How to Redefine Productivity

Work is eating your life. And the data proves it. AI won’t save the workday if we keep using it to accelerate chaos. The latest research shows a new bottleneck: time. The workday now starts before 6am and stretches past 10pm. 275 interruptions. Every single day. Focus time is disappearing. Slack, Teams, Outlook, Zoom. Everything is everywhere, all at once. The work calendar says “busy.” The work culture says “always on.” The brain says “please stop.” Here’s what needs to change: 1. Stop worshiping activity. We do not need more status updates. We need more thinking. Use AI to reduce churn, not speed it up. 2. Rebuild the rhythm of work. The best hours of the day are spent in meetings. Not in flow. Redesign calendars to protect focus time. 3. Measure what matters. Every ping. Every notification. They add up. Productivity metrics must evolve. 4. Lead with clarity. If managers send late night emails, teams follow. Guardrails start at the top. Culture is modeled, not mandated. 5. Redefine performance. Volume doesn't equal value. The next era of performance will be outcome first. And AI assisted. The infinite workday is real. The solution is not more apps. It’s a new approach. How are you helping your teams find better ways to work?

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 '𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲,' 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭... The pursuit often leads us down a path where: ⛔𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐋𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫: Pushing ourselves beyond sustainable limits is a recipe for exhaustion, not excellence. ⛔𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝: When we're too busy checking off tasks, we lose sight of the bigger, more meaningful goals. ⛔𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝: A cluttered mind has little room for new ideas and breakthroughs. This race to dry every last drop out of our daily routines – optimizing to-do lists, sleep patterns, even our coffee rituals – is it truly making us happier or more successful? Ask yourself: - 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? - 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲? Yes, productivity is important. I've seen its benefits in my own journey. But when it's pursued at the expense of everything else, the cost is too high. Here on LinkedIn, we often see a narrative that glorifies a relentless grind. I consciously chose a different path. I'm not chasing 'peak productivity.' I'm not interested in using and discarding people for efficiency. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞? ✅𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. ✅𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 ✅𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭. ✅𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 This isn't a critique of productivity but a call to redefine it. Why not shift from 'doing more' to 'doing what matters'? 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐈 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞. #mindset #nursing #nursingleadership #futureofhealthcare #themindsetnurse

The Silent Productivity Killer No One Wants to Talk About As we mark Stress Awareness Month, I'm calling out the elephant in the professional room: the toxic dance between #stress and #anxiety that's destroying our potential. Here are three radical ways to reclaim your mental space: ✅ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. Constant availability isn't hustle. It's self-destruction. When you protect your time and energy, you're not being difficult - you're managing your anxiety and preserving your mental health. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Create dedicated focus blocks in your calendar where meetings are off-limits. This is your time for deep, meaningful work that actually moves the needle and provides relief from mounting professional anxieties. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵. Your value isn't measured by how quickly you respond or how many meetings you attend. Anxiety thrives in constant comparison and perpetual performance mode. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Carve out regular reflection time to review your genuine progress. Disconnect from the noise, challenge your anxious thoughts, and reconnect with your actual goals and achievements. ✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. High performance isn't about endurance. It's about sustainable energy and protecting your most valuable resource - your mental clarity and emotional well-being. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Create a shutdown ritual that signals the end of your workday, helps quiet anxious thoughts, and allows you to disconnect and recharge truly. -- Burnout does NOT make you stronger. Anxiety does NOT define your worth. They drain your potential. Productivity isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters while protecting your mental health. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Follow Joshua Miller #StressAwarenessMonth #MentalHealth #ProfessionalGrowth

Busy ≠ Productive. Productive ≠ Healthy. Healthy + Focused = Sustainable Success. We live in a world that idolizes hustle, but at what cost? I have advised leaders navigating crisis, burnout, and impossible expectations. And I have learned: You cannot lead at your best when your mind and heart are running on empty. In a recent keynote, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, shared a powerful reminder: “True productivity begins when mental health is prioritized. When we prioritise mental health as a nation, we all benefit.” Let that sink in. • When mental health is compromised, performance suffers. • When clarity and wellbeing are protected, sustainable success becomes possible. So I ask: -> What is fuelling your productivity purpose or pressure? -> Are you producing results or just chasing outcomes? -> What would change if your wellbeing became non-negotiable? Let’s stop glorifying burnout and start building legacies rooted in resilience. ▶️ [Watch the video clip] Let’s make sure we improve and increase workplace productivity today and long term. How are you redefining productivity to protect your peace and lead with clarity? 👇🏻👇🏻 #EllenJohnsonSirleaf #MentalHealth #Productivity #Leadership --------------- ♻️ Share this to inspire others. 🔔 Follow Izabela for more insights 🏆 Join the Legacy Leaders Accelerator 👇🏻

As an entrepreneur, I've always been focused on getting things done. For years, quality took a backseat to sheer productivity. But as I've gotten older, and especially after diving into Cal Newport's books, my perspective has shifted slowly. I've revisited his books multiple times to rewire my brain. Here are three key takeaways from Newport's "Slow Productivity" that are transforming my approach to work: >> Prioritize Deep Work: Newport emphasizes the value of concentrating on meaningful, challenging work rather than shallow, repetitive tasks. By dedicating time to deep work, we can produce high-quality results and feel more fulfilled. He shares how Carl Jung built a woodland retreat to focus intensely on his work without distractions. This has been a challenge for me; I now try to focus on one main task daily, dedicating my time to that important work. >> Do Less, But Better : Instead of juggling multiple tasks, Newport suggests focusing on fewer tasks and executing them excellently. This approach not only improves work quality but also reduces stress and burnout. He cites software craftsman Bob Martin, who prioritizes code quality over quantity, resulting in more sustainable and maintainable software. It's incredibly tough to do less, but now my daily to-do list is limited to just 5 items. >> Guard Your Focused Work Time: Newport recommends setting aside uninterrupted blocks of time for focused work. By minimizing distractions during these periods, we can maintain deep concentration and make significant progress. He often references his own habit of having dedicated writing blocks to efficiently produce his books. I'm still working on fully implementing this, but I keep trying. Adopting these principles can revolutionize our work approach, leading to more meaningful and lasting achievements. #SlowProductivity #DeepWork #QualityOverQuantity #FocusedWork #MindfulProductivity

It’s time we rethink how we measure productivity. Outcomes, not effort, should define success. Traditional metrics feel outdated, like: ⏰ hours worked 📋 tasks completed 📧 number of emails sent 🪑 time spent at the office Are we empowering people to produce their best work, or are we clinging to metrics designed for a different era? Here’s a fresh perspective: Rather than focusing on what employees are doing, let’s focus on what they are achieving. Measure what matters: ⛰️ Project milestone achievements 🚗 Outcome-based deliverables ⏰ Timeliness and budget adherence 📈 Post-completion impact Trust your people to deliver. 🚀 #employeeengagement #employeeexperience #culture #leadership #workculture #worktrends 

Most productivity hacks seem to start with doing more. Get up an hour earlier for focus time. Work Sunday nights to get organized. Skip lunch to “get ahead.” I’d rather talk about how to boost productivity without giving up your nights and weekends. Instead of doing more, let’s start by making small changes to our environment that support better focus, energy, and creativity. In this month’s book pick, Well at Work, Esther Sternberg M.D. offers science-backed ways to boost performance - without burning out. I chose this book because it speaks to a tension I’ve seen in every high-performing workplace: 👉 We want better results, but we’re running on empty. 👉 We want innovation, but our teams are stuck in survival mode. Leadership isn’t just about driving output. It’s about designing environments - both physical and cultural - that help people thrive. In the short video below, I walk through 5 small but powerful shifts you can start today. Which one will you try this week? Or what would you add to this list? #WellAtWork #Leadership #Productivity #WorkplaceWellbeing #Motivation #StrategicLeadership

Remember that big push to Return To Office (RTO) claiming a boost in employee productivity? Yeah. That was bunk. CEOs admit that forcing people to RTO (Return To Office) did NOT raise productivity. Atlassian recently published an eye-opening report on Return to Office (RTO). Here are the highlights: • 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱: RTO mandates fail to boost productivity; Fortune 500 bosses agree • 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵𝘀: 98% of remote managers report stable or increased productivity • 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀: RTO is often about control, not productivity & leads to decreased job satisfaction • 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱: True productivity aligns with clear goals, autonomy, and smart tech, not office presence. Atlassian's Playbook for Success: 1. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Make Objectives and Key Results (OKR) visible to all, driving focus and progress 2. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆: Prioritize, minimize meetings, and allow focused, uninterrupted work. 3. 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: Embrace asynchronous work; real-time collaboration when truly needed. 4. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Intentional, meaningful gatherings foster team spirit. 5. 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲: Offices as strategic resources, not mandatory check-ins. Productivity isn't about location, it's about embracing: • flexibility • trust • a people-first approach > Have you returned back to the office? Did you feel more or less productive?

🚨 Your Employees Think You’re Measuring Productivity All Wrong—And They’re Not Wrong Upwork research found that 54% percent of employees say their company doesn’t have an accurate picture of their productivity. Even more striking: 81% believe they’d be more satisfied—and 76% say they’d be more productive—if they had a voice in how their performance is measured. 📣 #HR leaders, let that sink in: nearly three-quarters of today’s workforce wants their organization’s approach to productivity measurement overhauled. Translation: Outdated metrics, office attendance tracking, and top-down dashboards aren’t cutting it anymore. Employees are hungry for more meaningful, transparent, and collaborative ways to show their impact. They want to focus on outcomes over outputs—and they’re done with micromanagement masked as “productivity tracking.” 🏁 Bottom line: If your company’s productivity metrics don’t engage your teams—or worse, if they erode trust—you’re leaving innovation and performance on the table. It’s time to partner with employees (not just measure against them) to create metrics that truly matter. How do you want to be measured for performance? #Productivity #FutureOfWork #EmployeeEngagement #HRTrends