We all want to be able to do more in less time because, in an ideal world, it would mean that we will have more time to do everything else we want to do. However as we manage to fast-track our productivity, we aren't left with more time to ourselves but just more time to do more work.
The result of high productivity is often highly burnt-out staff. But as Apple is working to prove, it doesn't have to. Perhaps what we need isn't another productivity hack that helps us cross an extra item off our ever-growing to-do list. Instead, maybe we need a break.
Apple recently rolled out a simple strategy to beat burnout after years of operating in overdrive and finding that burnt-out staff lack the focus, energy and inspiration necessary to innovate and excel.
Apple's decision to shift gears is because working in high gear, day after day is not a long-term productivity hack but a way to hack away at your staff's happiness, creativity and ingenuity.
What the company is finding is that the key to productivity is not solely about getting staff to do more, but doing more with the time that they have as a means of buying them more time to themselves. In return, staff have more mental bandwidth, work satisfaction and more life in their work-life balance.
Apple is achieving this goal by using the 'Rule of 3 S's' which is a simple three-step system to increase long-term productivity: Streamline, systematise and step back.
1. Streamline
So much time is wasted on tasks that either weren't part of the deliverable or are simply someone else's job. Either way, superfluous tasks eat up a lot of time and energy.
This commonly occurs when staff are tasked with projects that do not have clear expectations or deliverables. The manager might assume that the employee knows exactly what they want, but if you're not communicating the exact deliverables and your employee is not a mind reader, you'll be hard-pressed to receive precisely what you wanted.
Part of this is that it is not usually that an employee has no idea what they're supposed to do, but not enough of an idea of just how much they're supposed to do. And so to avoid looking like they're submitting an incomplete project, they often do far more than necessary.
2. Systematize
Businesses need to not only zero in on the work that needs to be done, but zero in on who needs to be involved in it and when.
When teams aren't very well-oiled, people often end up doing all the work themselves when there are others whose job it is to do that particular task. After all, it can feel easier to do it yourself than delegate. But this isn't an efficient strategy in the long run, nor is it the most cost-effective.
Part of this is that productivity is often stalled and efficiency is obliterated when there are too many hands in the pot – and too many touch-points. For example, this is often the overbearing boss who just has to micro-manage and inherently slows teams down (while stressing them out) in the process.
3. Step Back
When the work is done, staff are done with their work and given more to do. And there are two benefits of this. First and foremost, it helps prevent burnout. Instead of punishing highly productive staff with more work, it rewards a job well done with more time to themselves.
Second, it gives staff the ability to disconnect from their work, which tends to help staff more effectively solve problems, innovate and create.
The reason is that when we take a step back we can see the bigger picture that we often can't see when we are entrenched in the depths of a project or problem, according to Psychology Today.
Together these three simple steps help increase productivity effectively to prevent burnout and give staff more time in their day is as powerful for employers as it is for employees.
While I might be tired of the endless productivity hacks that have left me tired, this is one I can get behind that will help keep me and my team ahead.
Inc
