#177 | STOP BELIEVING THESE 5 PRODUCTIVITY LIES

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So, this is the final episode of season 14, and it’s been a good run. It was quite an undertaking to get a full season out, as my time really has not been my own with so much work coming in. Anyway, thanks again for joining me for this one. Before I get into this week’s show let me just remind you that last week I talked about the Bad Apple Effect, which explores how one negative or unproductive individual in a group can disrupt teamwork, lower morale, and reduce your overall performance. It’s a good one and one that can really bring you down, so once you are finished today, please do go check it out.

Many people unknowingly follow “productivity myths” that hinder their progress rather than help it and you may recognise these myths in your own way of working and behaviour. But don’t worry—I’ll also provide clear, practical steps to replace your unhelpful productivity habits with effective solutions. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

• The first big lie I want to cover is that Being Busy Means Being Productive

People often mistake being busy for being effective, but the two are not the same. Being busy usually involves filling your day with random tasks, regardless of their importance, while being effective means focusing your time and energy on activities that truly matter. 

You need to realise that not all tasks carry the same value, and doing more doesn’t necessarily equate to achieving more. True productivity is about prioritising the right tasks—those that align with your goals and deliver meaningful results—rather than simply staying occupied.

Simply put, and this one comes up a lot I realise, by working smarter, not harder, you can maximise your impact and avoid the trap of busyness.

One Actionable tip that could help you here is this: At the start of your day, write down the top 3 tasks that will have the biggest impact on your goals. Focus on completing those first before moving on to less important tasks. At the end of the day, reflect: Did you accomplish something meaningful, or just stay busy?

·       The next big lie is that Meetings Are Always Necessary to Get Things Done

Many people think that meetings are the best way to align teams and make progress. However, excessive or poorly organised meetings often waste time, disrupt focus, and lead to "meeting fatigue." Just remember that not all discussions need to happen in real-time.

The Truth is that meetings should be a last resort, not the default. Many decisions can be made asynchronously through tools like emails, shared documents, or messaging platforms.

Oprah Winfrey shared her approach to running effective meetings. Her system emphasises clarity, purpose, and respect for everyone’s time and they run like this.

1. Know the Purpose of the Meeting Oprah insists that every meeting must have a clear purpose. Before any meeting begins, she asks:

1. “What is our intention for this meeting?”

2. “What’s important?”

Answering these simple questions, ensures everyone is aligned and knows why they are there. As a freelancer I have suffered greatly from having to sit through unnecessary meetings. Beware of meeting with people on full time salaries, who work in offices and who are bored. They will want weekly meetings just to give them something to do sometimes, but as a freelancer you need to limit these get togethers, as they will just cost you time and energy and not make you any more money.

2. Oprah’s next rule is to Stay Focused on the Goal - She values efficiency. Once the purpose of the meeting is defined, she keeps the meeting focused on achieving that goal. She avoids unnecessary tangents or topics that aren't relevant to the meeting’s intention.

3. Next she will Make Sure Everyone Speaks

She believes in giving everyone a voice. Oprah often asks each person to share their perspective to ensure diverse viewpoints are heard. This creates a collaborative and inclusive environment.

4. Oprah will also End the meeting with Actionable Steps

At the end of every meeting, she ensures there’s a clear takeaway or action plan. She asks:

• “What’s the next step?” This helps prevent meetings from being just discussions and makes them productive and actionable.

  
  

Oprah values people’s time and keeps her meetings as short as possible. She avoids wasting time on drawn-out discussions or unnecessary formalities.

Her meeting rules focus on intentionality, inclusivity, and efficiency, ensuring that meetings are meaningful and productive rather than a drain on time and energy. And these principles can be applied to any team or organisation!

Use these rules when it comes to your own meetings.

A.      Only schedule meetings with a clear goal and agenda.

B.      Consider alternatives like email updates, Loom videos, or task collaboration boards like Trello or Asana.

C.      Finally, use the "two-pizza rule" (popularised by Amazon): if the group is too large to be fed with two pizzas, the meeting might be too big to be productive.

·       The third big lie and I really used to believe this one myself, until I learned a few hard lessons, is that Multitasking Makes You More Efficient

Far from leading to better productivity, multitasking actually reduces focus and increases mistakes because our brain isn’t designed to focus on multiple complex tasks simultaneously.

Instead, we task-switch, rapidly shifting attention between tasks, which increases cognitive load, slows productivity, and leads to more mistakes. This constant switching disrupts deep focus, lowers the quality of work, and causes mental fatigue and stress.

Numerous studies on this topic prove that multitasking can reduce productivity by up to 40%, as the brain wastes time reorienting itself after every switch. Over time, it also impairs our ability to concentrate on single tasks. To work more effectively, focus on one task at a time. This will improve your efficiency, quality, and mental clarity.

Yes folks, the truth is that single-tasking is far more effective for quality and efficiency.

Here are 3 simple tips to replace multitasking:

1. Use the Pomodoro Technique: Focus on one task for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break. This helps you stay productive without feeling overwhelmed. I’ve done a show on this topic, so go check it out.

2. Prioritise with a To-Do List: W down tasks in order of importance and tackle them one at a time, starting with the most critical. Use tools such as the Eisenhower matrix to help you prioritise. Again, this is a subject I have done episodes on so go back and have a listen if you need to understand this better.

3. Eliminate Distractions: Silence notifications, close unnecessary tabs, and dedicate blocks of time to specific tasks to stay focused.

1. Number 4 on my list today is that You Need Motivation to Get Started

   
   

We often think motivation is the key to productivity, but the truth is, waiting to feel motivated can hold you back and relying on motivation is a flawed approach. Building systems, habits, and discipline is a significantly better way to stay productive even when motivation fades.

The truth is that waiting for motivation leads to procrastination, but it is action that creates motivation, not the other way around.

One tip to get yourself started is to use the 5-Minute Rule: a simple productivity technique designed to overcome procrastination and boost motivation. The idea is this: if there's a task you're avoiding, tell yourself you'll work on it for just 5 minutes. Commit to starting, even if it’s only for that short amount of time.

Starting is often the hardest part of any task. Once you begin, you’re more likely to continue working beyond the 5 minutes. It takes advantage of inertia—once you’re in motion, it’s easier to keep going. Even if you stop after 5 minutes, you’ve still made progress, which can reduce overwhelm and build momentum for the next session. It’s especially effective for tasks that feel overwhelming or are simply boring. Look back to my earlier episode this season 170 Stop Waiting, Start Doing if you want to know more about this topic.

My final productivity lie is one that comes up again and again in the creativity world, often as we have been encouraged in various collaborative projects that were positive experiences to think in this way/ I have suffered badly from this error myself. The final lie is the belief that Everyone Needs to Be Involved in Every Decision and it can be a major productivity killer.

The reality is that in most scenarios, involving too many people slows decision-making, creates confusion, and blurs accountability.

I recently faced a situation where an editor was brought into a project which I had been asked to direct, but they weren’t employed by me. At the zoom chat meeting post shoot, the writer whose project it was stated some stuff about the project that was at odds to what we had set out to do. I re-stated the actual projects goals to get it back on the rails but the editor’s key takeaway from the meeting was the writer’s angle on things. It created a situation where my own notes were being ignored and which eventually had to be dealt with by the producer. It caused confusion, angst, annoyance on my part and it also cost about a week’s worth of time and energy, where I effectively had to step away in order for the mess to get sorted out. In that instance, as creative director I had to have control, but my position was undermined as a result of unclear thoughts spoken out of place.

Not everyone should be involved in every decision.

Instead, focus on these principles:

• Involve the Right People – Only include those with the expertise or responsibility for the decision. Others don’t need to weigh in.

• Define Roles Clearly – Use frameworks like RACI to clarify who makes the decision, who gives input, and who just needs updates. I’ll talk more about this in a second.

• Keep Others Informed – While not everyone needs to decide, make sure the team is aware of decisions that affect them.

  
  

The RACI matrix is a tool to clarify roles and responsibilities in a project or decision-making process. Here's what it stands for:

• Responsible: Person(s) doing the work to complete the task.

• Accountable: The one person ultimately answerable for the task’s success.

• Consulted: Person(s) providing input or expertise.

• Informed: Person(s) kept updated but not involved in the process.

If you are ever unsure of the pecking order for decision making, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask.

Why Use RACI?

• Clarifies roles: Eliminates confusion about who does what.

• Prevents overlap: Avoids duplication or missed tasks.

• Improves efficiency: Involves only the right people at the right time.

Remember folks that productivity isn’t about following trends or outdated advice—it’s about finding what works for you.

The five productivity lies that I have discussed today are as follows:

1.     Being Busy Means Being Productive

2.     Meetings Are Always Necessary to Get Things Done

3.     Multitasking Makes You More Efficient

4.     You Need Motivation to Get Started

5.     Everyone Needs to Be Involved in Every Decision

Your call to action today is to pick one lie that you have fallen for and try one of my listed solutions to overcome it.

So that’s it, that’s the end of season 14 and I do hope that you have found it to be useful. I’ve dedicated several weeks of my time and energy to this because I like to do stuff that matters. If you’d care to share episodes, or the link to the website filmproproductivity.com please do so. Any support you can give whether it is through sponsoring shows or leaving reviews on the podcast apps of your choice or sharing episodes on social media is massively appreciated.

This season I have trialled some AI software to help me put stuff together. It proved to be a bit of a mixed bag, and I think the main thing I must say about AI is that it really isn’t particularly intelligent. I did this as I’m working up an episode on the topic though so stay tuned for that in season 15 which I’ll come back to at the end of the year.

I very much appreciate you giving up your valuable time to join me here and I am forever thankful for your support. If you have sponsored an episode or backed me up in any way thank you. Please do drop me a line via the contact page on the website and remember you can use the speak pipe link there to leave me a voice note if you have suggestions for future episodes.

Every day is a new opportunity to create, grow, and become the most productive version of yourself so embrace it, and greatness will follow.

Now take control of your own destiny, keep on shooting and join me next season on Film Pro Productivity and Success

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