002: Revolutionize Your Productivity

The truly important things in our Life, for the most part never really make themselves known right away

For most parts, they are hidden behind other, less important tasks and priorities that are shouting for our attention.

It’s upon us to decide and focus on the important and those that really matter & look beyond the surface-level

Welcome to today's edition of The Founder's Balance, where we explore the topic of eliminating busywork and how to focus on what truly matters.

Today, we'll be taking a look at the story of Benjamin Franklin and how he used the 80/20 principle to focus on his scientific experiments and writing.

Benjamin Franklin understood that the things which were most important to him did not always scream the loudest, and he had to look beyond the surface-level tasks and distractions to find them

He was able to identify the most important aspects of his work (his writing and scientific experiments) and focus on them to the exclusion of other activities

He used the 80/20 principle to identify the 20% of his efforts that were responsible for 80% of his results and eliminate the rest.

This was one of the key factors in his success

For example, he knew that his writing and scientific experiments were the most important things to him, and he focused on the.

He eliminated other busy work, such as attending social events, and instead used that time to focus on his writing and experiments. This allowed him to achieve great success in his scientific and literary endeavours.

Benjamin Franklin was a man who was always looking to improve himself and his work. He understood that true success comes from a balance of focus and experimentation.

He was a man who was constantly experimenting and trying new things, but he also knew the importance of focus and efficiency. One of the ways he implemented this in his writing was by setting limits on his writing time.

He realized that getting bogged down in revisions and edits would only lead to wasted time and decreased productivity.

So, he established a specific time each day for writing and once that time was up, he stopped and moved on to other tasks.

The result? Benjamin Franklin was one of the most prolific writers of his time, publishing several books and articles throughout his life.

But, Franklin didn't just focus on working hard - he also focused on self-reflection and introspection.

He had a habit of conducting daily self-examinations, where he would reflect on his actions and behaviour, and identify areas for improvement.

He believed that self-awareness and introspection were key to identifying and addressing the things that were holding him back, and made sure to set aside time for this practice every day.

This balance is what we must all aim for in our own lives - not just working for the sake of it, but also trying to maintain a balance between going hard on the important tasks and giving ourselves time to reflect on what's truly working.

Benjamin Franklin's approach to work and self-improvement is a blueprint for success.

By following his example, we can find the balance between focus and experimentation and achieve greatness in our own lives

We can prioritize the important tasks and eliminate busy work, while also taking the time to reflect on our actions and behaviour to continuously improve ourselves.

In the fast-paced world, we live in, it's easy to get caught up in the constant hustle and bustle of daily tasks. But, as Franklin showed us, true success comes from being able to focus on what's important and eliminate the distractions that hold us back.

While it is simple to actually eliminate the busywork, it ain’t easy

1. Use the 80/20 principle to identify the 20% of your work that is most important and focus on it.

   1. Seek out and eliminate the sources of inefficiency in your work and personal life

2. Practice the "One Thing" rule. Identify the one most important thing you need to accomplish each day, and focus on it until it is complete before moving on to other tasks.

3. Use "time blocking" to schedule your day. Set specific blocks of time for specific tasks, and stick to them as closely as possible.

4. Keep a "not-to-do" list. Make a list of things you will not do, it will help you focus on what is important.

5. Prioritize self-reflection and introspection to identify and address the things that are holding you back.

6. Practice mindfulness and meditation. These practices can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions, and identify and eliminate the sources of busy work and distractions in your life.

Conclusion:

The main point I’m trying to convey in today’s edition is that eliminating busywork is essential for achieving success and that by eliminating busywork we can focus on what truly matters

So, let's take a page from Franklin's book and strive for balance in our own lives.

Let's focus on the important tasks, set limits on our time, and take the time to reflect on our progress and improve ourselves.

By doing so, we too can achieve greatness in our work and personal lives, just like Benjamin Franklin did.

The question I want to leave you with