3 Important Concepts to Boost Productivity That You Should Know About

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1. Attention Residue : When we constantly switch between tasks, specially when they’re unfinished, attention doesn’t immediately follow. A part of our attention lingers on to the previous task interfering with our performance in the next one. This is called attention residue. Thus, in order to maximize productivity it is essential to minimize attention residue. To ensure this, stick to a task and see it through from start to finish before moving on to the next one.
2. The urgent-important matrix : I first came across this concept in Ankur Warikoo’s “ A Thread on Managing Time”. Originally taken from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this matrix is sheer brilliance in simplifying time-management and productivity in this overwhelming media-age where it gets impossible to efficiently allocate time to productive tasks.

Ankur Warikoo in A Thread on Managing Time

This matrix simply asks you to allocate tasks according to the following :

• If it’s urgent and important : Do it right now!
• If it’s urgent but not important : Delegate it.
• If it’s neither urgent nor important : Drop it.
• If it’s important but not urgent : Schedule it.

3. Time Value of Money : We are often unproductive with our time because we don’t realize the opportunity cost of the time foregone. In order to realize this, it is imperative to define our time value of money.

Ankur Warikoo in A Thread on Managing Time

Defining our time value of money leads to more conscious thought on where we spend our time, in turn leading to better productivity levels and time management as opposed to leaving it undefined.

For more on productivity and time management, refer to the following.

References :

1. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qR5xfip8NDMf4X9H4KXPx1isabsUeyJC/view
2. Newport, C. (2016). Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world