Flexibility is a productivity superpower, here’s how to develop it.

As a perfectionist, I used to craft the perfect plan, meticulously scheduling every hour of my day from morning to evening.

Author

Petrus Productivus
May 27, 2024

As a perfectionist, I used to craft the perfect plan, meticulously scheduling every hour of my day from morning to evening.

Yet, if I started my day just 10 minutes late, it felt like my entire schedule was ruined. The perfectionistic "all or nothing" mindset would kick in, whispering, "Why bother doing anything? Your schedule is already ruined."

Back then, I hadn’t yet discovered that flexibility is a superpower.

This topic often arises in coaching sessions with some Productive Heroes who have faced unexpected emergencies, fell sick or had their well-crafted schedule completely disrupted. 

Emergencies happen to all of us, and that’s OK. That’s why we should embrace the need to replan without guilt. By allowing yourself room to adjust, you maintain momentum and keep stress at bay. This is crucial because high stress levels can severely impact your focus, creativity, and overall productivity.

🗝Actionable tips

Add buffer
When tackling unfamiliar tasks, allocate 2x or 3x the estimated time as a buffer (e.g., a 1-hour task becomes 2 or 3 hours in your calendar).
In the best case, you'll finish early, granting extra personal time or Deep Play. In the worst case, if it takes longer than expected, the buffer prevents your entire schedule from getting derailed.

Replan daily
At the end or beginning of your work day, take a few minutes to reflect and tweak your plans accordingly.

Frontload high-importance work
Prioritize your most important tasks earlier in the day and week.

This way, if mid-day or mid-week emergencies arise, you’ll have already handled the top priorities.

Quick share

My friend Mariusz, just like us, loves hacks for learning, productivity and having work-life-passion balance. He has a fantastic newsletter talking about that as well sharing his journey and passion for game development. Some of my favorite articles are:

For those interested in the crazy entrepreneurial ride of building a tech business, Josh Schachnow’s newsletter, is another great one.

Feel free to let me know, what would make this newsletter priceless for you, by replying to this email! What specific productivity-related challenges do you have recently?