Hi there

Well, it’s September already and the days are closing in a bit. Where has the year gone?

Actually, I like the autumn season as I get more time to work on my projects which always seem to get put to one side during the summer months.

I’ve been thinking a lot about productivity lately as it relates to self-development.

After all, the more time we can spend on the improvement of ourselves the better right?

The short answer is yes but the longer and more nuanced answer is – it depends.

In my experience the more successful and productive self-developers don’t just focus on what they need to do …

… they also focus on what they don’t need to do.

I process this with a set of six key questions which I ask myself regularly. I take some time out and dive into them to ensure I’m on track, doing what I need and want to do and not doing what I don’t need or want to.

You can do this too.

Here are the questions I use:

 ● What do I want to do?

 ● What should I start doing?

 ● What do I want to do more of?

 ● What do I not want to do?

 ● What should I stop doing?

 ● What do I want to do less of?

They are simple enough, but they pack a real punch.

Don’t just limit yourself to tasks. Include approaches, habits, addictions, tools, processes, emotions, reactions, etc…

Give them all a go.

Spend some time and have an honest run through the list.

It’s easy to waste time but it’s also easy to double down on detrimental or unhelpful things. Work smart AND hard.

Here's a link to a longer article post on this very concept. Check it out at "Work Smart AND Hard"

Hopefully that's offered you some food for thought.

Have a good one and I'll see you next month.

All the very best to you and yours

Andrew D Pope.