Productivity tips

Transcript from an oral presentation that took place on 2/4/2021 at SG Toastmasters USA Club contest.

Introduction

Can you guess what this represents?

• 8 x 10
• 12 x 80

It's respectively the number of years and the number of months your life expectancy has. Pretty limited right? It can fit on one page. You might be here, here or there and one thing is for sure you can't go back.

• Are you making the most of each point?
• Are you able to get things done? the things that truly matter to you?
• How about leaving a legacy? Making an impact?

Today, I would like to share with you not only tips and tricks on productivity but a framework to generate the outcomes that matter to you by having an extra hour per day or more and I promise you, you won't have to get up at 5am!

This framework is called PCA :

1. Preparation
2. Concentration
3. Acceleration

Let's start with P as preparation.

Before doing anything, define what your objectives are:

• Saving the planet from climate change
• Help people around you
• Spend more time with your relatives
• Pick a new language
• Learn a new skill
• Getting a promotion

Whatever that is.

For any task that comes up:

if it's NOT in line with your core objectives, don't do it.
If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it right away.
Else, delegate it if possible. If not, put it on your to-do list.

If the task is big, break it down. For instance, preparing this presentation:

1- Find topic
2- Define the core message
3- Read about it
4- Mindmap
5- Structure
6- Rehearse
7- Deliver
8- Post Presentation Feedback

If the task is boring, make it fun. Do it with a friend, put some music on, have a glass of wine.

If the task challenging, Start by taking the first step no matter how small.
Lot of times, we tend to procrastinate this type of tasks.
Once you've begun—but not finished—your work, you will find yourself thinking of the task until, at last, you finish it.

What works well, start the day with a challenging task, it will make other tasks feel easy.
It also works very well for creative tasks or tasks that require memorization. It's called the Zeigarnik effect.

A rule of thumb is to define 3 tasks that matter to you every day and will make you feel successful if achieved.
For me, I like to include:

• a technical task
• something spiritual
• something social

C as concentration

It's pretty obvious that concentration is central to productivity and is one of the most challenging part nowadays :

• realtime news
• notifications
• being interrupted while working in open space (before covid at least) => there is a constant battle to get your attention.

A study showed that we currently concentrate on average 11 minutes on a single task, 11 minutes.

2 tips:

• First, do yourself a favor and make your environment organized:
  distraction-free, disable your phone and computer notifications, organize your desk: folders and files both physically and virtually.

• Second, train your concentration skills through meditation and mindfulness practices: learning how to focus on your breath, on one idea at a time for a couple of minutes.

These two tips combined with a clear preparation phase: knowing exactly what you try to achieve will facilitate the reach of flow.
When in a flow state, concentration becomes so laser-focused that everything else seems to fall away and it feels so great.

A as Acceleration

We know what to do and we know how important it is to be focused on the tasks.
Acceleration is about being smart when dealing with tasks.

Alternate tasks that are annoying with tasks that make you happy to create a gratification system.

Some tasks are repetitive => there is probably a way to automate them or be faster at doing them: typing on your keyboard, reading books.
or simply playing podcasts and training video at x1.2. Think about the dishwasher for instance,

80/20: some tasks are done at 80% impact for 20% of effort.

Invest in tools that can accelerate the execution of frequent tasks. Learn shortcuts.
Make phone calls instead of writing a very long email that will have lots of back and forth.

Analyze how you spend your time in order to detect patterns.

Conclusion

The outcomes of your days will follow a simple equation :
E = Preparation * Concentration * Acceleration

Become more productive by following the PCA methodology

• Preparation: Be clear with what you want to achieve
• Concentration: Be efficient with the execution of one task
• Acceleration: Be smart about the whole tasks set

and you will achieve your core missions in your life.

I followed this change in January and :

• I have read 3 books
• Run every day: over 160 miles
• Hosted 3 gatherings at home
• Find a mentor
• Moved to a new team

For more information, read the 25th hour Supercharging Productivity - Secrets from 300 Successful Entrepreneurs book, written by Guillaume Declair (Author), Bao Dinh (Author), Jérôme Dum.

Thank you.