When it comes to increasing productivity, there are many common strategies. Among these, some are more or less effective:
- The Pomodoro technique (i.e., “forcing” yourself to work focused for a short established period without distractions)
- Rewarding yourself after completing the task
- Using to-do lists to check off
- Doing the most important things at the beginning of the day
- Isolating yourself
- Closing all other applications
All these techniques are important tools and they certainly work. What these techniques don’t do is avoid two problems that could distance productivity:
- Working on the wrong thing
- Not wanting to work
Against these two “enemies” there seems to be no solution, and often one falls into prejudice (about others, that “they don’t want to make an effort”) or against oneself (“I can’t do it anyway”). Both stem from our brain’s tendency to get used to what it has already experienced.
How do we get out of this?
By building new habits.
What makes ZTD an effective method is that it condenses many of the techniques that work, ties them to the building of new habits, and above all, orients them towards a direction: finding and reaching a long-range Goal, with constant and directed efforts.
The Big Goal is one of the aspects that unites:
- The Toyota Kata, a coaching system for performance
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
- Hoshin Kanri, a method for directing an organization’s efforts towards the True North
A non-magical method
ZTD doesn’t promise miraculous solutions. It makes it clear from the start that success is one step after another:
- Hard work
- Many defeats
- Many crisis points
- A journey of continuous learning
This guide is a compendium that collects the most important points from the book “Zen To Done” by Leo Babauta, adapted to help you reach your Big Goal, one healthy habit at a time.
