Want to be more Productive? Then become Authentic!

How Authenticity Leads to being more Productive

I recall last year when I thought being busy meant I was being productive. This could not be more further from the truth. Having ‘things’ to do is actually more detrimental to your overall productivity levels than you think; especially if you have not defined what your overall purpose is.

In the scope of the YAS philosophy, productivity is the second element after definition of Self. Let me quickly break down the YAS process so you have better idea what I’m talking about :

1. Definition of Self

This first element of YAS covers self-communication. In it you discover that how you communicate with yourself impacts your self-worth and esteem. This in turn has an effect on how you engage with the rest of the world. In summary, definition of Self asks the often difficult question: who am I? It then also allows you to define your personal value system, which acts as a guide to your overall purpose.

2. Productivity

Once you know who you are, you can better streamline your life so that what you are doing complements who you are. Most people start with productivity without having the internal dialogue of figuring out who they are- then they wonder why they feel something is missing or there is a disconnect between what they do and how they feel about it.

3. Contribute to the Narrative

In this last stage, you will realize that your schedule has opened up because you are being productive with things that MATTER! This freeing up of your schedule will allow you to explore parts of yourself that were not as accessible because of all the ‘noise’ in your life. This will open up new avenues to add your unique chapter to the greater story that you are a part of. Because you know who you are and you are living life in the most efficient (and effective way), you will realize this:

You were not given this life to merely stand on the sidelines and not contribute to it. You have a specific role to play in humanity’s story!

It is actually not about you…

Improving your Productivity

So now that you have a little summary of the YAS process, let’s delve into how to improve your productivity with this simple step:

4 Pillars

It took me 6 years of finding my authentic path to finally hone in on what my areas of focus should be. My background as a speaker/thought leader exposed me to numerous industries and this sometime meant having too many things on my plate. There were times I was flustered because of the various elements pulling me in different directions and spreading me thin.

So I decided to do something about it. Allow me to share: write a list of 10 things that interest and complement who you are and what you do. I want you to slowly eliminate items off that list based on relevance and CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCE. Bring that list down to 3 or 4 items. These items now become your boundaries or pillars. Basically they remind you to stay in your lane. Anything inside the pillars are a go, and anything outside you have the right to say no to.

I cannot state enough how defining my boundaries has allowed me to focus on what I need to. My energy and efforts are now streamlined and it has made me operate like a well-oiled machine. Here is a list of my 4 pillars: entrepreneurship | creativity | young Africans | (holistic) leadership development. Whatever I do must be within the boundaries of these 4 things. The fact that each pillar is broad, also given me some type of flexibility.

You no longer have to have done a multitude of things in a day which have got you nowhere! Think about it: the more you try force your productivity, the less productive you will be! Start aligning your daily tasks with your bigger goals. Start increasing your productivity now by implementing the 4 Pillars in your life and see the immediate shift!

Thanks for reading! Please share this with someone who you feel may need it and feel free to comment below (even if you disagree with this article!) Have a powerful week. Check out my latest YAS podcast and vlog below. And remember:

Be. Authentic