This post summarizes key insights from Scott Mautz’s LinkedIn Learning course on productivity.

Top ten overlooked productivity hacks

Workflow productivity hacks

Get things done

• Plan Realistically: Assess how long tasks will realistically take, considering Hofstadter’s law, which states that things always take longer than expected.
• Set self-imposed realistic deadlines: you share it with others
• Avoid relying on willpower: stop telling yourself “My willpower will kick in, so I can wait to get started”. Just get started, or there will be more stress.
• Break Tasks into Smaller Steps: Start with either the hardest or easiest tasks to build momentum and manage your energy effectively.

Embrace the value of leaving it alone

• Restraint Over Reaction: Sometimes, it’s more productive to wait and see how things play out rather than reacting immediately.
• Patience Over Pursuit: Avoid unproductive behaviors like sending multiple follow-up emails or pointing out flaws unnecessarily.
• Productivity Boost: By not engaging in unproductive actions, you can achieve better outcomes with less effort and stress.

Personal productivity hacks

Redirect rhythm

• Create Space: Take a breath to create distance from the intensity of the emotion. “Take a breath”
• Name the Emotion: Identify and name the emotion you are feeling to reduce its hold over you. Answer: “What am I feeling?”
• Reassess: Use logic to reassess the situation and challenge the story you are telling yourself. Answer: “What’s really happening?”
• Redirect: Ask yourself “What’s next?” to engage in a more productive behavior.

Let go of debilitating emotions

• Identify and Release the Festering Four: Regret, guilt, shame, and self-pity are identified as the four debilitating emotions that hinder productivity. Letting go of these emotions is crucial.
• Counter with Acceptance, Forgiveness, and Introspection: Regret, guilt, and shame can be countered by accepting your mistakes, forgiving yourself, and reflecting on past experiences to learn and move forward.
• Shift from Self-Pity to Gratitude: Replace self-pity with gratitude by changing your mindset from “I have to do this” to “I get to do this,” which can reframe your day positively and boost productivity.

Create a color coded work plan

• Classify Your Work: Use a color-coded system to classify your work into red, green, and gold categories based on value and contribution to meaningful goals and personal growth.
  • Red Work: Low-value, unproductive tasks that should be minimized or eliminated.
  • Green Work: Core, high-value tasks that meet business needs and leverage your strengths.
  • Gold Work: Highly significant tasks that contribute to your legacy and long-term goals.
• Evaluate and Reshape: Honestly assess your current work portfolio to identify and minimize red work, ensure green work is truly valuable, and seek or create gold work opportunities.
• Intentionality: Be intentional about how you spend your time and focus on work that is productive and meaningful to enhance your overall productivity and fulfillment.

Others-oriented productivity hacks

Harness the hardwire phenomenon to get others’ help

• Fuel Reciprocity: Help others first, and they will feel compelled to return the favor due to the principle of reciprocity.
• Give 10% More: Always add extra value in your interactions, encouraging others to reciprocate with higher effort when helping you.
• Link Agendas: Align your goals with others’ agendas to create a common mission, fostering mutual support and productivity.
• Appeal to Desired Identities: Use identity-based language (e.g., “be a helper” instead of “help”) to increase the likelihood of others assisting you.
  • Instead of asking someone, “Can you help me with this project?” you could say, “Can you be a helper on this project?” By using the word “helper,” you appeal to their desire to be seen as helpful, which increases the likelihood that they will assist you.

Seek Planck knowledge to efficiently learn from others

• Planck Knowledge vs. Prattle: Planck Knowledge is deep, credible knowledge gained through experience and expertise, while prattle is superficial understanding.
• Identifying Planck Knowledge: Ask if the person has enough experience, if others consider them credible, and if they share truly valuable insights.

• Learning from Experts: Focus on learning from those with Planck Knowledge to boost your productivity and gain meaningful insights

• How to identify whom has Planck knowledge?
  • Do they have enough experience in their field?
  • Have others advocated from them as credible experts?
  • Are they teaching things that are true?

Mind the 25/65/95 Rule to hold people accountable

• Accountability Boosts Productivity: The 25/65/95 rule shows that accountability significantly increases the likelihood of achieving goals—from 25% to 95% when you have regular accountability appointments.
• Three Key Questions: In accountability appointments, discuss:
  1. Where are we making progress or excuses?
  2. Where are we owning the issue or avoiding the issue?
  3. Where are we being brave or blaming?
• Honest Discussions: These questions help highlight good work, minimize excuses, encourage ownership of issues, and promote bravery over blame, driving accountability and productivity.

Organizational productivity hacks

Maximize motivation

• Am I doing enough to keep employees energized?
• Am I adding or subtracting their energy?

What is SEAM(Start and End A Meeting) rule to get the most out of meeting?

• How to Start a meeting?
  • start meetings on time. Late starts can significantly reduce meeting effectiveness and idea quality.
• How to End a meeting?
  • Ask the question: “Who will do what by when?”

Bao-Jhih Shao

A software engineer writing something to keep the memory.

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