Slow Productivity: Slow Down to Speed Up

In the whirlwind of modern life, the quest for increased productivity often feels like chasing shadows. The more we run, the more we find ourselves ensnared in the very traps we sought to escape. Today, I want to explore a radical idea: Could slow productivity be the key to averting burnout?

The Rise of Anti-Productivity

In recent years, there's been a growing backlash against the traditional notion of productivity—essentially, the relentless push to do more, faster. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified this, but the seeds were planted earlier. Back in 2019, books like Jenny Odell’s "How to Do Nothing" started a wave of anti-productivity sentiment. Other notable works followed, such as Celeste Headley’s "Do Nothing" and Devin Price’s "Laziness Does Not Exist," all echoing the same sentiment: we're exhausted.

The Big Question: Now What?

These books struck a chord because they validated our collective fatigue. However, they often stopped short of offering actionable solutions. Telling people to "just do less" is like giving a thirsty person a straw instead of water. We need a more robust solution, which brings us to the emerging idea of slow productivity.

What Is Slow Productivity?

To understand slow productivity, let’s first consider how our ancestors lived. They did essential, skilled work at a natural pace. For instance, a hunter-gatherer’s day involved hunting or gathering with periods of rest—no endless to-do lists. They focused on fewer tasks, did them well, and took necessary breaks.

Chronic Overload: The Modern Plague

Today, we face chronic overload. Our work lives are a barrage of emails, meetings, and tasks, all demanding immediate attention. This state of constant overload leads to three main problems:

• Planning Short-Circuits: Our brains, wired to handle long-term plans, get overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks. This results in anxiety and inefficiency.
• Overhead Spiral: Each task brings a fixed overhead—meetings, emails, coordination. When you juggle multiple projects, overheads pile up, leaving little time for actual work.
• Relentless Pace: Unlike our ancestors who had natural breaks, modern work is a relentless marathon. There’s no downtime, leading to burnout.

Embracing Slow Productivity

Slow productivity offers a solution. Here are three core principles:

• Do Fewer Things: Prioritize and reduce your workload. Instead of juggling multiple projects, focus on a few important tasks. If you’re a freelancer or run your own business, aggressively limit your commitments. If you work for someone else, push for transparency and realistic workloads in your team.
• Work at a Natural Pace: Don’t peg your efforts at maximum intensity all day, every day. Embrace seasonality—intense periods followed by easier ones. Adjust your time scale for accomplishments from days to months or years. This approach aligns with our natural rhythms and prevents burnout.
• Obsess Over Quality: When you focus on fewer tasks, you can improve their quality. This not only makes work more fulfilling but also gives you the leverage to say no to less important distractions. High-quality work earns you autonomy and the right to manage your workload better.

Conclusion

The anti-productivity movement highlights our collective exhaustion, but the answer isn’t to abandon productivity altogether. Instead, we need to redefine it. Slow productivity means doing fewer things, at a natural pace, and with a focus on quality. By aligning our work with these principles, we can overcome chronic overload and find a sustainable path to fulfillment and success.

So, next time you feel overwhelmed, remember: slow down to speed up. Prioritize, pace yourself, and perfect your craft. This might just be the antidote to the burnout epidemic.

About the Author

Sergey Koshevoy is the CEO of Planyway and a seasoned product manager, bringing a wealth of experience in project management and team collaboration tools. A fan of productivity techniques, Sergey is passionate about creating intuitive and efficient solutions that help teams work smarter and achieve their goals.