Countering Productivity Culture EP 98

Is it necessary to be productive all the time? We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to execute and that’s understandable. Like you, I want to be successful and I’m willing to do the work.  

There’s also a time to pause, reflect and listen. As entrepreneurs we get to create how we want to work and how we want to feel as well. Today’s episode is all about countering the productivity culture long game style.  

Productivity is a hold-over from the corporate world where time is money.  

I grew up going to the lake with my friend and we would canoe for hours, paddling and soaking up the sun. When you are paddling you are focused on the action to propel you forward through the water.  

When you stop and sit back and glide, you can take in the environment, and you stop moving. Both actions are what make being on the water fun. The action and the pause. The same is true in business.  

I’ve been hearing from clients and peers that we can’t take a break from posting and producing. We feel guilty if we take a social media break. Without the pause, there’s no place for a break or time for reflection. Consistency is important, but so are creative breaks.  

Results come from what you do most of the time, not some of the time.  

When you stop pushing, you can listen. You can pay attention to what people are responding to. What questions and new insights are showing up with your work?  

That’s part of long game thinking. Executing, assessing what’s working (or not) and then using that data to create even better content and impact.  

Going through the process is ultimately where the value is for you, the creator.  

Hear how The Queens Gambit (Netflix) is a great example of this long game strategy. There were periods of productivity, long pauses followed by continued pursuit to get the mini-series filmed. It was one of 2020’s most watched shows that might not have happened. The producer didn’t let this sit on the shelf. He kept moving forward, working with different writers, with long gaps where things didn’t come together. Until they did.  

Exploring the path that excites you is part of the journey. It’s okay to lower the pressure with periods of rest and reflection so you can keep moving forward in ways that are interesting and rewarding for you, and for your business.  

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