Another trip around the sun has completed. I wanted to take some time to wrap up 2019 and review what I learned about my personal productivity during the year.

1. Every idea does not need to be a to-do

I often feel I have to write down every potential task or project. Since I incorporate a lot of note taking apps in my system, I sometimes overuse them and write down too many ideas instead of filtering out the noise. Not every thought has to be validated by writing it down. It can be challenging at times to “let go” and delete items from my lists. What I need to remember is if the item was truly important, I will remember it or it will come up at a later date.

2. Old habits die hard

It is unreasonable to expect yourself to snap out of habits right away. Give yourself some slack. As long as you continue to work at changing, you are on the right path and that should be your focus. As this article states  below, we often revert to old habits as an escape. I know I act this way when I am overwhelmed by my task list because those are the times when I falter.

The core of an impulsive system is made of learned habits. In the absence of self-control, habitual behavior is the default option. Especially when under the sway of overwhelming emotions, we react to surrounding cues without awareness of doing so. We fall back to our old habit whenever we face [a] stressful event. With each repetition, however, behavioral patterns become more automatic and part of an unconscious system.

3. Technology can help but also overwhelm

My productivity has increased a lot after embracing the right technology solutions, but at times I have over complicated my life by trying to utilize too many different options. I continue to evaluate and review what I am using to see if there is any I can remove or adjust to better suit my needs.

4. Focus on the important things

This point goes with #1 above. If an item does not line up with longer term objectives and goals, it does not need your energy. Reduce the clutter because a more concise and focused task list will ease your stress. Re-visit my post on time/attention management for more information on this topic.

5. It is okay to not always be productive

Sometimes you have to live life and go with the flow. As Mel Schwartz states in this article, “The closest thing to perfection is in the ability to be fully present.” He points out the irony is perfectionists are rarely ever in the moment as they are focused on judging the past. The negative impact of beating yourself up over not being productive at every single moment likely outweighs the benefit you would receive by reaching perfection in a certain task or set of tasks. Amanda Ruggeri references several studies showing the detrimental effects perfectionism can have on your health in her article entitled “The dangerous downsides of perfectionism.” A key point she makes is the difference between seeking personal excellence and/or having high standards versus perfectionism is what she calls the “critical inner voice.” Apply this point to #2 above about old habits as well.

Remember, a journey only ends when you decide it does. You can continue to improve and evolve for as long as you decide you want to.

What did you learn in 2019?