How to Court Your Productivity
How to Start Your Productivity Relationship
Are you starting to get butterflies in your stomach yet? Are your hands clammy? Just like romantic first dates, productivity first dates can be stressful too as you want to put your best foot forward. But don’t worry! We will go through the different steps together so you can start off strong and maintain your relationship over the years.
If you haven’t read the past articles in this series, you can do so here:
If you have read them, do you have your notes handy from the questions I asked? Let’s pull those out! If you have lost those notes, here are the some of the major questions:
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What are your goals and expectations?
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How much time commitment are you willing to give to productivity?
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Which tools and resources did you take note of that you would like to try or where not helpful to you in the past?
Go On Dates with Productivity
Many first dates start off in a bar or in a cafe.
As a friendly reminder for romantic dates, please meet in a public place first when meeting strangers online.
Productivity dates are not that different as romantic ones. Rather than “meeting” in a public place, use the Free Version or take advantage of the Trial for each tool and or resource.
This way, you can test run the tool if it fits your needs or is lacking without putting yourself or money on the line.
Be sure to cancel any free trials before they actually charge your card!
Think of a romantic first date: often, the individuals will ask each other question about interests, family, and future goals, etc. You will want to do the same. Here are some questions you can ask (yourself, though if you talk to the computer like I do, there’s no shame either!).
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Which features does this tool offer that I like and will use?
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Which features that are offered are interesting and I might use?
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Which features that are offered are not useful to me and will not use?
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Which features are interesting, but I might not use.
You can always answer these questions by doing a chart listing out the features on the side and ranking them 1 through 5, 5 being “This feature is amazing!” to 1 “I hate it/don’t like it.” Keep in mind – any 5’s should also be features that you WILL use. Not features that you think are cool and will never use.
If a tool or resource has a lot of 5s, it probably is a good one to keep. If there are a lot of 1s, toss it! If the number is in the middle (hovering around 3 as in neutral), it might be time to continue to date it before going steady. You can compare the average of the numbers. The tool with the highest average is probably the best for you!
Playing the Field
You might find you have to “play the field” with several resources or tools at the same time. Going back to the “neutral” tools or resources you marked, it might take you some time to really see if it is a fit.
Just like romantic dates, it might take a few dates to see if you can really “go steady” with that person.
There are several tools that are similar in nature and it could take some time for you to distinguish which features and layout you prefer over the other.
Every person has different needs for their productivity habits and it is hard to recommend just ONE tool that will fit all. There is no ONE person that will be a great partner for everyone.
Going Steady with Productivity
Let’s talk about your goals and expectations. I hope you gave yourself more realistic ones when it comes to how much time you are willing to commit to dating your productivity.
So, how much time ARE you willing to commit to finding your perfect productivity habits? Write it down again and even say it out loud. This way, you will feel even more committed, which is good!
Let’s say you picked 6 months to thoroughly date different tools, resources, and or styles. By the end of 6 months, are you now ready to “go steady” with the habits you have courted?
Are you going to be Facebook official?
But, like romantic partnerships, relationships are a continual growth. Once you developed your habits, remember to keep adjusting and growing with your tools. OR, as technology improves, there might be new ones out there and it will be time to upgrade your tool and or resource.
When it comes to productivity relationships, I recommend a thorough review of your productivity habits at least once a year or every two years. To make sure that they are still helping you and not hindering you. OR, is there something better that can help you even more?
Make sure to check back in next week as it is a new month and a new theme…hint: we will talk about this “review.”
Let’s talk about your goals and expectations. I hope you gave yourself more realistic ones when it comes to how much time you are willing to commit to dating your productivity.
So, how much time ARE you willing to commit to finding your perfect productivity habits? Write it down again and even say it out loud. This way, you will feel even more committed, which is good!
Let’s say you picked 6 months to thoroughly date different tools, resources, and or styles. By the end of 6 months, are you now ready to “go steady” with the habits you have courted?
Are you going to be Facebook official?
But, like romantic partnerships, relationships are a continual growth. Once you developed your habits, remember to keep adjusting and growing with your tools. OR, as technology improves, there might be new ones out there and it will be time to upgrade your tool and or resource.
When it comes to productivity relationships, I recommend a thorough review of your productivity habits at least once a year or every two years. To make sure that they are still helping you and not hindering you. OR, is there something better that can help you even more?
Make sure to check back in next week as it is a new month and a new theme…hint: we will talk about this “review.”
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