Enquirer Digest #0010 Is productivity about optimization or autonomy?

Hello Enquirers

This week’s edition will be about productivity. I have chosen productivity this week because I really liked Cal Newport's approach that includes a different look at productivity.

In relation to this week’s subject the podcasts to listen to is:

Is productivity about optimization or autonomy?

Basically, in the episode Cal Newport states that productivity is generally discussed as an optimization approach. By optimization he defines it as where it’s grinding, hustling. Producing more or the number of things you get done.

The second framework he puts forward is the autonomy framework. Cal Newport states that if you have an effective productivity system the result of the system can provide you with options. Cal Newport explains his system as Capture, Configure, Control. From his own words:

"At a high level, capture, configure, control is about capturing things, obligations that enter your life, They move out of your mind. That alone is a huge stress reliever. Then comes configure is the glue of the caption Configure Control framework. It's where you make sense of all these obligations. You figure out what they mean critically. It's where you implement your specific, intentional workload management systems. How much of this different type of work? Can I reasonably do what are my quotas here? What once it's captured, do I keep going on with what do I push out? If something has to happen later, when am I going to do it? It's where you actually make sense of all of your obligations in an intentional way. Not doing configure is what creates haphazard busyness. So when you have something like a capture, configure, control framework in action, you move away from haphazard busyness."

Once you've taken control of the obligations in your professional life, you have options. It's up to you what you do with those options, but the message is that you can use the options intentionally for whatever is that you want to focus on.

To sum up Cal Newport states that if you see productivity as just completing tasks on your to-do list it’s not going to create too much value. If you capture all what you need to do with intentionality and configure the work accordingly, you will take control of the obligations (personal or professional) you need to complete. Once those are in order then you will have options.

Today's Article

Today's article is the one that Cal Newport is mentioning in the podcast

The relentless rise of the productivity influencer

Quote from article

“In recent years, the popularity of heavily staged managed self optimization has diversified beyond the tech Bros of Silicon Valley, spotting the rise of a new influencer niche, the productivity guru. These content creators have gained thousands of followers by posting time saving tips, life hacks, and productivity advice online."

Today’s Quote

• "The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." - Stephen Covey