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Home / Steve’s Blog / A Simple Truth for Productive Intensity

A Simple Truth for Productive Intensity

May 23, 2012 by Steve Laswell

Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.  – Albert Einstein

Photo by Katie@! on flickr

Recently I have been a bit more intense than normal or necessary. When I notice, I know others have or will shortly if I don’t make some corrections.

One contributing factor for me is I allowed my morning appointment for personal quiet time to be hit-n-miss. When I fail to guard that first hour of my day and allow that to happen too many days in a row or over a period of weeks there is a price to pay.

Too much of a good thing

Much like strengths overextended become weaknesses, too much intensity can hinder progress. When have you heard someone making an excuse for her over the top intensity by saying “Oh, it’s just that I’m passionate about…”?

Intensity can show up as concentration that great effort or solid activity given to a task. It can also be an extreme that minimizes others or alters how we conduct ourselves on a project.

Unproductive intensity

Recently I wrote an article about the benefits and the dangers of unnecessary stress.  I suggested one simple solution to unnecessary stress which is a mantra of sorts: let it go. “It” is the event, the problem that will hinder our ability to find a solution. When we learn to let it go we enjoy less stress and greater ease to move forward.

Once we let it go the choice not to fight, not to run can be made. When we make the choice to stay and engage, solutions, problem solving or helpful decision making can be pursued.

The mantra for unnecessary intensity and greater productivity is let it be simple.

Why so intense?

As I am privileged to take the journey with my clients and others I notice, more and more, how complicated we make simple things. Consider these four examples. What if …

  • we spend less than we make?
  • we walk more and eat less?
  • we ask more and tell less?
  • we set expectations and delegate?

We experience freedom, less stress and unnecessary complexity. What happens if we don’t keep it simple?

  • Debt
  • Poor health
  • Strained relationships
  • Disengagement, low performance, high turnover

Unnecessary stress and intensity will be part of the story when we fail to let it go and let it be simple. We make things complicated when we resist the simple truth.

Where do you need to let it go and let it be simple?

Please forward to a friend or colleague.

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Tags: Productivity, Reflection, simplicity, Stress in the work placeThis entry was posted on May 23, 2012 at 11:45 pm and is filed under: Personal Relationships, Productivity, Results

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