What Is Productivity Overhead?
woman biting pencil with anxiety from productivity overhead
You already know about productivity overhead, you just have been calling it something else.
Just like a business' overhead (the costs needed to cover salaries, rent, the electric bill, etc. etc.) . . .
. . . your productivity has overhead.
You need to sleep, eat, exercise, play, be social, etc. etc.
You will almost never get a productive output during those actions--but we can agree that they're important to stay high-functioning.
But wait, I want to be at peak performance!
Stop for a second and read that last sentence again. Peak performance is a small, temporary spike on the graph. It's not feasible to sustain peak performance.
2 Types of Productivity Overhead
Sure, Hussein Bolt can run the 100m in just a few seconds--but how long would it take him to run a mile? It's not reasonable to expect that he would be able to keep up the same pace.
To make it to the finish line, we will either have to:
- Take breaks in between (pit stops).
- Move slower (pace).
Knowing this, consider the cost of your productivity overhead when you take on a new task, close out a contract, or take a vacation.
In order to set reasonable goals and objectives, you will need to consider all the pit stops you'll need to take along the way as well as the pace at which you burn energy.
It needs to be built into the profit margin, just like a product.
When you start looking at your time and energy this way, your mindset will help you create a more functional budget.
I want to challenge you for a second.
If you're like me, you're probably also having thoughts of "well, maybe that's true, but I think I could run full speed for a while."
You might be right!
But consider that stupid mistakes are easier to make when you're tired. Consider what kind of work habits you want to develop. I hear people say things like "when x happens, then I'll start doing y."
"When I have more money, then I'll start investing."
"When I have more time, then I'll start a company."
"When I retire, then I'll start traveling."
You know what I'm about to say.
This is no way to live. You're missing out on life, opportunity, and the power of compounding interest!
So, I'll say it again just to drive this home:
Consider your productivity overhead, which is the recovery time required for achieving goals in a healthy and satisfying way.
Of course, this doesn't just apply to productivity in your work. Check out this post on emotional productivity, a huge blind spot for most people.
This budget, coupled with the discipline of doing the work, will position you for high-quality output.
2 Minute Action
Here's a quick exercise to determine your current productivity overhead and start measuring what a "healthy" productivity overhead ratio looks like.
Take 2 minutes to count your day in half-hours.
You've got 48, half-hour blocks per day.
Write them out and fill in what you're currently doing during each of those chunks.
Take a ratio of "productive hours" to "non-productive" or "overhead" hours.
If you're a consultant, this is like comparing billable-hours with non-billable-hours.
Once you have your day outlined, great! How did that feel?
Everyone is different, so it's up to you to define your optimal ratio. There's no right or wrong answer to this. It's just up to you to measure where you are and know yourself enough to say "this isn't healthy" or "I need to add some overhead if I'm going to make it through this project."
The numbers don't matter, but the results do.
Today is the day. You can start right now and it only takes 2 minutes.
The Secret Weapon Of Long Term Productivity
You know the wall?
The one you hit when you can't take another step.The one you hit when you can't talk, write, or work any longer.The one you hit when you just can't go on.The interesting thing about the wall is that once you've gone through it a few times, you realize that you're not made of glass.You get to the other side and you realize that there's more gas in the tank.This is called "the second wind," and it's the little secret that we forget about all the time.It's hard in the moment because it feels like you'll never make it--like you have no idea when this pain will end.But if you stick it out long enough, you get your second wind and you keep going.What's even weirder is that there are third, fourth, and even fifth winds.It's in this moment that we just can't go on that we're tested.It's here that we all quit.No one quits a marathon at mile 2. They all quit at mile 22.But if we had just pushed a little bit more, we'd have gotten all the benefits of finishing. Instead, we choose to quit at the most inopportune time possible, right when it was about to pay off.Next time you can't see the ending, try reminding yourself of the second wind. You may be surprised what happens when it shows up.If you charge the wall and get your second wind enough times, you just might start trusting yourself to take on bigger and longer-term goals.It's up to you to start. It's up to you to finish.It's up to you to build the trust with yourself to get through the wall.The second wind is a secret weapon that is completely under your control. It just costs a little pain to access it.
2 Minute Action
When was the last time you quit something?Was it 10 mins in? 3 days? 7 years?What would you have done if you didn't have a choice--if you just had to keep going--if your life depended on it?Would you have made it? Would you have died? What would be the consequences?Write them down in a list and evaluate the severity.Is the outcome worth these consequences?Choose today. Start today.
The 2 Biggest Killers of Productivity That No One Is Talking About
I should have done more.I should be much further along by now.If I wasn’t so _______, I’d be where I want to be.“Should” is probably the worst thing you can say to yourself, but we do it all the time.Its not helpful, it only makes us feel bad.This is called “shoulding all over yourself.”It comes from the two biggest killers of motivation and productivity that we know:Guilt and Obligation.We feel guilty for taking a break, or for taking time off. We shouldn’t need this extra timeWe feel obligated to stay late, to do work that doesn’t matter, or to commit to a vision of success that is unrealistic. We really should be eating better and working out moreIf obligation and guilt were effective tools, we’d all be billionaires with 6-pack abs.When you start “shoulding” just pull the e-brake
2 Minute Action
What’s something you’re going to do for YOU today?What’s something you’re NOT going to do?Its up to you to decide whether or not to beat yourself up or ruminate with guilt. It’s up to you to define a reasonable picture of what success looks like.Setting up these rules and visions and being fair to ourselves can go a long way if practiced regularly.Whats something that might replace “should” for you? Reply/comment and let me know what’s working for you!