

    Reply
  7. My Ultimate Guide To Productivity | My Affiliate Journey - Affiliate Marketing Blog by Vlad says:
    May 24, 2007 at 3:21 pm

    […] How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees by Aaron Potts […]

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  8. Thoughts & Philosophies » The Ultimate Guide to Productivity says:
    July 2, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    […] How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees by Aaron Potts […]

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  9. My Get Things Done List » Blog Archive » Single Best Productivity Tip [zen habits] says:
    December 19, 2007 at 1:10 am

    […] Today is That Day: Keep your eyes on the prize. […]

    Reply
  10. 137 Ways to Increase Your Productivity - Dawud Miracle @ dmiracle.com - says:
    February 1, 2008 at 9:54 am

    […] How to become a Productivity Super Hero who Rights Wrongs, Saves the Environment, and Rescues Cats from Trees by Aaron Potts […]

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