Every week Mike Vardy (aka The Productivityist) shares ideas, insights, and inspiration designed to improve your relationship with time and help you stop "doing" productive and start being productive.
You need more of THIS in your "productivity diet"
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Hello Reader, I hope this message finds you well. Today, I want to explore a concept that goes beyond traditional ideas of productivity. It’s about reaching the quintessence in our tasks, projects, and overall approach to being productive. Quintessence, a term rich in history and meaning, originated from the medieval Latin ‘quintessentia’, which itself descends from the Latin ‘quinta essentia’, meaning “fifth essence”. Historically, this concept was pivotal in ancient and medieval philosophy, representing the purest, most essential substance that transcends the four classical elements of air, earth, fire, and water. In modern usage, quintessence refers to the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. It embodies the utmost purity and concentration of essence in any substance or idea. The evolution and philosophical implications of this term are fascinating. Why Quintessence Matters That's where quintessence comes in. Embracing quintessence in our work is like discovering an essential element in our productivity diet—it enriches and fulfills beyond ordinary measures. I invite you to reflect on this concept of quintessence in your daily routines. Where can you see quintessence in your work? Perhaps it’s in the careful crafting of a client proposal, the innovative approach to a routine task, or the way you structure your day to align with your peak energy levels. So... how do you believe you can elevate your tasks to embody this richer, more fulfilling form of productivity? Feel free to reply to this email and let me know – especially if it will hold you accountable to adding this important element to your "productivity diet." I'd love to hear from you. See you later, P.S. Quintessence not only enhances our productivity but also brings us closer to achieving true quality and fulfillment in everything we do. For more insights on integrating such profound elements into your daily routine, I highly recommend Scott H. Young’s new book, “Get Better at Anything.” It’s packed with strategies to help you elevate your approach to work and life, aligning perfectly with our quest for quintessential productivity. |
ATTN: From The Outbox of Mike Vardy
by Mike Vardy
Every week Mike Vardy (aka The Productivityist) shares ideas, insights, and inspiration designed to improve your relationship with time and help you stop "doing" productive and start being productive.
Hello Reader, David Allen’s quote, “You can do anything but you can’t do everything” is popular in productivity circles…. but it’s misunderstood. He’s not saying you can’t do everything you want to do, just that you can’t do it all at once. Not to mention that “everything” can mean something to one person and something else to another (and another). So how do you actually do everything? Well, if you actually want to do everything, then I’ve put together a 7 step process that you can follow...
Hello Reader, As you continue to refine your productivity practices, I want to introduce a concept that might transform the way you think about your workday: Tolerance. Often, we equate tolerance with enduring less-than-ideal circumstances, but when applied to productivity, it offers a powerful framework for dealing with the natural variability in our work performance and planning accuracy. Tolerance in productivity involves acknowledging and planning for the natural discrepancies in both the...
Hello Reader, Did you know that we’re smack dab in the middle of National Procrastination Week as I send you this? Indeed, this week serves as a timely reminder that none of us are immune to the allure of procrastination. Interestingly, the term ‘procrastination’ originates from the Latin ‘procrastinare’, which literally means ‘to defer until tomorrow’. Historically, this wasn’t always seen in a negative light; it was simply part of planning and prudent delay. However, over time, the concept...