Productivity Goals for 2019

I was looking at my analytics as I drafted my last blog post of 2018 a few weeks ago and was not at all surprised to see that my productivity posts were the post with the most shares, engagement and views. It’s true that a lot of what I share are tried and tested tips and advice. As well as being aspiring producitivity goals for some, they’re also frameworks and paradigms that I use to make my life a bit more efficient and manageable. One thing I really cherished and enjoyed when writing these posts is hearing about your experiences with my tips.

With all that said, I wanted to share my productivity goals for 2019. These are goals that are not just something I want to incorporate into my life and make it into a habit, but I think these are things we all need to look at. We now live in a very different world. Social media, politics, free speech and many more have truly enhanced our daily lives. Maybe it’s just me, but being a consultant and a blogger has enabled me to see what is happening in both analytical and creative industries. So here are a 5 productivity goals we should all work towards no matter your career. Along the way, I’d love for you to formulate or adopt some of these and come up with your own productivity goals.

Perfection Doesn’t Exist

It wasn’t until 2018 did I stop caring about every little detail and ensuring every piece needed to fit the puzzle. I was an extreme perfectionist and people may say that I am one now, but in reality I’ve just become better at compromising. Sometimes the place you wanted to take your photo won’t work out, sometimes your client won’t get that extra page of the appendix they will never read, sometimes you just have to let go. I spoke a bit about how I’m going to “accept” more in my 2019 in words post and that is only because I now understand that if you wait until perfection, you might miss out on the best opportunity possible. Some of my best moments have come from making mistakes or turning in something that I thought wasn’t perfect. In the end, I have gotten more ahead. We live in a world that evolves very quickly as information can be transported from here to there in a second. If you wait until perfection, you may fall behind. I talk about my experience with perfection on IGTV, which you can’t miss!

Fall Out of Routine

This might sound like an oxymoron to you, but you’ve not read it wrong! Do you have a set method for everything or a rhythm for the way you work and deliver projects? Good examples are if you have an exact routine to how you shoot and publish a blog post or draft and deliver a client report. To move forward and grow stronger, you need to take risks and try new things. Staying at the same pace as you were two or ten years ago means the world around you is evolving and you’re going to fall behind with the times. If your blog following it plateauing or your business is hitting deadends, then it’s because you’ve become to comfortable with your product an service. So step outside your comfort zone, try that for your productivity goals!

Stop Being Sensitive

It’s true that we live in a snowflake generation. Say one thing and the Twitter world will attack you. I’m sure I’ll even get attacked for making that statement. In actuality, it seems that everyone is always complaining and always feeling left out and always emotional or hurt about something. One thing my grandfather taught my mom and my mom taught me was to look at the people who have a tougher situation than you. A few things to practice to stop yourself from being a Sensitive Sally are:

• Ask yourself: Is actually worth being upset about whatever is making your sensitive?
• Thinking about the bigger picture: Is X really just one group of people being affected? Is X actually directed at you?
• Give people the benefit of the doubt
• Turn the self-pity into productivity

Work Efficiently

I recently started correcting people when they say that they need to “work harder.” I’m not someone who works hard to the point where I am mentally and emotionally drained. I am someone who work efficiently so I feel mentally and emotionally fulfilled! Be strategic with your goals and find ways to grow through careful planning. Take time to detox after holidays and then jump into achieving your goals.

Stop Comparing

Let’s collectively blame social media for this. I know I have fallen victim to mindless scrolling on Instagram and immediately feeling a bit of jealousy, but that is the worst use of energy! It might be hard at first to stop feeling that tinge of envy, but there are ways to limiting comparison.

• Acknowledge what you are comparing
• Understand that everyone’s lives is a rollercoaster and none of us are on the same ride
• What is shared on social media is usually only the best of the best from people’s lives
• Mentally (or physically) list out 1-3 things you’re proud of in your life

These are my productivity goals for 2019 and I think they’re a general theme that can applied to anyone in any career or any phase in their life. The world has truly changed over the last few years to allow us to take on a lot of independence—it’s time to own it.