Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You

So far, we’ve examined how to work out our overall purpose – by asking the ‘why’ – and identifying specific end-goals and tasks – by asking the ‘what’. But there’s one more question we haven’t answered. If you don’t know when you’re doing something, chances are you won’t do it.

This emphasis on eliminating waste led him to develop a now-famous method called the ‘five whys’

My preferred method doesn’t involve fixating on an external outcome or destination, but instead emphasises the feel-good journey. It’s based on what I call NICE goals.

The unblock method encourages us to understand why we’re feeling bad about work in the first place.

Commander’s intent, as outlined in the Field Manual, consists of three crucial components – all built around the basic point of the mission: The purpose behind the operation The end state that the commander was aiming for The key tasks that the commander felt should be taken to accomplish the objective

Misalignment burnout arises from the negative feelings that arise when our goals don’t match up to our sense of self. We feel worse – and so achieve less – because we’re not acting authentically. In these moments, our behaviour is driven by external forces – rather than by a deeper alignment between who we are and what we’re doing. This alignment i

feeling good enriches your life.

Opportunity costs reflect the fact that every ‘yes’ we say is a ‘no’ to whatever else we could’ve been doing with that time and energy instead. Suppose a co-worker asks you to take on some extra projects. If your goal is to get a promotion or raise, and helping out on extra projects is a way to get there, then you might be more inclined to say ‘yes

‘People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on,’2 he said. ‘But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are … Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.’ Jobs’ message was clear: no was just as important as yes. ‘I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the