When it comes to productivity, especially in the workplace, having a plan is a good and logical approach. Holding yourself accountable for actions during the workday, and ensuring you deliver what you have promised yourself and others will result in satisfaction in your efforts and also commendation from others.
But in a world with thousands of so-called productivity apps, the old-fashioned notebooks, Teams call, calendars (there’s multiple of them), and your manager in your ear – what are the best options – and can all of this noise lead to overplanning, over management of tasks and ultimately burnout.
In fact, when it comes to having a plan, too much of it can lead to a false sense of productivity, diverting energy from progress and creativity and redirecting it to… well planning to do the thing you’re trying to achieve.
We also know that in our AI-enabled workspace, efficiency and intelligence are available at the end of our fingertips – but what’s not so freely available is creativity, vision and original thought.
So, with all this planning and all these tools – how can we hope to be different, be creative, and ultimately – be happy.
As that old hedgehog advert about crossing the road went… here’s a few tips we’d suggest to stop overplanning burnout.
Stop: Asses how many planning tools you’re currently using. If it’s more than one, is it really worth it? What additional benefits are you really getting from others? If you’re spending more time planning than doing, then you’re on the wrong side of the argument.
Look: Look at what others around you are doing – are they able to plan with fewer tools? Are they more or as productive? Speak to your peers, learn from others and engage on a human level with one another to unlock a more productive way of thinking.
Listen: Spend more time listening than planning – you’ll soon find that focusing and being present in a conversation or meeting will enable you to digest information better, and make a clear mental plan as to what output is needed – rather than trying to write down every detail and transcribe at 1000wpm.
Feel fulfilled: Less planning, leads to more time to think, which leads to greater mental clarity and a fulfilled feeling.
