Four Destructive Myths Most Companies Still Live By

See Tony Schwartz's Blog at
http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2011/11/four-destructive-myths-most-co.html

Myth #1: Multitasking is critical in a world of infinite demand.
Myth #2: A little bit of anxiety helps us perform better.
Myth #3: Creativity is genetically inherited, and it's impossible to teach.
Myth #4: The best way to get more work done is to work longer hours.

Also recommend his book: The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs That Energize Great Performance

Why Companies Should Insist that Employees Take Naps

http://www.theenergyproject.com/blog/why-companies-should-insist-employees-take-naps

"If encouraging employees to take a half hour nap means they can be two or three times as productive over the subsequent three hours — and far more emotionally resilient — the value is crystal clear. It's a win-win and a great investment."

Tony Schwartz, The Energy Project. September 21, 2010.

REAL Productivity

Tony Schwartz published a great summary of his research on The Harvard Business Review blogs site:"6 Ways to Supercharge your Productivity"
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/09/six_ways_to_supercharge_your_p.html

Also be sure to check out "For Real Productivity, Less is Truly More"
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/05/real_productivity_why_less_is.html
(This article corresponds to numbers 3 and 4 on the list below)

1. Make sufficient sleep a top priority. Schedule your bedtime, and start winding down at least 45 minutes earlier. Ninety-eight percent of all human beings need at least 7-8 hours a night to feel fully rested. Only a fraction of us get that much regularly, in part because we buy into the myth that sacrificing an hour or two of sleep a night give us an hour more of productivity. In reality, even small amounts of sleep deprivation take a dramatic toll on our cognitive capacity, our ability to think creatively, our emotional resilience, the quality of our work, and even the speed at which we do it.
   
2. Create one to-do list that includes everything you want or need to do, on and off the job — and I mean everything, including any unresolved issues that merit further reflection. That's the essence of David Allen's simple but profound work (see Getting Things Done). Writing everything down helps get it off your mind, leaving you free to fully focus on what's most important at any given moment.
   
3. Do the most important thing first when you get to work each morning, when you're likely to be have the highest energy and the fewest distractions. Decide the night before what activity most deserves your attention. Then focus on it single-mindedly for no more than 90 minutes. Productivity isn't about how many tasks you complete or the number of hours you work. It's about the enduring value you create.
   
4. Live like a sprinter, not a marathoner. When you work continuously, you're actually progressively depleting your energy reservoir as the day wears on. By making intermittent renewal and refueling important, you're regularly replenishing your reservoir, so you're not only able to fully engage at intervals along the way, but also to maintain high energy much further into the day.
   
5. Monitor your mood. When demand begins to exceed your capacity, one of the most common signs is an increase in negative emotions. The more we move into "fight or flight," the more reactive and impulsive we become, and the less reflective and responsive. The first question to ask yourself is "Why am I feeling this way, and what can I do to make myself feel better?" It may be that you're hungry, tired, overwhelmed, or feeling threatened in some way. Awareness is the first step. You can't change what you don't notice.
   
6. Schedule specific times for activities in your life that you deem important but not urgent. With so much coming at you all the time, it's easy to focus all day on whatever feels most pressing in the moment. What you sacrifice is the opportunity to take on work such as writing, strategizing, thinking creatively, or cultivating relationships, which may require more time and energy, but often yield greater long-term rewards.
   

Higher Productivity at 80% Effort.

HBR - October 2009

Making Time-Off Predictable -- And Required
by Leslie A. Perlow and Jessica L. Porter

"Professional services firms typically have a 24/7 on-call culture. But one management consulting company [The Boston Consulting Group] is getting better results by experimenting with downtime—even in this economy."

http://hbr.harvardbusiness.org/2009/10/making-time-off-predictable-and-required/ar/1

Face Time vs. Flex Time

Great article at HBR:

Attract and retain talent, display trust towards employees, save costs, increase productivity:

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/hbr/hewlett/2009/10/a_major_milestone_is_within.html

"[I]t's been proven that flexibility is a powerful lure in recruiting and motivating top talent. [...]. Eliminating watercooler gossip sessions — a significant time sink in a high-anxiety environment — is a huge boost to productivity. And knowing that an employer trusts and respects its people enough to help them do what it takes to perform better [...] pays back in greater appreciation and loyalty. "

How to formalize it:
"Eligible employees — workers with no past or current performance issues — propose their own flex arrangements; managers assess whether the arrangements will allow them to meet performance and productivity goals. Trial periods and semi-annual reviews gauge success and fix problems before they mushroom. "

"Formalizing flextime has one other unsung but important consequence: It takes the stigma out of asking for time off. Knowing that there's some give — and not all take — in the workplace does powerful things for high-performers on a tightrope. "