Productivity Made Easy: The Law of Least Effort in Action

One can argue that as humans, we love things to be easy. Once we perceive difficulty, our first instinct is flight—running from it.

There is nothing to be ashamed of. We all love a comfortable, easy life. This is one of the factors that drive innovation.

For example: what would you choose?

• Given a choice to work and earn or watch TV all day and still earn,

• Eat whatever you want or work out to remain fit,

• Study all night for an exam or just show up and make a good grade regardless.

I’ll always choose the easier path, and I guess you would do the same.

Unfortunately, life is not like that; we all have to put in at least some form of work to get the things we want.

While we cannot completely eliminate the need for work, we can try to apply the law of least effort in our lives.

If something requires less effort, we tend to continue doing it; if it requires more effort, we tend to avoid it.

Applying the law of least effort to productivity involves finding ways to accomplish tasks with the least amount of energy and time.

This requires you to look into all your regular and daily activities, identify areas of much friction that consume a lot of time and effort, and gradually eliminate those frictions or choose alternative paths to achieve the same goal.

There is always an opportunity to do things easier and simpler. You just need to find it and take the required action.

This doesn’t only apply to humans. Even objects and animals do the same. There is a concept in physics called the principle of least action. It states that the path taken by a physical system between two states is the one for which the action is minimized.

Everybody and everything is looking for an easier path.

To boost your productivity, you need to find the easiest path to enable you to achieve optimal results. This varies from person to person, but there are some general considerations that aid everyone.

Here are the steps to use this principle to become more productive:

1. Prioritize Tasks:

   • Focus on high-impact tasks that give the most benefit for the least effort.

   • Use the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule): Identify the 20% of tasks that will produce 80% of the results.

2. Simplify Processes:

   • Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

   • Eliminate unnecessary steps or streamline processes to reduce complexity.

3. Set Clear Goals and Plans:

   • Define clear, specific goals to focus your efforts.

   • Create a plan or checklist to guide your actions and keep you on track.

4. Optimize Your Environment:

   • Arrange your workspace to minimize distractions and enhance focus.

   • Keep tools and resources organized and within easy reach.

5. Use Effective Tools and Techniques:

   • Use productivity tools like calendars, to-do lists, and project management apps.

   • Apply techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique (working in focused intervals with breaks) to maintain high productivity.

6. Focus on Energy Management:

   • Work on tasks when your energy levels are highest.

   • Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout.

7. Review and Improve:

   • Regularly review your processes and productivity.

   • Look for ways to improve and make tasks easier or more efficient.

Personal Productivity Challenge for the next 7 days

For this week, use the productivity guide below to practice these steps. Identify the theme you are struggling with the most and use the least effort techniques instead of the more effort techniques.

Feel free to email me about the progress made.

PS: The newsletter wasn’t published yesterday because I took a vacation this week. I trust that you’ll also seize the opportunity to unwind and rejuvenate.