Everyone is always looking for
the next great productivity boost, but I bet nobody has ever considered the
productivity benefits of keeping peanut butter at their desk.
To my knowledge, there are no
benefits. In fact, many workplaces would probably forbid this because of nut
allergies.
One of the things people caught
up in a business or leadership culture often get bombarded with are
“productivity hacks”, which are simply ways you can be more productive.
To be fair, some of these are
great. Taking breaks every hour by going for a walk or doing another light
physical activity is scientifically backed.
The vast majority of these hints
are sourced from successful entrepreneurs/leaders/people. These tips work for them. They may not work for you.
For example, there are apparently
people who get by on a series of 20-minute naps throughout the day to a total
of four hours. I once asked a somnologist, a sleep doctor, if this would be
possible to do. Once she stopped laughing, she said absolutely not. But if you
somehow tried it and it somehow did, then sleep doctors and evolution be
damned.
By all means, research ways to
get better. Do not let the success other people have with their methods deter
you from finding and using your own. Do
not let their methods discourage you from doing your work. Other people
might read faster or calculate more quickly, but that doesn’t mean your efforts
count for nothing.
You accomplish the same goal in a
different way. However you get there, it’s still called success.
P.S. This is my 20th
blog post, and you may have noticed that the format of my title has changed.
This is because I’m working on creating more compelling headlines, which is
part of being a better blogger. As you also may have noticed, I’ve begun to
post much less frequently. There’s been a shortage of material lately, and if
it doesn’t inspire me, I wouldn’t want to try and force the feeling on you just
to meet a weekly quota.
I would never have come this far
without readers who inspire me by sharing their stories as I share mine. The
fact that I’ve been able to entertain, and dare I say even help some of you, is
an honour and a privilege I take seriously. So, whether this is your first
visit or you’ve been with me from the start, thanks for reading, and C-Suite
Dreams!
Editor’s
note: If you have a topic idea, I’d love to hear from you! Suggestions can be
made in the comments section or on Twitter @JeremyDeMello.
