Assessing your own productivity

There is more than one way of calculating a worker’s maximum productivity, based on such factors as natural ability, years of experience or motivation.  time management coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders uses the term “productive enough” to mean fulfilling your job requirements when putting in maximum effort.

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In order to help you assess yourself, Elizabeth Grace Saunders has created a flowchart, which is explained in more detail in an article at hbr.org.

1. Am I meeting expectations?

If the job requirements are well defined by, for example, targets or deadlines, this question is straightforward enough. In some positions, the answer may be less clear-cut but your manager should let you know if you need to improve.

If the answer to item 1 is yes, there are no problems with your productivity. If the answer is no, move on to the next item.

2. Are these expectations my own, and not required by others?

Placing high demands on yourself can be a powerful means of self-motivation but if you end up working more hours than is healthy and feel constantly stressed out, you should perhaps modify your philosophy – especially if nobody is demanding you perform at such a level.

If the answer to item 2 is yes, again there are no problems with your productivity. If, however, the answer is no, move on to the next item.

3. Am I owning my time management and using productivity resources?

Time management here refers to the ability to organise and prioritise tasks without being distracted by, for example, personal e-mails or various social media. Productivity resources are tools which aid efficiency, such as to-do lists, e-mail filters and an ability to delegate tasks.

Answering no to either or both of the above indicates your productivity is not what it could be.

The way forward

If your personal productivity is as good as it can be, yet still you fret over not meeting management’s expectations, it might be worth talking with your boss about an adjustment to your work load. First though, Saunders recommends fine-tuning your time-management and productivity skills to make sure you are not losing focus at certain times during the working day.

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Article source Harvard Business Review - flagship magazine of Harvard Business School
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